Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts Beat Miley And Jadakiss For Billboard #1

15 Apr 2009 01:23:00 EDT

Jada's Last Kiss debuts at #3.
By Gil Kaufman

Rascal Flatts
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Sometimes, an album title is more than just an album title. Case in point: The sixth album from country trio Rascal Flatts, the aptly named Unstoppable, which will easily top next week's Billboard 200 albums chart with 351,000 copies sold, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

That solid opening bow — the second best this year behind U2's 480,000 first week — helped keep the soundtrack to the "Hannah Montana" movie at #2 with 196,000 in sales. Just behind the Miley Cyrus effort was the chart debut by veteran rapper and Lox member Jadakiss, with his third solo album, The Last Kiss, which racked up 135,000 units moved. He's followed by the strong #4 opening from country singer Jason Aldean's Wide Open (109,000).

The rest of the top 10 includes: NOW 30 (#5, 99,000), Taylor Swift's Fearless (#6, 82,000, pushing her over the 3 million mark), Keith Urban's Defying Gravity (#7, 72,000, a nearly 60 percent falloff from last week's debut), the "Twilight" soundtrack (#8, 68,000), Prince's Target-exclusive three-disc set LotusFlow3r (#9, 66,000, down 61 percent from last week's debut) and Lady Gaga's Fame (#10, 56,000).

After more than a year on the charts, Carrie Underwood's 2007 album, Carnival Ride, had another solid week, jumping from #34 to #16 on a nearly 100 percent increase in sales to 32,000. Flo Rida, on the other hand, shed 43 percent of the first-week business of his R.O.O.T.S. album, despite a high-profile slot on "American Idol," with 31,000 units moved.

As he contemplates retirement, Bow Wow gets the bad news that his potential swan song, New Jack City Pt. II, took a header in its second week, free-falling from a #16 debut to #48 on sales of nearly 13,000. Also debuting on the charts is the three-disc Grateful Dead set, To Terrapin: Hartford '77 (#168, 4,000), a remastered chronicle of what is considered by many Deadheads to be one of the band's finest live shows. Elsewhere, Jesse McCartney's Departure makes its way back onto the charts at #79 (just under 9,000) nearly a year after its release.

Among the week's other debuts, veteran rocker Neil Young's car-themed homage to his home-brewed hybrid Lincvolt, Fork in the Road, debuts at #19 with 28,000 in sales. The latest from Miley's dad, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, Back to Tennessee, slides in at #41 (14,000). And rapper Mims' Guilt manages a #53 debut with 12,000 satisfied customers. England's Doves break in at #88 with Kingdom of Rust (8,000). Former "American Idol" singer Kellie Pickler's self-titled country album hits #112 (6,000), and indie darling Bat for Lashes (a.k.a. singer Natasha Khan) lands at #140 (5,000) in the first week for her Two Suns album.

Next week's charts will see the debuts of albums from Diddy's Day26 and the Silversun Pickups.

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James Otto and Lady Antebellum Shocked by Their First CMA Nominations

10 Sep 2008 07:03:00 EDT

Sugarland, George Strait, Trace Adkins, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift Also Respond to Their Nominations
By CMT.com Staff

Photo: Brian Tipton

James Otto and Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood all shared similar excitement Wednesday morning (Sept. 10) after a special live edition of CMT Insider at Nashville's Sommet Center. In addition to announcing part of this year's CMA award nominations, they also shared their first CMA award nominations.

Otto and Lady Antebellum were both nominated in the new artist category alongside Kellie Pickler, Jason Aldean and Rodney Atkins. Lady Antebellum also picked up a nomination for vocal group of the year, a field that includes the Eagles, Emerson Drive, Little Big Town and five-time winners Rascal Flatts.

All three members of Lady Antebellum were clearly excited over their very first CMA nominations.

"When we had looked at the categories, that was one that we were just hoping so much we could get in," Kelley told CMT Insider just moments after the new artist category was announced. "I think of us to have everybody's stamp of approval on us, it just feels so amazing, and there's just great talent in there."

Scott agreed, noting, "There's just so many people, so many new artists, that have come out in the past year to two years that, I mean, it's almost like a new ... kind of freshmen class. So it's exciting to feel like we're a part of that."

"The way they did it," Kelley explained, "they each gave us a card to call out the nominees for different categories, and right before we went on stage, they gave us the last card -- I guess so while we were back there, nobody would peek at it. It happened to be one that ourselves as well as James Otto was in -- so I guess they didn't want us looking."

"And they definitely gave it to Charles on purpose," Scott laughed. "They didn't give it to me for a reason because I'd have been like, 'Ahhhh! Oh, my gosh!'"

"She wouldn't have gotten past our name," Kelley joked. "It was genuine shock. It was. It was very exciting."

The trio didn't expect to be in the vocal group category.

"The Eagles, they were my first concert ever -- when I was 10," said Haywood. "So to actually be in a category with them, that's pretty amazing. Yeah, the three of us were flipping out."

Otto has been in the music business for several years, so he knew better than to take a nomination for granted.

"Man, I'm sweating now actually thinking about just how crazy it is," Otto told CMT Insider. "It's amazing, man. This is a lifetime of work coming together. ... You know, there's a lot of people that have been in that category that have a lot more hits than I do and people that really deserve the award, so it feels amazing, man. And yes, nerve-racking for sure."

"I've been in Nashville for 11 years," he added. "This is not my first record deal, but the thing is, this is the first opportunity I've really gotten that was 100 percent about trying to make this happen for me, and I'm just really honored that people look at me as a new artist. I feel like a new artist. I feel like this is my first real shot at this, and I'm just very excited man, very excited."

"I honestly didn't let myself think about being nominated for this. This was something that I saw -- too many big names in the category -- people that are established and already are large stars. So I didn't really allow myself to think about the fact that we might actually make the short list like this."

Kenny Chesney received seven nominations -- more than anyone this year. With entertainer of the year and male vocalist nominations, he is also up for album, single and video of the year, along with two vocal event nominations for his work with George Strait and Reba McEntire.

"You never know how these things are going to go," Chesney said in a written statement. "We work so hard on this music, the tours, the videos. It's so much the focus of what I do, how I live. It's always a thrill to see that people are not just noticing but recognize what we're all trying to do."

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush received five nominations, including their first-ever entertainer of the year nod. Nominated for vocal duo of the year, their hit, "Stay," is up for single, song and video of the year, and they are in the musical event category for their recording of "Life in a Northern Town" with Little Big Town and Jake Owen. Additionally, Nettles received a sixth nomination -- for song of the year -- for writing "Stay."

"I almost spilt my tea this morning as I was watching and the nominations kept being added," Nettles said in a written statement. "Being in the entertainer of the year category is such an honor. We've been lucky enough to be out on the road with Kenny Chesney for a couple of tours over the last two years. Looks like rock by osmosis really does work."

