Lloyd Banks
Photo: F. Scott Schafer

In 2004, G-Unit soldier Lloyd Banks' debut disc, The Hunger for More, opened at #1 on Billboard's albums sales chart, with week-one sales topping 433,000, and Hunger ended up spending a second-straight week at #1, selling close to 164,000 units.

Of course, Banks would have liked to have seen the same results for his sophomore LP, Rotten Apple — an album that features a slew of special guests, including G-Unit associates Tony Yayo and Young Buck, Rakim, Scarface, Mobb Deep, and, on three cuts, 50 Cent.

But with first-week sales totaling close to 143,000, Banks fell more than 40,000 albums short of a chart-topping repeat, and will have to settle instead for the chart's #3 position. Because this week, the #1 slot belongs to Rod Stewart's Still the Same ... Great Rock Classics of Our Time. Rowdy Rod's new one sold to the tune of more than 184,000 its first week in record stores, which was more than enough for the Billboard title belt.

According to the latest SoundScan figures released Wednesday morning (October 18), a second-place finish wasn't even in the cards for Mr. Banks. That's because with more than 164,000 additional copies of The Open Door being carried away from retail outlets last week, Evanescence — who occupied the chart's #1 spot last week, with 447,000 in week-one scans — are sitting pretty at #2, having suffered the typical and expected second-week sales slump: a 63 percent drop.

The only other new disc to crack the chart's coveted top 10 can be found at #4 — Take the Weather With You from tropical rocker Jimmy Buffett. That album sold 121,000 copies during its initial week of release, thanks to the collective power of the Parrotheads, Buffett's legion of devoted, Hawaiian shirt-donning fans. Right behind Buffett is Bennett — Tony Bennett, of course. The iconic crooner's Duets: An American Classic continues to rack up strong sales, with another 105,000 units scanned during the album's third week in stores. The Killers' Sam's Town slides four spots to #6 this week, as second-week sales fell 68 percent, amounting to 102,000 sold.

Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds follows at #7, with sales reported at 92,000 for a five-week grand total of nearly 1.3 million sold. George Strait's It Just Comes Natural drops five spots to #8, with sales of 88,000, while Hinder's Extreme Behavior climbs one slot to #9, with 76,000 scans. Ludacris rounds out the top 10, selling more than 74,000 copies of his latest, Release Therapy, bringing his total album sales just short of the 500,000 mark. Not a shabby showing for an album that's been in stores just three weeks.

Just 20 new releases managed to make it into the Billboard top 200 this week, including the debut disc from country outfit Heartland, I Loved Her First, at #11, netting more than 61,000 in week-one sales. At #15 this week is Still Searching, the sophomore studio outing from New Jersey screamo specialists Senses Fail. More than 49,000 copies of the album left music retail last week, giving the band a strong, and unexpected, sales showing.

The same could be said for Florida metallers Trivium, who land at #25 with their latest, The Crusade, selling more than 31,000 units. Meanwhile, Sting's Songs From the Labyrinth claims the chart's #37 spot with sales nearing 24,000, and Sammie's self-titled sophomore LP, the R&B singer's first collection of new material in six years, opens at #42 with just over 20,000 scans (see "Where Ya Been? Sammie Graduating To Comeback, Third Eye Blind Can See Clearly Now").

Colorblind, the fresh studio set from Robert Randolph and the Family Band, bows at #75 with 12,000-plus copies snatched up, while Sister Hazel's Absolutely debuts at #86 with 11,200 sold. The Blood Brothers return to the Billboard chart with Young Machetes, which claims the #92 slot with nearly 11,000 units leaving record store shelves, and Uncovered/Covered, a collaborative release from R&B artists Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore, follows at #95 with more than 10,000 scans.

Cobra Starship's While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets debuts at #125 with 8,000 in first-week sales action, followed at #151 by singer/songwriter James Taylor's James Taylor at Christmas, which put up week-one sales of 6,000 units. And A Static Lullaby's self-titled new one takes the chart's #172 slot, with more than 5,000 scans.

• Lloyd Banks
• Rod Stewart
• Evanescence
• Senses Fail
• Trivium

Diddy
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — If Diddy's party on Monday night was any indication of what VMA week holds in store, don't expect to see many stars out walking around during the day. They're going to need plenty of sleep, because the nights are already getting pretty wild.

