"Best of" history-maker


Arlene Pelayo ([email protected])
Mon, 16 Nov 1998 11:00:07 -0400


               U2's 'Best of': Highest Greatest Hits
               Debut by any Band in the History of
               Soundscan(r)

               PRNewswire
               15-NOV-98

               NEW YORK, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/-- "U2 The Best of
1980-1990," which instored
               last Tuesday, November 3, sold 237,434 units over the
counter last week, making
               the two-disc set the highest selling greatest hits
collection by any band in its first
               week of release since the industry has been able to
accurately monitor sales on a
               weekly basis. The album has already qualified for Double
Platinum status.

               "We couldn't be happier with the first week's sales,"
said Island Records President
               John Barbis. "We knew this would be huge, but the first
week number is a testament
               to the enduring loyalty of U2's fans."

               The two-disc collection entered the charts at Number One
in 17 countries including
               Canada, U.K., France, Australia and Japan. A single disc
version of the collection,
               minus a b-sides disc, was released on Tuesday, November
10.

               "The consumer has spoken: 'U2 The Best of 1980-1990' is
the definitive must have
               for Christmas!" said Gary Arnold, Senior Vice President
of Merchandising for Best
               Buy.

               "The U2 sales for the week were absolutely spectacular,"
said Jim Litwak, Executive
               Vice President of Merchandising for Transworld
Entertainment. "Obviously U2 is one
               of the greatest bands of all time and they certainly
proved it once again with the latest
               release. We're very pleased and looking forward to having
a terrific holiday season
               with this album."

               The esteemed Baltimore Sun critic J.D. Considine summed
it up best when he
               recently wrote: "U2's strengths were common knowledge for
anyone who listened to
               the radio during the '80s. But just how great the band
could be doesn't become fully
               apparent until those moments are laid end-to-end, as they
are at 'The Best of
               1980-1990.'"



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