Bush added, "I just finished watching the nomination announcements on TV from my sofa at home, and it is simultaneously humbling and encouraging to be in such amazing company as we are in all of the categories. It is one thing to play shows every week of the year and imagine ourselves striving to become entertainers of the year and another thing all together to have the voting members of the CMA believe that it is possible. Simply awesome."

Strait also received five CMA nominations, including entertainer of the year and male vocalist. His latest album, Troubadour, is nominated for album of the year, and "I Saw God Today" is on the list for single of the year. Strait's fifth nomination this year is in the musical event category for his collaboration with Chesney on "Shiftwork."

"I'm sitting down here in South Texas, bracing for Hurricane Ike," Strait said in a press release. "This really brightens my day. I look forward to a great celebration of our great music. Thanks to all involved!"

Trace Adkins picked up two CMA nominations -- his first in 10 years -- for his hit single, "You're Gonna Miss This." Nominated for single and music video of the year, it also resulted in a song of the year nomination for songwriters Lee Thomas Miller and Ashley Gorley.

"'You're Gonna Miss This' has been such a special gift for me this year, so I'm really thrilled that the CMA and the industry recognized the strength of that song," Adkins said. "Not only was it one of the biggest hits of my career, when we performed it on the season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice, it helped raise a lot of money for my charity, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. So yeah, I'm really proud of this song."

Carrie Underwood is the recipient of two nominations, too. Her mention in the female vocalist division is complemented by an album of the year nomination for her second project, Carnival Ride.

"This is awesome!" Underwood said. "As an artist, you always hope the music you record will touch people's lives. There is nothing more rewarding than to be recognized by your peers and to know your fans are enjoying the same ride."

Taylor Swift was ecstatic when Rascal Flatts read her name among the female vocalist nominations during a segment of Good Morning America broadcast from New York's Times Square.

"This was definitely a day worth getting up really early for," she said. "Hearing my name called in the female vocalist category was a dream come true."

CMT Insider's writer/producer Terry Bumgarner contributed to this story.

View photos from the CMA award nominee announcements in New York and Nashville.

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Britney Spears Pops A Tire; Plus Lindsay Lohan, John Legend, Robin Thicke, Kanye West, Beyonce, Fergie & More, In For The Record

8 Jan 2008 08:17:00 EST

Woman seeking more money from Lohan; Legend, Thicke to perform at MusiCares event; West blogging like crazy.
By MTV News staff

Britney Spears
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Does anything go right for Britney Spears anymore? In the wake of Brit's recent hospital stay and 15-minute meeting with Dr. Phil, the troubled pop star was spotted Monday night on Los Angeles' Sunset Boulevard, having a bit of car trouble. Spears' car suffered a flat tire near the 405 freeway. According to a rep from the Los Angeles Police Department, the singer abandoned her Mercedes in the middle of the street and accepted a ride home from one of the many paparazzi who were following her. The LAPD had the car towed to a nearby lot for safekeeping. Spears will have to cover the $104 towing fee, as well as a $35.60 storage fee. ...

Lindsay Lohan is being sued by the woman she allegedly chased in July while driving under the influence, and now Tracie Rice is seeking more money from the actress. According to TMZ.com, Rice has filed legal papers that allege she has already spent $3,500 in therapist bills and other medical-related expenses. She also claims she lost her job because of the car chase. ...

John Legend, Robin Thicke, Lil Mama, Anthony Hamilton and Fantasia are some of the stars who will serenade Aretha Franklin when she is honored as the 2008 MusiCares Person of the year at an event at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8. The music legend is being hailed for her outreach efforts to children's and health-care groups, churches and food banks in the Detroit area. The event will also feature a silent auction with items by members of Led Zeppelin, Bill Clinton and others — proceeds go to MusiCares, which helps musicians in need of financial, medical and/or personal help. ...

Kanye West has been on fire lately with his blog, posting about everything from Dr. Dre's new line of headphones to a nostalgic look at Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" video. ... Beyoncé, Amy Winehouse, Fergie, Jessica Simpson, Avril Lavigne and Lindsay Lohan have something dubious in common — they've all been named on Mr. Blackwell's annual worst-dressed list. Victoria Beckman topped the list. ... Ray J is teeing up a new album for release in April, and he has taken Lil Wayne, the Game and Snoop Dogg along for the ride. All I Feel also boasts production from Rodney Jerkins, and Yung Berg is featured on the album's first single, "Sexy Can I." ...

What's good for Radiohead is apparently good for Coldplay. According to various reports, including one from British newspaper the Daily Star, Coldplay may be mulling a departure from EMI, the band's longtime label home. Radiohead ditched the label and released their last album, In Rainbows, independently online. According to a source, Coldplay don't feel they "necessarily need a label" and will consider all of their options before re-signing with the company. The band has been working on its fourth LP with producer Brian Eno (U2, Depeche Mode), and had originally hoped to release the new material this spring, though no official release date has been given. ...

The South by Southwest lineup has swollen to include Bun B and the Black Keys. Blitzen Trapper, the Von Bondies, the Raveonettes and Vampire Weekend have also been announced to play at the festival, which will happen March 12-16 in Austin, Texas. Speaking of the Keys, their new album, Attack & Release — which was produced by Danger Mouse — will hit stores April 1. ... Sean Penn and the Coen brothers keep raking in the accolades — the respective "Into the Wild" and "No Country for Old Men" directors have been nominated for the Directors Guild of America's best filmmaker honor. Paul Thomas Anderson ("There Will Be Blood"), Tony Gilroy ("Michael Clayton") and Julian Schnabel ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly") are also up for the distinction, and the winner will be announced January 26. ...

According to Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, singer Bif Naked, 36, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Naked, whose real name is Beth Torbert, reportedly found a lump in her breast during a self-examination. She is scheduled for a lumpectomy this week and will also undergo chemotherapy. "It's like being on 'The Price Is Right,' " she told the paper. "I can't believe coins didn't come out of the machine. They said, 'This is not something we're happy with. Let's do an ultrasound.' ... A week later ... they did these tests, and this biopsy came back basically being pretty gosh darn positive for breast cancer." Naked is not afraid to take on the chronic disease. "I'm really confident that it's going to be a snap for me," she said. "I have a pre-existing aneurysm in my heart, so it will be a challenge medically. Hopefully in three weeks I can start my chemotherapy. ... After that, you can go through the steps of radiation, and hopefully be right as right." ...

According to guitarist Brian Bell, Weezer's forthcoming sixth album is in the bag. "Personally, I think it's our best yet," he said in a statement. "Never have the four of us worked so hard and passionately on an album, and we all look forward to performing this culmination of our talents and combined knowledge in 2008 in a city near you." ... French electronic sensations Justice will anchor the bill for the forthcoming MySpace Music Tour, which is set to kick off March 3 in Austin, Texas, and run through March 31 in Los Angeles. Diplo, DJ Mehdi, Chromeo, Busy P and Fancy are also scheduled to perform. ... Eels frontman Mark Oliver Everett has an autobiography on the way. His tome, "Things the Grandchildren Should Know," examines the singer's life and his early days in rock music. The book will be available in the States in the fall. ...