Diddy hosted the week's first major jump-off, celebrating the launch of superstar stylist June Ambrose's book, "Effortless Style," which comes out on September 26. Ambrose, of course, has helped just about all the big names in hip-hop and R&B get fly. Held at Tenjune (get it?) in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, the party's guest list included hip-hop and R&B's two most famous power couples, two of the genres' greatest producers, and also the rocker who brought sexy back almost 30 years ago. Who's that? Sing along now: "If you want my body and you think I'm sexy ..."

"Rod Stewart is in the house!" called out MC Frank Jugga as his partner in crime, DJ Goldfinger, spun Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)." "Yes, I said Rod Stewart is in the house!"

Meanwhile, the Jiggaman and Beyoncé sat in the VIP section with Kanye West. Timbaland, dressed to the nines in a flashy suit, came in moments later to join his pals.

Then it was Diddy's turn to take the spotlight. He grabbed the mic and let everyone know that his group Danity Kane will be coming in on the top spot of next week's Billboard albums chart. He also congratulated the crowd on being invited to the party, for which the dress code was "Sexy & Flawless."

"If you were chosen to be here, it means you exude 'Effortless Style,' " he said, adding that although the evening was a celebration of opulence and decadence, no one should take it all too seriously.

"Ladies and gentlemen, report to the dance floor," he commanded.

Soon, the floor was packed to grinding-room-only status as Goldfinger threw on Diddy's "Come to Me," which he brought back several times.

"It feels good to be back," Diddy, still holding the mic, said. "I missed you. Just rock now, don't stop now. We Bad Boy baby, you ain't gotta play the wall. You can dance again. Ask a young lady, 'Would you like to dance?' "

As the night progressed, more stars trickled in and the partygoers got more uninhibited. You could see New York Knick Stephon Marbury on the dancefloor, Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri standing on the sidelines and a woman who was so amped to hear Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" that she jumped on top of a table in another VIP section, dancing over a bottle of vodka and carafes of orange juice and cranberry juice. A man in her entourage was unfazed and continued pouring drinks. Just then, another man in her entourage grabbed the lady by the waist and hoisted her up on his shoulder just like pro wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage did to Miss Elizabeth when he won his first world championship at Wrestlemania IV.

More hits, more stars. As "Promiscuous" blasted out of the speakers, the hulking Busta Rhymes was seen walking in the crowd wearing a rope chain thicker than Wonder Woman's magic lasso.

During the old-school section of the set, Diddy jumped on the dance floor and got down to Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative." Even the usually reserved Timbaland got up and danced with his hands in the air to Guy's "I Like."

Earlier in the night, Jermaine Dupri hosted his own get-together at Show in Times Square. It was a showcase for So So Def singer Johnta Austin, whom you may not know by name, but he's been one of the most prolific R&B songwriters of the past few years. Besides his work on several songs from Mariah Carey's Emancipation of Mimi, he's penned Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You" and Chris Brown's "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)."

With people like Janet Jackson and underground MC Red Café looking on, JD introduced his artist who sang several songs from his upcoming LP, Ocean Drive.

The show might be over but the action isn't! Check out all the backstage, uncensored action right here.

Check out all the latest news and pictures from the big show, and reports from previous VMAs, at our VMA news archive.

• Diddy, Jay-Z, Beyonce, More Hit The 2006 VMA Pre-Parties
• Jessica, 50 Cent, AFI, More Get Fashionable At The VMA Style Villa
• Kanye West's Pre-VMA Concert In Times Square
• The 2006 VMA Kickoff Concert With Chamillionaire And New Found Glory
• The 2006 MTV Video Music Award Nominees

• Diddy
• Jay-Z
• Beyoncé
• Kanye West
• Rod Stewart

Jamie Foxx and Clive Davis
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

BEVERLY HILLS, California — At Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party Tuesday night, one man managed to surprise an A-list audience with two of music's biggest stars, reunite a legendary R&B group, spontaneously re-create one of hip-hop's greatest tracks and find the fantasy in Fantasia ... all in about 45 minutes.

And no, it wasn't Clive Davis.

The famed music mogul's name was on the invitation, but the night clearly belonged to Jamie Foxx, whose one-of-a-kind set had more surprise twists than an episode of "24."

The actor-turned-surprisingly-successful-singer took the Beverly Hilton ballroom's stage shortly before midnight, crooning the "Slow Jamz" hook into a diamond-studded microphone, ad-libbing lyrics and breaking into verses from some of R&B's greats.

