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Wed, 18 Nov 1998 18:57:09 EST
>From Wall of Sound:
November 18, 1998
Chart Watch: Alanis, R. Kelly, Springsteen, 'N Sync
Alanis Morissette has done it again. Last week, her Jagged Little Pill
follow-up, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, sold nearly half a million
copies. While she didn't fare nearly as well number-wise this week, selling
just over 268,000 copies, it was still enough to earn her another trip to the
top spot on the SoundScan charts. R. Kelly's double album R. was a close
runner up, selling roughly 215,000 copies. Celine Dion, with whom R. Kelly
duets on "I'm Your Angel"�a song that appears on each singer's album�moves up
a spot from last week to No. 3, while Jay-Z dips to No. 4 and U2 to No. 5.
<snip>
>From E! Online:
Alanis Holds Off R. Kelly
by Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn
November 18, 1998, 3:10 p.m. PT
You oughta know that Alanis Morissette could hold off a tough field of
multiplatinum stars to hang on to the No. 1 position at the nation's music
retailers, her Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie moving 268,000 units for the
week ended November 15.
But you also oughta know that Alanis won't be holding on to the top spot much
longer. Garth Brooks should be ropin' in that coveted slot come next week,
thanks to the huge marketing push his Double Live--released Tuesday--is
getting.
Wal-Mart alone tried to sell a million copies the first day out, featuring the
hatted one in a special concert exclusive to the chain. (The company refused
to say whether Brooks hit the million mark, but a Wal-Mart rep did say, "It
was the largest single-day music sales in the history of our company.")
Tonight, NBC beams out three separate Brooks' live performances--one for the
Eastern/Central time zones, one for Mountain and one for Pacific.
When all the beans are counted next week, Brooks may beat the first-week sales
record currently held by Pearl Jam's Vs., which sold 970,000 copies. (Note:
Because it's a double album, Double Live's sales are multiplied by two.)
And while Brooks got the lion's share of publicity on the so-called Super
Tuesday, he won't be the only one vying for top chart honors next week.
Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jewel, Seal and the star-studded Prince of
Egypt soundtracks were also released yesterday and should be featured
prominently in the Billboard poll.
In any case, Alanis still reigns for this week: even though her sales were
down from her impressive debut last week of 469,000, it was still enough beat
the surprising showing by soulster R. Kelly. Still riding a popularity wave
from his Space Jam smash "(I Believe) I Can Fly," his new album R. came close
to a No. 1 debut, with sales of 216,000.
It is also a significant week for Kelly's relatively small record label, Jive,
which is enjoying two albums in the Top 10, with the Backstreet Boys charting
in the 10 spot.
At first glance, it looks like U2 was knocked out of its No. 2 bow by Celine
Dion and Jay-Z. However, Best of U2 1980-1990 with a bonus disc of rarities
and B-sides sold 136,000 units, and the same greatest hits package minus the
extras sold 29,000 (presumably to those fans who wanted to save a couple of
bucks and take their U2 neat). So altogether, U2's new offering sold 165,000
in both configurations.
Dion sold a relatively modest 162,000 copies of her holiday album These Are
Special Times, though Titanic soundtrack and her last studio album, Let's Talk
About Love, remain on the charts.
Another Yuletide release, Home for Christmas from singing hunks 'N Sync, sold
117,000 in its first week, giving the group the No. 6 and No. 7 position (for
their eponymous debut) and reason for a little Chrtistmas spirit at their
label, RCA. Also in the Top 10 this week was Shania Twain and Dru Hill at No.
8 and No. 9 respectively.
Other debuts included 112 at No. 20, George Michael's greatest hits collection
at No. 24, Bruce Springsteen's six-disc Tracks at No 27 and Rush's live triple
album at No. 35.
des
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