There's a new Web site that's designed to help pair drummers with bands that are short on talent. Over at DrummerHunter.com, bands that need a kitman can browse potential players using a profile system similar to those used on dating Web sites or social networks like MySpace. Drummers can post contact information, MP3s of their playing, acts they like and genres they can play, all for free. Bands can then search the profiles and contact the sticksmen directly.

1.07.08

Shins multi-instrumentalist Marty Crandall was reportedly arrested Friday night on a domestic-violence charge after an altercation with girlfriend and former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Elyse Sewell. In a LiveJournal.com post titled "Worst Weekend Olympics" that has since been locked, Sewell, who dated Crandall for several years, wrote that a night of drinking in a Sacramento, California, hotel room ended with her escaping "from the room through a blitzkrieg of violence." According to several reports, the post featured photos of Sewell's heavily bruised arms and bloody knuckles, and noted that Crandall bore bite marks from their alleged scuffle, which resulted in Sewell's arrest as well. Both were reportedly booked after she notified hotel security about the incident — Sewell was reportedly released from jail Saturday, while a search of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Web site shows that a man named Martin Lesley Crandall was released from jail Sunday. A spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department could not be reached for comment at press time. In a Sunday afternoon post, Sewell wrote on her LiveJournal.com page that, "I'm feeling much better on this new day (after sleeping until noon). I've decided to heed the advice of many commenters (lawyerly types) and friends — lock my last entry about the legal foibles between me and my ex-boyfriend." The Shins' label Sub Pop responded to the matter on Monday (January 7), saying in a statement, "Marty Crandall and his ex-girlfriend Elyse Sewell were both arrested over the weekend following an argument at a Sacramento hotel which resulted in hotel staff calling the police. They were both taken into police custody and released over the weekend. There will be no further comment at this time, and [we] would appreciate their privacy being respected." Crandall and Sewell are due back in court Tuesday. ...

Jay-Z, Bono, Al Gore, George Clooney, Jon Stewart and Matthew McConaughey were just a few of the celebrities who appeared in a video poking fun at Microsoft founder Bill Gates on his last day and subsequent retirement. The clip aired Sunday as a part of Gates' last keynote address to his company. In the video, Gates — with newfound time on his hands — explores several alternative post-career options. First he's in the studio cutting a record with Jay at the boards. "You killed it, Billy G," Jay says in the clip. Then Bono gets a phone call that brings him offstage during a concert — on the other end, Gates shares his new high score at "Guitar Hero." The near-eight-minute video ends with the iconic software advocate receiving a cheering ovation. ... Curiously, the Gates keynote event wasn't the only place where Jay and Bono crossed paths recently — the exiting Def Jam prez checked out a screening of U2's new 3-D concert film on Monday (January 7), according to RollingStone.com. Jay reportedly left the "U2 3D" screening early. ... Miley Cyrus, Fergie and John Legend have been roped into the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, which will go down March 3-22. The country-centric event will also feature Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts. ...

Kid Rock's scheduled arraignment Monday in DeKalb County, Georgia, has been postponed until February 4, according to the DeKalb County Solicitor's Office. The arraignment stems from Rock's arrest in October on a misdemeanor battery charge after he allegedly got into a brawl over a woman at a Waffle House. According to a Solicitor's Office spokesperson, the postponement was necessary to give officials more time to investigate the matter and determine whether they'll prosecute the case. ... Nicole Kidman is having another, um, kid. The actress, who already has two adopted children with ex-husband Tom Cruise, is expecting her first baby with new hubby Keith Urban. ...

Add Beanie Sigel to the growing list of veteran rappers unhappy with what they see as a lack of support from Def Jam. Jay-Z detractors LL Cool J and Method Man have been the most vocal, but in an interview with DJ Whoo Kid over the weekend, the Philadelphia lyricist revealed his — and labelmate Freeway's — frustration with the label. "It's some f---ed-up sh-- that needs to be addressed," Sigel said. "A lot of questions should be directed to the people in charge. They need to be put on the spot and asked questions. Because I want to know myself. ... I'm waiting to hear the same answers to questions that me and Freeway get asked." Jay-Z has stepped down as president of Def Jam, but he still seemed to draw some of Beans' ire, though he wasn't directly named. Beans, however, explained he will release a mixtape soon titled "True American Gangster," a play off Jay's most recent album, November's American Gangster. ...

According to a post on Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider blog, "American Idol" season-five winner Taylor Hicks is the latest "Idol" to get the boot from J Records. Just weeks after season-two champ Ruben Studdard was dropped, an unnamed label source told the site that Hicks is going to record his next album on his own, because "he is no longer on the J Records roster." A spokesperson for J Records could not be reached at press time. ... Jessica Simpson escaped to Mexico over the weekend, with boyfriend Tony Romo — and her parents — in tow, according to People.com. The two were also joined by some of Romo's Dallas Cowboys teammates, who have apparently warmed up to the actress, who some had criticized for distracting the quarterback. ... Actor Jack Black and wife Tanya Haden are expecting their second child, according to The Associated Press. Black reportedly confirmed his wife's pregnancy over the weekend. Black and Haden, a cellist and the daughter of jazz great Charlie Haden, were married in 2006 and already have one child, a 6-month-old son. ...

BT, an electronic-music producer who has worked with everyone from Britney Spears to the Roots, is speaking out about the alleged abduction of his daughter by the child's mother. According to a statement released by his publicist, 3-year-old Kaia Transeau has been missing for three weeks, and BT has not had contact with her since the first few days she was gone. "I am diligently and delicately working to do everything possible to amend this tragic family situation," he said in a statement. "As a father, my only goal is to get my daughter back home. I appreciate your continued support and understanding in this desperate hour." Kaia is on the National Crime Information Center's missing-persons list (304-625-2000). ...

José González is feeling green — the indie-folk luminary will launch an environmentally friendly trek starting February 29 in Miami. The singer/songwriter has partnered with Reverb for his Green Tour, which will find him neutralizing emissions from venue energy use and calculating his CO2 footprint. Tickets will cost an extra 50 cents each to offset costs for the effort, and the jaunt will end March 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia. ... OK Go have stepped up for a good cause — the band ganged up with New Orleans funk/soul group Bonerama during the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and recorded music at a studio in the city's Upper Ninth Ward. The end result is an exclusive iTunes EP that will drop February 5 and benefit local musicians — including R&B legend Al Johnson — who are still struggling to get their lives back together. You're Not Alone features three reworked songs from OK Go's last album, 2005's Oh No, as well as covers of David Bowie's "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide" and Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," with Johnson contributing vocals to the latter track. The groups are also partnering to play two benefit shows: a gig Friday at Tipitina's and a February 2 concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., that will be streamed on NPR. ...