After seamlessly segueing into "Unpredictable" and bringing out Ludacris for his verse, Foxx paused behind his piano to address the room of megastars (Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Diana Ross, to name a few) and bigwigs (Quincy Jones, L.A. Reid, Russell Simmons ... you get the point).

"Some say hip-hop killed the R&B star," he said. Then, before finishing his thought, he broke into "Warm Bed," leaving the piano and pacing the stage, sharing dirty thoughts of what he wanted to do to his girl. Suddenly, he looked out in the star-studded crowd and wondered aloud what a woman would do back. He slowly walked off the stage and eventually came to Fantasia, who was quick to play along, sitting Foxx down and seductively dancing around him. "I'm a young girl," she belted back. "And I will do young girl things."

	Ashlee, Fergie, Jamie, Ciara, More At The Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party
	Jamie, Kanye, Snoop, Kelly, More Perform At The Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party
	Kelly Clarkson, Common, More At The What's The Download Rap Session
	Pussycat Dolls, Good Charlotte, Macy Gray At The Grammy Style Studio
	The 48th Annual Grammys Nominees

"I'm a grown man and you don't even know your body yet," Foxx sang back. "I'll make the back of your knees wet." He stopped himself just short of leaving her his hotel-room key, then asked for a reaction from a younger singer. "Mario, show us that sweet voice," he said, welcoming the young singer for another impromptu collaboration.

Then, just when you thought it was over, Foxx said he wanted to hear from some older men. "Ladies and gentlemen, Jodeci," he sang as the group sprinted onstage, singing Foxx's "Do What He Do." A few dozen vocal runs later, Foxx finally finished his thought: "R&B is back."

With that out of the way, Foxx moved on to a little hip-hop, and pulled some more tricks from up his sleeve. He launched into Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman," now known as the sample for "Gold Digger," so who better to make a surprise appearance than Kanye West himself?

"Get down girl, go ahead get down," West rapped, announcing between lines that he actually wants the crowd to get up. "It's reverse psychology," he deadpanned.

As Kanye finished the final verse, a glowing Foxx started pointing to the crowd, and within seconds Doug E. Fresh was on the mic, beat-boxing along to "Gold Digger." As Fresh transitioned into his most famous track, "La Di Da Di," Foxx corralled Snoop Dogg to join him, taking on Slick Rick's verses like they were his own.

"Where's Jay-Z?" Foxx yelled at one point as Kanye danced behind him. (Jigga had unfortunately already busted out.) "Sometimes your words just hypnotize me," he sang along with Snoop, summing up his performance.

"It's an honor to work with Clive Davis," Foxx said before the show, praising the man he would later imitate onstage. "From Barbra Streisand all the way to 50 Cent, he knows music."

Davis also knows how to throw a party, probably because he's been doing it for 30 years. And like every other year, Tuesday's event was a celebrity extravaganza, beginning with a red-carpet traffic jam where Ashlee Simpson trailed Kiss' Paul Stanley, Maroon 5 bumped into the Neptunes, and Carrie Underwood gushed over the Foo Fighters.

Davis' event is also known as a coming out party for some of his hottest young acts (Alicia Keys was introduced at his Grammy party a few years ago) and Tuesday night was no different.

After a hits set from Rod Stewart, Davis proudly welcomed Chris Brown, the 16-year-old Usher-in-training who danced and sang through the one-two punch of "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" and "Run It." On his heels, Davis also introduced R&B singer Heather Headley, comparing her to a young Anita Baker and Whitney Houston.

Kelly Clarkson followed, wailing "Since U Been Gone" and slowing down for an acoustic take on "Because of You," easily the night's most vocally perfect number.

"It's an honor to perform in front of some of my favorites," she told the crowd. "I mean Mary J. Blige!"

Blige was scheduled to close the show herself, but with performances running late, she was forced to miss her set so she could rehearse for Wednesday's Grammys (see "Jamie Foxx And Kanye Go For The 'Gold,' U2 And Mary J. Team Up At Grammys").

Fantasia — who performed a Luther Vandross tribute with Anthony Hamilton after Foxx — stepped in, singing Vandross's "Power of Love" to close the night.

Celebrating 30 years of Arista, Santana and Rob Thomas also performed the label's biggest hit, "Smooth," earlier in the night, and the label's first artist, Barry Manilow, sang a medley of hits. Davis also used the event to announce some label news, stating that his J Records just signed Pearl Jam.