R.E.M. aren't the only big-name rock vets who will perform at this year's South by Southwest festival — Black Crowes will also descend on Austin, Texas, with a headlining show at Stubb's on March 15. The band has lined up seven additional March club gigs, during which it will play the entirety of its first proper studio release in seven years, March 4's Warpaint, in addition to classic material. The Crowes' One Night Only run starts March 2 in Sayreville, New Jersey, and ends March 20 in Los Angeles. Speaking of R.E.M., frontman Michael Stipe recently chimed in on the presidential-nomination race, and while he's not exactly going to pull a Chuck Norris and throw his support behind Republican candidate and Mike Huckabee, he did have a few kind words for the former Arkansas governor. "I can't think of probably a single issue in which I am even remotely in the same universe as that guy ... and yet, he was kind of charming and ... self-deprecating," he said on Sirius Satellite Radio program "Jade Radio." "He was actually kind of a good sport, and funny, and I don't know what that means. Maybe it's a good thing that's he's being lauded right now by the right. He's an evangelical. May God bless all living creatures, but my God ... how weird." ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel has christened his new band Ashes Divide. The group will release its debut album in March, with the album's first single, "The Stone," due to hit radio January 22. ....

Sony/BMG — home to Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Carrie Underwood — is finalizing plans to sell part of its collection without Digital Rights Management protection in the first quarter of 2008, BusinessWeek.com reports. The first initiative under the deal will come via a Platinum MusicPass series of digital-album gift cards that will be sold starting January 15 at Best Buy, Target and other select stores. The album cards retail for $12.99 and come with bonus material — titles include Backstreet Boys' Unbreakable, John Mayer's Continuum and Bruce Springsteen's Magic. Also being considered is an upcoming Pepsi Super Bowl promotion featuring Justin Timberlake that will involve the free distribution of 1 billion songs from major labels.

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Shins Instrumentalist Arrested For Domestic Violence; Plus Jay-Z, Bono, Hannah Montana, Fergie, Nicole Kidman & More, In For The Record

7 Jan 2008 08:14:00 EST

Jay, Bono poke fun at Bill Gates in video; Miley Cyrus, Fergie roped in to perform at rodeo show; Kidman pregnant.
By MTV News staff

The Shins' Marty Crandall
Photo: Karl Walter/Getty Images

1.4.08

The Hannah Montana tour is definitely one of the hottest tickets in town for tweens and their parents, but one woman admits she went a little overboard in trying to win tickets for her daughter. Texas mom Priscilla Ceballos apologized Friday (January 4) on NBC's "Today" show for writing an essay falsely claiming the girl's father had died in Iraq just so the girl could see Hannah (a.k.a. Miley Cyrus) in person. "I just wanted to help my daughter write a compelling story," she said. The fabricated essay won the contest's grand prize, which included airfare for four to Albany, New York, and four tickets to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert there, as well as a makeover that included a blond Hannah Montana wig. "Please accept my heartfelt apology and please do not punish my child for my mistake," Ceballos urged on the show. ...

What's harder to find than a City of Gold? For "American Idol" rocker Chris Daughtry, it was one of his own songs. Daughtry was commissioned to write a song to play over the end credits of "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," but the single, "Feels Like Tonight," was left on the cutting-room floor, reports Variety. "It's a great song, and probably could have been a good marketing tool, but when we put it up with the movie, it just felt wrong," Disney music chief Mitchell Leib told the Hollywood trade. ...In other "Idol" alumni news, Season Two winner Ruben Studdard and semifinalist Frenchie Davis (who got the boot from the show after Fox discovered that she worked for an adult Web site before trying out) have signed on for the 30th anniversary national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical revue "Ain't Misbehavin'." Richard Maltby Jr. co-wrote and directed the Broadway production, which showcases the music of "Fats" Waller, and he will re-create his original direction. Studdard was in need of some good news after being the first "Idol" winner to be dropped from his label, when J Records let him go in December. Since appearing on "Idol," Davis was in the Broadway cast of "Rent." The "Ain't Misbehavin' " tour will begin in November and run at least through May 2009. ...

Literature probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of C-Murder, but the rapper — who is to be retried on a second-degree murder charge on February 11 — is taking part in a unique book club that connects readers with authors. On January 19, C-Murder will help christen the New Orleans "chapter" of the Conversations Book Club when he joins the group at the Comfort Inn & Suites downtown to discuss "Death Around the Corner," his recent novel about the city post-Katrina. ...

R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, Vampire Weekend, Daniel Lanois, Tech N9ne and My Brightest Diamond are among the initial slate of bands scheduled to perform at this year's South by Southwest festival. Lou Reed will be the keynote speaker at the fest, which will take place in Austin, Texas, March 12-16. ... Birdman is being sued for allegedly sampling other artists' songs without paying for them. The lawsuit, which was filed in New Orleans, claims that the Cash Money Records co-founder (real name: Bryan Williams) owes several music publishers money for using copyrighted songs without permission. ... Does Britney have some competition? Both Whitney Houston and her estranged husband, Bobby Brown, were no-shows Friday (January 4) at their scheduled court appearance, TMZ.com reports. According to the Web site, Whitney's attorney, Stephen Kolodny, said the singer was sick. ...

Bay Area producer/DJ Amplive won't be putting out his remix of Radiohead's In Rainbows after all. Just a month after announcing his remix album, Rainydayz Remixes, which was to feature a cameo from Too Short, Amp announced on his MySpace page that he had received a cease-and-desist letter from Radiohead's publisher, Warner/Chappell, on December 18 that barred him from releasing the unapproved album, according to a story on Pitchfork linked to from Amp's site. In a video on his MySpace page, a dejected-looking Amp, holding a sign that reads "free," laments, "In Rainbows is one of the top Radiohead albums, and I'm a big Radiohead fan, and it was all done in celebration." He says he wanted to show his appreciation for Radiohead's pioneering pay-what-you-want scheme by doing a hip-hop remix album that would also have featured Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Jurassic 5's Chali 2na. He says he wishes that Radiohead could hear the free remix album, which he knows they would like, and suspects the band is not to blame for the legal action. "Thom [Yorke], holla at me, man," he pleads to the band's frontman at the end of the message. ...

Australia's first couple of music, Silverchair singer Daniel Johns and singer/actress Natalie Imbruglia, have announced that they will separate after four years of marriage, according to the Melbourne Herald Sun. The pair announced their split in a joint statement released Friday (January 4) that read, "While we are very sad that our marriage has ended, we want to make it clear that our parting is amicable and we remain friends. ... This mutual decision has not been taken lightly or quickly. However, our career demands and our lives in different parts of the world have brought us to the point where unfortunately this difficult decision was necessary for both of us. We have simply grown apart through not being able to spend enough time together." ... On March 25, long-running, genre-spanning party-poppers the B-52s will return with Funplex, their first album of new material since 1992's Good Stuff (and their first to feature co-frontwoman Cindy Wilson since '89's Cosmic Thing). Guitarist Keith Strickland describes the album as "loud, sexy rock and roll for your pleasure zones, with the beat pumped up to hot pink," just in case you were wondering. ...

Josh Groban had a great Christmas, but the music industry? Not so much. For the eighth year in a row, album sales were down, with total album sales diving 15 percent in 2007 to 500.5 million units, according to year-end figures from Nielsen SoundScan. The Los Angeles Times reports that it was the lowest tally and steepest decline since Nielsen began publishing estimates based on in-stores sales data in 1993. There was a bright spot with digital-album sales rising 2.4 percent to 30.1 million units, but even that paled in comparison to the 19 percent uptick in 2006. The overall picture, including albums, singles and individual-song downloads, showed a rise of 14 percent to 1.4 billion units, which, again, was down from the 19 percent gain in 2006. ...

Last year's Live Earth concert and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark will be recognized with environmental honors at the upcoming Midem Green World Awards in Cannes, France, later this month, according to BBC News. The awards pay tribute to events that promote a greater awareness of environmental issues. Live Earth is being recognized for the strict green guidelines it set out in order to create a low-impact worldwide event, while Roskilde, one of the largest European festivals, is earning praise for serving all its drinks in recyclable plastic mugs. ...

Not everyone is psyched about the huge music festival that is slated to touch down in Vineland, New Jersey, this summer courtesy of a hookup between Lollapalooza promoters C3 and the people behind England's Glastonbury Festival. According to the Vineland Daily Journal, a group of citizens, including a former City Council president, have mobilized under the banner of Neighbors Against Rock Concert Site in an attempt to block the show. The first meeting of NARCS is slated to take place Thursday, with the goal of blocking the festival — currently scheduled for August 8-10 — from taking place on a local 570-acre farm. The event is expected to draw 35,000-40,000 people over three days, with mostly on-site camping, which neighbors worry will have a negative impact on the area due to potential increases in traffic, noise, crime and pollution. According to the Journal, NARCS isn't opposed to the festival, just its location. The group is considering a lawsuit to stop the show, while suggesting that promoters move it to a more "appropriate" location, such as the local county fairgrounds. ...

The once-in-a-lifetime New Year's Eve gig at a small club in Surrey, England, that featured Who guitarist Pete Townshend, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and guitar god Eric Clapton might not be a one-off after all. The secret show, which the trio performed under the name Totally Abandoned, benefited charity and included mostly "old classics," according to London newspaper The Independent. A Thursday post on the Who's site confirmed that the gig took place and teased that "a much larger gig" could happen in New York before March. ...

Stephen Stills is recovering after having surgery for prostate cancer on Thursday. He is expected to be at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 for the world premiere of "CSNY/ Déjà Vu," a movie directed by Neil Young that revolves around his and Stills' group, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

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Eagles Land Billboard #1 Over Britney Spears; Avenged Sevenfold, Backstreet Boys Also Crack Top 10

7 Nov 2007 01:21:00 EST

SoundScan rule change allows Eagles' first studio LP in 28 years, sold exclusively at Wal-Mart, to be included on albums chart.
By Chris Harris

Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden
Photo: Eagles Recording Co.

Ouch. She couldn't do it again.

Despite early projections — which, based on first-day sales figures, had beleaguered pop star Britney Spears' first studio LP in four years opening at #1 on next week's Billboard albums chart — it simply wasn't meant to be. That's thanks to an 11th-hour reversal of Billboard's policy to not include albums sold exclusively through one retailer in the top 200 (see "Britney Spears' Blackout Denied #1 Debut On Billboard Chart After Last-Minute Rule Change").

Instead, the Eagles' first studio LP in 28 years, Long Road Out of Eden, will take the chart's peak position, with sales of nearly 711,000 copies, despite only being sold in Wal-Mart. That more than doubles the 290,000 scans generated by Spears' Blackout, which fell more than 40,000 short of experts' earliest sales estimates. Eden is the Eagles' first release — apart from a few compilations — to debut at #1 since the mostly live Hell Freezes Over, which also entered on top back in 1994, with 266,700 copies sold. Eden is the band's sixth release to bow at #1, and one of 2007's best debuts, joining Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride, which racked up 527,000 in its first week; Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight (with 623,000 scans); 50 Cent's Curtis (691,000); and Kanye West's Graduation (957,000).

So rather than score the fifth #1 debut of her career, Spears finds herself in a position she's never been in before: second place. Before Blackout's release, all four of Brit's previous outings debuted at #1: 1999's ... Baby One More Time (with 120,600 sold), 2000's Oops! ... I Did It Again (with 1.3 million), 2001's Britney (with 745,700) and 2003's In the Zone (609,400).

But Brit and the Eagles weren't the only newcomers to next week's chart. In fact, four other new albums will enter the top 10, and in all, 22 LPs will enter this latest chart, during what was a rather strong week for record sales, according to the latest SoundScan totals.

Following Britney at #4, with 93,800 copies snatched up during week one, is the latest eponymous offering from California rockers Avenged Sevenfold. The band's previous outing, 2005's City of Evil, opened at #30 with 33,000 sold. Coming in at #5 with 83,600 scans is Josh Turner's Everything Is Fine, and bowing at #7, thanks to sales of 81,100, is the sixth studio LP from the Backstreet Boys, Unbreakable. The band's previous offerings fared better, for the most part. While 1997's Backstreet Boys debuted at #29 with 40,000 scanned, 1999's Millennium took the #1 spot with 1.2 million sold, and 2000's Black and Blue also opened at #1, selling 1.6 million. The band's 2005 LP, Never Gone, entered at #3 with 291,000 sold.

Underwood's Carnival Ride is wedged between Brit and Avenged Sevenfold at #3, with sales of 170,100, and at #6, it's Raising Sand, a collaborative offering from Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and bluegrass revivalist Alison Krauss, selling another 81,200 units in its second week. Josh Groban's Noël drops three spots to #8, with 76,100 sold. Meanwhile, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli takes the chart's #9 position, having scanned 67,500 copies of his retrospective The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere release. Rascal Flatts' Still Feels Good rounds things out at #10, with 53,200 copies flying off store shelves.

Elsewhere on the chart, V Is for Vagina, the long-awaited debut album from Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan's side project, Puscifer, debuts at #25, with sales reported at more than 26,500. Rappers Playaz Circle follow at #27, having sold 26,100 copies of their new one, Supply and Demand, while Baby Bash's Cyclone enters at #30, with 25,800 scans. R&B stalwart Will Downing's After Tonight fills the #37 slot, with 21,500 in week-one sales, and rapper Project Pat's Walkin' Bank Roll checks in at #47, with 17,200 copies grabbed up.