So perhaps Foxx can work Eddie Vedder into his show next year.

The show's over, but there's still plenty of Grammy goodness right here on MTVNews.com. Check out photos of the hottest green-carpet and onstage moments, find out what went down at the celeb-packed parties, and share your thoughts on the performers, winners and losers.

Plus watch videos of all the nominees on MTV.com and check out exclusive video footage from the big night on Overdrive.

	Snoop, Chappelle And Fall Out Boy Jump Onstage And Jam With The Roots
	Yellowcard Divide Screaming Fans, Push For Rock Credibility
	Kanye Gives Tom Cruise Something To Shout About At Pre-Grammy Party
	Check Out Everything We've Got On The Grammys

• Jamie Foxx
• Kanye West
• Snoop Dogg
• Ludacris
• Beyoncé

Talan Torriero and Kimberly Stewart
Photo: Getty Images/Michael Buckner

Just a week and a half after announcing their engagement, Kimberly Stewart and "Laguna Beach" star Talan Torriero are calling it off. "It was just too soon to enter into a lifelong commitment," their reps said in a joint statement. Torriero's rep also clarified that while the couple aren't heading for the altar anytime soon, they haven't broken up. ... Meanwhile, Kimberly's dad, Rod Stewart, and his fiancee, Penny Lancaster, welcomed a baby boy into the world early Sunday morning in London. The singer said in a statement that both Penny and the baby are "gorgeous, healthy, and doing well." ...

Hilary Duff will perform three songs and host the Hollywood party segments of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," which will air for the 34th consecutive year on December 31. Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest will host from Times Square in New York. ... A second round of nominees for the People's Choice Awards have been announced, for such categories as Favorite Movie, Favorite Movie Comedy, Favorite Movie Drama, Favorite Family Movie, and Favorite Tour (a toss-up between Green Day, Paul McCartney and U2). Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Queen Latifah are up for Favorite Smile; Jennifer Garner, Faith Hill and Nicole Kidman compete for Favorite Hair; and Jennifer Aniston is up against Angelina Jolie and Reese Witherspoon for Favorite Look. The event airs live on CBS from Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium on January 10 at 9 p.m. ...

Madonna is on her way to besting the King for the most top-10 hits of any artist in the rock era. The Material Girl scored her 36th top-10 hit (the same number as Elvis Presley as her latest single, "Hung Up," climbed up the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart to #7 last week. The pop superstar already holds the record for the most top-40 hits — 45 and counting — by a solo female artist. ... Ryan Cabrera will go head-to-head with gamers for the latest Xbox Live Game With Fame event on Tuesday. The singer will be challenging fans to the racing game "Forza Motorsport" for one hour starting at 5 p.m. ET. "I may not win every game, but I'll sure give them a run for their money!" Cabrera said in a statement. If you're up to the test, just track down gamertag rcabreragwf. ...

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to a clemency hearing on December 8 for reformed gang leader Tookie Williams, according to The Associated Press. Schwarzenegger is set to meet with Williams' lawyers and Los Angeles prosecutors in a private hearing to discuss possibly stopping the Crips founder's execution on December 13. Williams was charged with the murder of four people stemming from two robberies in 1979 and has been sitting on death row for the last 24 years. He has always denied his involvement in the killings and has spent the majority of his time behind bars preaching to kids about the dangers of gang life. Among the many high-profile supporters pleading to the governor to spare Williams' life is Snoop Dogg, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Jamie Foxx, who portrayed Williams in the 2004 TV biopic "Redemption." ...

Pat Morita, best known for playing the beloved martial-arts sensei Mr. Miyagi in the "Karate Kid" films, died on Thursday at the age of 73. According to a statement by his wife, Morita died of heart failure at a Las Vegas hospital. His manager, however, claims it was kidney failure that took his life, according to The Associated Press. Morita, who also played diner owner Arnold on the 1970s sitcom "Happy Days," is survived by his wife and three daughters. ... Vietnamese authorities officially charged British glam rocker Gary Glitter with child molestation on Saturday. The singer, born Paul Gadd, faces up to 12 years in a Vietnamese jail if convicted. According to a Reuters report, he will be held for up to three months before his trial, though authorities are considering granting bail because of the harsh conditions of Hanoi's detention center. Glitter has denied the allegations that he molested 10 girls, some as young as 12, and has said he was merely teaching them English. ...

Snow Patrol have written 30 songs and are headed into a British studio to begin work on the follow-up to their breakthrough 2004 album, Final Straw, according to a post by frontman Gary Lightbody on SnowPatrol.net. Working again with producer Garrett Lee, Snow Patrol "tinkered, steered, and unceremoniously bludgeoned" the 30 songs over a few weeks in a Glasgow, Scotland, rehearsal space, and now they appear ready to be committed to tape. ... The Secret Machines are putting the finishing touches on their second album, Ten Silver Drops. The LP is set for a mid-March release and will be preceded by the single "Alone, Jealous and Stoned." ...

E! Entertainment will air the fourth season of "The Simple Life" after FOX declined to renew the series. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, who are now feuding, will take turns running the same household, with the family deciding who did better, said a spokesperson for E!, which also acquired the rights to rerun the first three seasons. The format will allow for the stars not to have to come into contact with each other.

11.23.2005

50 Cent and Kanye West are the only ones selected to be GQ's "Men of the Year" who have no false modesty about it — both of the hip-hop stars justify their big egos in the mag's pages. But they also have more on their minds than just themselves. Like George W. Bush, for one. 50 thinks the president is "incredible ... a gangsta." "I wanna meet George Bush, just shake his hand and tell him how much of me I see in him," 50 told GQ. If the rapper's felony conviction didn't prevent him from voting, 50 said he would have voted for Bush. Meanwhile, Kanye basically called Bush a racist on national television, and has since rethought his strategy for speaking out. "When NBC edited it out on the West Coast, that was a wakeup call," West told the magazine. "It let people know how censored we still are. This is supposed to be America, but you can't get your opinion out. There's all kinds of things I want to say, but I need to pace myself, to make sure my opportunities to say these things aren't taken away too abruptly." Kanye says after giving us entertainment, his next goal is to give us "inspiration." 50's next goal? He wants to market a condom. ...

(Click here for photos of 50 Cent and Kanye West in GQ's "Men of the Year" issue.)

Canada's immigration minister, Joe Volpe, has reportedly been asked by Parliament member Dan McTeague to bar 50 Cent (born Curtis Jackson) from coming to Canada for an upcoming tour. According to The Canadian Press, McTeague said, "I don't think people in Toronto or any urban center need or want to hear Mr. Jackson's message right now." 50, who filmed parts of his recently released "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " in Toronto, is slated to begin his tour on December 3 in Vancouver, British Columbia. In making his request, McTeague noted that there was a shooting in Toronto the last time 50 played there in 2003. A spokesperson for 50 could not be reached for comment at press time. ...

On Tuesday, prosecutors took one final stab at persuading Judge Edward Korman to admit evidence about the May 2000 shooting of 50 Cent into the federal money-laundering trial of the Inc.'s Christopher and Irv Gotti. But Korman wouldn't budge, killing the prosecution's hopes to introduce text-messaged transmissions and other documentation the government claims illustrates the strong bond between the record executives and Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff — the convicted drug pusher whose cash the Gottis stand accused of laundering. Defense lawyer Gerald Shargel accused the government of trying to connect the Gottis to "an ambiance and aroma of gangsters" as well as "violent acts" to distract jurors. Later, the prosecution called a handful of FBI and IRS agents who were involved in the January 2003 search of the Inc.'s offices; Irv nodded off at one point during the proceedings. One of the documents seized from Christopher's office, which itemized the label's overhead budget, showed McGriff was on the payroll, as were two of the dealer's underlings — both of whom federal witness Jon Ragin had testified the day before helped carry out the attempt on 50's life. In addition, agents found a shopping bag filled with $35,000 in cash inside a safe in Christopher's office. The prosecution is expected to rest on Monday. ...

Beyoncé shot a video on Tuesday for "Check on It," the next single from Destiny's Child's #1's. Hype Williams directed the clip and fellow Houstonians Slim Thug and Bun B co-star. ... Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes haven't set a wedding date yet, but they may not be married before Holmes pops out her little Cruiser. They announced she was pregnant in October after first acknowledging the romance in April, but they're thinking of getting married "next summer or early fall," Cruise told Barbara Walters for her upcoming special "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005." The special airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. on ABC. ...