After months of delays, Otep's The Ascension finally makes its debut on the top 200, entering at #81 after selling more than 10,200 copies. Armor for Sleep's Smile for Them follows at #93 with 9,400 scans, while the various-artists soundtrack to the Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" opens at #95, with 9,200 copies sold. Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer takes over the #102 position, with more than 8,600 copies scanned, and Thursday's Kill the House Lights enters the chart at #113, with 7,700 in sales.

Saves the Day return to the chart at #119, with their latest, Under the Boards, selling 6,700 copies, while the Insane Clown Posse's Jugganauts: The Best of ICP takes the #124 spot with 6,300 scans. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra's EP — which, like the Eagles' new release, is being sold exclusively at Wal-Mart — follows at #132 with 5,800 copies sold, while Taking Back Sunday's Notes From the Past enters at #141 with 5,600 scans. Lastly, opening at #153 with nearly 5,100 copies sold, is Graham Colton's Here Right Now.

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Kid Rock's Jesus Overpowers Bruce Springsteen's Magic On Billboard Chart

17 Oct 2007 12:20:00 EDT

Jennifer Lopez fails to crack chart's top 10 for the first time in her career.
By Chris Harris

Kid Rock
Photo: Atlantic

Last week, it was all about the Boss. But this week, the Kid rules the roost.

For the first time in his nearly 17-year career, Kid Rock has a record at the top of the Billboard albums sales chart, as his Rock N Roll Jesus sold more than 172,000 copies during its first week in stores, summarily dethroning Bruce Springsteen's Magic, which drops the Boss' latest to #2, according to the latest SoundScan totals. Rock's previous releases came close, but never hit #1: 2003's Kid Rock bowed at #8 with 188,500 scans, while 2001's Cocky opened at #7 with 222,900 sold. Back in 2000, The History of Rock coasted to a #2 debut, with 456,500 units snatched up.

While it might be hard to believe, given the success he's had in the past, Rock N Roll Jesus is the Kid's first LP to open at #1. Harder to believe, perhaps, is how Jennifer Lopez's latest, Brave, fared on next week's top 200.

Before this week, none of J. Lo's previous releases had ever bowed lower than #10. Her first offering, 1999's On the 6, debuted at #8 with 111,500 scans, while 2001's J. Lo entered at #1, selling 272,000-plus units. Then, 2002's J to Tha L-O!: The Remixes followed suit, opening at #1 with sales reported at 156,000, and in that same year, This Is Me ... Then debuted at #6, with 314,000 sold. In 2005, Rebirth claimed the chart's #2 spot with 260,900 sold, and Como Ama una Mujer, which was released earlier this year, opened at #10 with 48,000 copies flying off store shelves.

Unfortunately for Lopez, Brave becomes her first studio LP to debut outside the top 10, finishing the week with sales of 52,600 — which lands the offering at #12.

Beyond that, there weren't many newcomers to next week's top 200 — 17 in all, to be exact, with just four making it to the top 10. Following Rascal Flatts' Still Feels Good, which finished at #3 with sales of 96,300 and change, is the new one from LeAnn Rimes, Family, which sold 74,200 units to open at #4. Matchbox Twenty's Exile on Mainstream falls two spots to #5, selling another 71,600 copies, while Kanye West's Graduation climbs one spot to #6 with 71,000 sold. Reba McEntire's Reba Duets goes from #8 to #7, selling 67,500 copies, while the soundtrack to the Disney Channel's "High School Musical 2" follows at #9, having sold 65,800 units.

Sara Evans' Greatest Hits debuts on next week's chart at #8, having generated sales of nearly 66,500, and Josh Groban's Noel rounds out the top 10, selling 64,000 copies during its debut week.

Elsewhere on the chart, Alter Bridge's Blackbird debuts at #13 with sales coming in at around 46,900, with Eric Clapton's Complete Clapton following at #14 with 45,000 scans. The Naked Brothers Band's self-titled debut claims the #23 position with 34,300 copies sold, while Puddle of Mudd's Famous sold 31,200 copies, which lands the album at #27. Band of Horses' Cease to Begin claims the #35 slot with 20,600 scans, and Vanessa Carlton returns at #44 after selling 18,200 copies of her new one, Heroes & Thieves.

Meanwhile, Van Zant's My Kind of Country debuts at #57 with 15,400 scans, and coming in at #58, with 15,200 copies sold, is She Wants Revenge's This Is Forever. The late Luciano Pavarotti's Pavarotti Forever generated first-week sales of 5,100 to land at #148, while the score to this summer's blockbuster film "Transformers" opens at #172 with 4,300 sold. Lastly, debuting at #192 with 4,000 scans, is the latest from Swedish indie-pop rocker Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedala.

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Keyshia Cole, Foo Fighters Crushed By Billboard-Topping Rascal Flatts

3 Oct 2007 02:10:00 EDT

Country collective scores its third consecutive #1 debut during a release-heavy week.
By Chris Harris

Keyshia Cole's Just Like You
Photo: Geffen Records

For a second-straight week, it's country — not Kanye — that leads the latest Billboard top 200, following what was an unusually heavy day for new releases, with 40 chart newcomers in all.

Last week, Reba McEntire's Reba Duets trounced the two biggest hip-hop releases of the year, earning the former sitcom star the first #1 debut of her 30-year career. On next week's chart, Reba's latest slips five spots to #6, leaving the peak position open for country croonin' trio Rascal Flatts and their latest, Still Feels Good, which sold more than 546,500 copies, according to the latest SoundScan totals. The album becomes the band's third-straight chart-crowning offering, following the successes of 2004's Feels Like Today (which generated week-one scans of 201,000) and 2006's Me and My Gang (with sales reported at 721,700).

As for Kanye West and his archenemy of three weeks back, 50 Cent, both artists remain in the chart's top 10, but for one, that might change soon. West's Graduation slips three places to #5 on next week's chart with 133,300 sold, while Fif's Curtis dropped from #3 to #9, with 70,900 scans. Curtis has yet to pass the 1 million-sold mark, while West's latest has sold more than 1.3 million copies.

In between the Flatts and West are three of the five new releases to crack the top 10, but none came close to touching this week's #1. Bowing at #2 with 281,400 sold is R&B songstress Keyshia Cole's new one, Just Like You, the follow-up to 2005's The Way It Is, which debuted at #6 with 88,500 scans. Behind her is the latest from the Foo Fighters, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, selling more than 168,200 copies. The band's mission for a #1 opening will continue, following failed attempts by 2002's One by One (which opened at #3 with 121,500 sold) and 2005's In Your Honor (#2 with 310,600). R&B, soul and jazz singer Jill Scott's The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 claims the chart's #4 position, having sold 148,500 units.

Right behind the soundtrack to Disney's "High School Musical 2," which sits at the #7 position with 84,900 sold, is the latest from R&B act Jagged Edge, Baby Makin' Project, which scanned more than 78,000 copies during its first week. Rounding out the top 10 is Kenny Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, which plummeted five spots with 68,200 sold.

Debuting at #11 with 51,000 copies snatched up is Queen Latifah's newest studio offering, Trav'lin' Light, while Melissa Etheridge's The Awakening follows at #13 with 47,700 sold. Joni Mitchell's Shine claims the #14 position, selling 40,150 copies, and right behind Joni at #15 is Chaka Khan's Funk This, with sales reported at 38,500. Tony Bennett Sings the Ultimate American Songbook, Vol. 1 opens at #16 with 36,200 scans, while Atlanta rapper Gorilla Zoe's Welcome to the Zoo sits in the #18 position with 35,200 sold.

One of the week's biggest surprises occupies the chart's #21 slot: Dethklok, the animated band from the Adult Swim cartoon "Metalocalypse," and their debut disc, Dethalbum. The set sold more than 33,700 copies, which was just enough to keep the David Crowder Band's Remedy at #22 with 32,300 sold. Folk rocker Iron and Wine's The Shepherd's Dog opens at #24 with sales coming in at around 31,600, while Southern metallers Down's first album in nearly five years, Down III: Over the Under, finishes at #26 with 29,200 scans. Trumpeter Chris Botti's Italia takes the #27 position with 28,800-plus sold.

The solo debut from the Black Eyes Peas' Will.I.Am, Songs About Girls, opens at #38 on next week's chart, thanks to sales of more than 20,800. The Cheetah Girls' TGC follows at #44 with 18,900 sold, while rapper Hell Rell's For the Hell of It comes in at #55 with 15,600 scans. All Time Low's So Wrong, It's Right bows at #62 with 13,800 copies sold, and at #69, with 12,300 sold, it's Gucci Mane's Trap-A-Thon.

Steve Earle's Washington Square Serenade opens at #79, having sold close to 9,600 units, while Swedish metallers Arch Enemy's Rise of the Tyrant follows at #84 with 8,900 scans. Hurt's Vol. II just misses the top 100, coming in at #101 with 7,200 sold, while Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino, a two-disc compilation featuring John Lennon, Elton John, Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, Neil Young, Norah Jones and Ben Harper, finishes out the week at #104, selling 6,800 copies. Folk rocker Devendra Banhart's Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon bows at #115 with 6,300 sold, and at #12 with 6,000 scans is The Best of Donell Jones.

The Very Best of the Doors, a career-spanning collection commemorating the band's 40th anniversary, finishes at #129, selling 5,700 units, while Swedish singer/songwriter José González's In Our Nature claims the #132 position with 5,600 scans. Wolfgang's Big Night Out, the seventh studio album from American swing revivalists the Brian Setzer Orchestra, opens at #141 with sales of 5,300 and change, while indie rockers the Weakerthans' Reunion Tour debuts at #181 with 4,100 sold. Lastly, opening at #186 with 4,000 scans, is the latest from Meshell Ndegeocello, The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams.

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Busta Rhymes Opens With A Bang, Scoring His First #1 LP

21 Jun 2006 10:29:00 EDT

Three Days Grace, Billy Joel also debut in Billboard top 20.
By Chris Harris

Busta Rhymes
Photo: Interscope

Chopping off his signature dreadlocks probably had nothing to do with it, but perhaps aligning with Dr. Dre's Aftermath imprint did the trick. Whatever the reason, Busta Rhymes should be sporting the widest grin he can muster today as the latest SoundScan totals show that The Big Bang will open at #1 on Billboard's album chart, marking a first in a career that spans 15 years, seven solo albums and a stint with Leaders of the New School.

Week-one sales of The Big Bang, Busta's first collection of fresh material since 2002, topped out at nearly 209,000 copies — more than enough to earn Rhymes his inaugural chart-topping debut. The success has to taste sweet for Busta, especially after his last release, 2002's It Ain't Safe No More, opened at #43 with 62,000 scans — the rapper's first LP to debut outside of the top 10.

Rhymes' current retail dominance helped him usurp the Billboard crown from previous champs AFI. Second-week sales of the rockers' Decemberunderground slipped 43 percent to finish the week with 104,000 sales and the chart's #3 ranking. The Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way spends a second-straight week at #2 after selling 130,000 units.

There's no stopping the soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical," which climbs one spot to #4 with 79,000-plus scans after 23 weeks in stores. The #5 slot belongs to a newcomer: One-X, the second LP from Canadian rockers Three Days Grace, which sold 78,000 copies its first week out. The soundtrack to the animated feature "Cars" follows at #6 with 75,000 scans, just in front of Stadium Arcadium, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Rick Rubin-produced double album. During its sixth week of release, Arcadium sold another 74,000 copies to finish at #7.

Rascal Flatts' Me & My Gang holds at #8 with 73,000 scans, followed at #9 by Yung Joc's New Joc City, which slides six spots with nearly 70,000 sales. Ice Cube's Laugh Now, Cry Later drops to #10 after selling 64,000 copies during its second week in stores.

Busta and Three Days Grace led a total of 13 new releases that will crack the Billboard 200. Billy Joel's 12 Gardens Live, a two-disc souvenir from the Piano Man's recent 12-show stand at Madison Square Garden, opens at #14 with 44,000 scans. Widespread Panic's Earth to America put up first-week sales of close to 21,000 for a #48 bow. Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped debuts at #71 with 16,000 sold, while Shadows Fall claim #83 after first-week interest in the New England metallers' Fallout From the War turned into 13,000-plus sales.

Regina Spektor debuts at #135 after selling nearly 8,000 copies of Begin to Hope. Anatomy Of, an album's worth of covers from Ozzfest 2006 performers Between the Buried and Me, finishes at #151 with sales just shy of the 7,000 mark. Keb' Mo's Suitcase claims the #176 slot, selling close to 6,000 copies, and Frankie J just makes the cut at #198, selling 5,000 copies of his new Spanish-language album, Un Nuevo Dia.

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T.I., Pink, Shakira Can't Shake Rascal Flatts From Billboard #1

26 Apr 2006 10:34:00 EDT

No new releases crack the top 10 on the upcoming Billboard albums chart.
By Chris Harris

T.I.
Photo: Jason Campbell

It looks like there just weren't enough fresh albums to inspire many trips to the record store last week.

Not a single new release will crack the top 40 on the next Billboard albums chart. Nine newcomers debut within the chart's top 200, but the rundown of the nation's biggest sellers remains largely unchanged from the previous list, with country trio Rascal Flatts spending a third straight week at #1 thanks to sales of their Me & My Gang coming in at just over 143,000.

According to the latest SoundScan totals, the Dresden Dolls put up the week's highest opening performance. The band's sophomore disc, Yes, Virginia ..., bows at #42 with 19,000 scans. Wolves in Wolves' Clothing, the latest offering from veteran punks NOFX, debuts at #46 with sales nearing 18,000. The Drive-By Truckers' new one, A Blessing and a Curse, comes in at #50 after selling close to 17,000 copies.

Southern hip-hop duo Da Backwudz's Wood Work opens at #94 with over 9,000 sales, and rapper Pastor Troy's Stay Tru debuts at #150 with 6,000 scans. Singer/songwriter Mat Kearney's Nothing Left to Lose makes its mark in the #161 spot, after selling close to 6,000 copies, while gospel singer Anthony Burger's Best of Anthony Burger comes in at #188 with sales of 5,000 and change. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs' collaborative Under the Covers, Vol. 1 pops up at #192 with close to 5,000 copies sold. Blood in Blood Out, by rappers Amb, just makes the cut, selling just shy of 5,000 to claim #199.

In all, the top 200 releases racked up close to 3.1 million in total sales — a drop of nearly 2 million from the previous week. Only a handful of albums scored sales increases — Rod Stewart's 2005 release, Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Vol. IV, is among them, returning to the chart at #58 thanks to a 253 percent sales boost and close to 15,000 copies sold. The legendary singer's appearance last week on "American Idol" also helped sales of his 2004 album, Stardust ... The Great American Songbook, Vol. III, which reappears following a long Billboard lull. That album occupies the #113 spot, selling more than 8,000 copies — a 226 percent increase in retail movement.

Sales of Fort Minor's The Rising Tide jumped up by 45 percent, ending the week with nearly 9,000 scans, which sent the disc soaring 89 chart positions to #104. The band recently released its latest single, "Where'd You Go," to rock radio and video outlets.

All of the albums that make up the top 10 suffered a sales slip from the previous week. While the Flatts LP holds the #1 slot, retail interest waned 58 percent during its third week in stores. The 21st installment in the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series — featuring hit singles from Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson and Fall Out Boy — climbs one spot to #2 despite a 56 percent sales lag, racking up 130,000 scans. The soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical" moves from #4 to #3, with 116,000 copies sold, while Toby Keith's White Trash With Money follows at #4 with week-two sales of 109,000.

T.I.'s King hangs tough at #5 with 86,000 copies sold, just in front of Tim McGraw's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: Reflected, which netted another 59,000 scans. James Blunt's Back to Bedlam follows at #7, with sales nearing 54,000, while Shakira's Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 claims the #8 spot after moving 52,000 copies. Canadian songwriter Daniel Powter's self-titled debut holds at #9, selling 47,000 discs its second week in stores. Pink rounds out the top 10 with 42,000 copies of I'm Not Dead sold.

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LL Cool J Can't Knock Out Billboard Champs

19 Apr 2006 10:21:00 EDT

Rascal Flatts still #1; 'Bad Day' singer Daniel Powter has a good week with debut LP.
By Chris Harris

LL Cool J
Photo: Jason Campbell

Ladies may love James Todd Smith — better known, of course, as hip-hop icon-turned-actor LL Cool J. But apparently not enough of those ladies ventured into record stores last week to pick up a copy of LL's 11th studio LP, Todd Smith. Instead, it was Rascal Flatts' adoring fanbase — female or otherwise — that stepped up to the proverbial plate for a second straight week, ringing up another 345,000 copies of the country trio's latest offering, Me & My Gang, to keep the Flatts on top of the next Billboard albums chart.

According to the latest SoundScan totals, those Rascals have surpassed the 1 million copies sold mark, making Me & My Gang 2006's year's sole release to break that barrier within two weeks. Last week, the disc opened at #1 with nearly 722,000 scans, which earned it the distinction of being the year's healthiest week-one sales performer. And that's all great news for Rascal Flatts. For LL, on the other hand, it's not so good.

With Todd Smith selling just 116,000 copies its first week out, J finds himself debuting at the chart's #6 opening — despite the album's inclusion of guests such as Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Teairra Marí, 112, Ginuwine, Freeway, Mary Mary and Juelz Santana. It's not LL's finest opening; 2000's G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time bowed at #1 with 209,000 scans, and 2002's 10 debuted at #2 with sales of 154,000 plus. The most recent of his previous outings, 2004's The DEFinition, opened as Billboard's #4 entrant, selling more than 173,000 copies.

This week's #2 spot belongs to another of country music's most beloved artists: Toby Keith. His White Trash With Money is the week's highest-charting debut, with sales nearing 330,000. Right behind Toby is the 21st chapter in the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series, which features hits from artists including Mariah Carey, the Pussycat Dolls, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson and Fall Out Boy. That album scored week-two sales of 293,000 and change, slipping one spot to #3.

The soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical" holds the chart's #4 opening, with yet another 256,000 copies flying off store shelves — pushing total sales of the album past the 1.5 million sold mark during the disc's 14th week in stores. T.I.'s King drops two spots this week to #5, with 136,000 scans, while Tim McGraw's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: Reflected, slides two to #7, racking up an additional 116,000 copies sold. Pink's fourth studio outing, I'm Not Dead, slips two to #8, selling close to 90,000 copies.



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Canadian songwriter Daniel Powter's self-titled debut lands in the #9 slot, with week-one sales reported at little more than 89,000. Never heard of Powter? Well, his hit single "Bad Day" has become the exit theme for booted contestants on this season's "American Idol," so his top-10 debut comes as little surprise. James Blunt's Back to Bedlam follows at #10, with 83,000 scans.

There were a number of other noteworthy newcomers to the chart in what was a strong week for retail in general. Queen's Stone Cold Classics collection bows at #45 with 27,000 copies sold (The band also had an "Idol" connection, with their songs serving as the theme for last week's performances). In at #46 (selling just 77 fewer copies than Queen) is The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2, a 92-track box set featuring reissues of the Beatles' 1965 American releases The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help!, and Rubber Soul. The third album from Los Angeles hard rockers Buckcherry, 15, checks in at #48 with 26,000 scans.

Cam'ron Presents DukeDaGod - Dipset: The Movement Moves On, which features selections from Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, Hell Rell and the rest of the Dipset clique, opens at #53 with 23,000 units sold. MTV2 Headbanger's Ball: The Revenge, a metal-heavy compilation featuring Mudvayne, Korn, Slipknot, Opeth, Lacuna Coil and a host of others, debuts at #60 with 21,000 scans. Built to Spill's You in Reverse follows at #63, selling 19,000 copies, while Saves the Day's Sound the Alarm bows at #67 with more than 18,000 scans. The Eagles of Death Metal's second LP, Death by Sexy, owns the #113 slot with 11,000 scans, and rockers Calexico open at #156 slot, selling almost 8,000 copies of their latest, Garden Ruin.

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