"Boss'n Up," the musical drama starring Snoop Dogg and inspired by R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, is due December 6 on DVD. The movie, the first release from Snoopadelic Films, co-stars Lil Jon. ... Zack de la Rocha made his second public appearance in as many months on Tuesday in a benefit to save a community farm in South Los Angeles from demolition. Ozomatli and Quetzal also performed. ...

If Busta Rhymes looked a little funny sitting in a barber chair recently in New York, it was for good reason — he's not used to getting a full-blown haircut. Obviously Busta has gotten his hairline edged up over the past 16 years, but since coming into the music industry, his long dreads have been as much a part of his persona as have his growls, colorful outfits and unorthodox rhyme flows. But Busta has chosen to shed his locks, and actually cut most of his hair off. "I started growing these sh--s in December '89. I was 17. I signed my [record] deal and said I ain't combing my hair no more. I don't have to," he said. Busta isn't totally bald, though — he's rocking a dark Caesar hairstyle. You'll get to see Busta and his new 'do in his video for "Touch It" in just a couple of weeks. "My head isn't ugly, is it?" he asked with a smile after his cut. ...

(Click here for photos of Busta Rhymes getting his hair cut.)

Mariah Carey's getting in the holiday spirit a little early — she recorded a new version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" for a re-release of the classic TV special by the same name. Previous versions of the 1934 song were recorded by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Bruce Springsteen. Carey's take is being released as a CD single with the collector's edition of the DVD. ...

The surviving members of Alice in Chains will perform with Heart on February 17 at the Trump Taj Mahal Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The concert will be taped as part of a new episode of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!" series. Look for the show to air in the spring. Tickets go on sale Monday through Heart's online fan club. ... Velvet Revolver will perform at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, for the venue's "Rockin' F'n New Year's Eve" show. Tickets are priced at $100, and go on sale Saturday at noon via Ticketmaster. The show will feature an open bar for the first hour and a half, a champagne toast at midnight (for those of drinking age) and a continental breakfast. ...

Another day, another lawsuit for Michael Jackson. This time a former adviser to the pop star has filed a $64 million suit alleging breach of contract and fraud, according to a Reuters report. Dieter Wiesner filed a civil suit against Jackson on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming he paid Jackson millions of dollars for the rights to merchandise his name and likeness even though the rights were not Jackson's to sell because he'd already sold them to someone else earlier. That person ended up suing Wiesner, who, between settling the suit and lending Jackson more money to secure the rights, claims he ended up spending $9 million. After all that, the rights ended up being useless when Jackson allegedly refused to cooperate and actually interfered with Wiesner's merchandising efforts. ... On Tuesday, the Warner Music Group became the second major label to settle with New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in his ongoing payola probe. The home to Green Day and My Chemical Romance agreed to pay $5 million in fines as a result of the investigation, which alleged that Warner illegally gave radio-station employees trips, laptop computers and tickets to the Super Bowl and other major events in exchange for airplay of songs by its artists. In July, Sony BMG agreed to pay $10 million in a similar case. ...

• Hilary Duff
• Madonna
• Ryan Cabrera
• Snow Patrol
• Rod Stewart

<I>#1's</I> by Destiny's Child
Photo: Columbia

Destiny's Child's parting gift to fans — the greatest-hits collection #1's — lives up to its name on the Billboard albums chart, according to the latest SoundScan totals.

#1's features three new tracks and 13 hit singles — including Billboard Hot 100 winners "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Say My Name," "Bootylicious" and "Independent Women Part 1." But before #1's, Destiny's Child had only one Billboard 200-topping LP to their credit: 2001's multiplatinum Survivor, which opened at #1 in 2001 with more than 663,000 copies scanned.

Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle sold over 113,000 copies of #1's to secure Billboard's top prize for the second — and, perhaps, last — time (see "Destiny's Child Announce Split").

#1's is one of three newcomers to the Billboard 200's top 10 this week. But neither of the other two debut offerings — from country heartthrob Joe Nichols, who takes #7 with more than 56,000 in sales for his III, and Bette Midler, finishing at #10 after selling 54,000 copies of Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook, — posed a genuine threat to Destiny's Child's rank. Nickelback's All the Right Reasons got within reach, climbing two spots to #2 with nearly 102,000 copies sold, followed at #3 by Martina McBride's Timeless, which racked up close to 92,000 in sales.

Rod Stewart's Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV, drops two to #4 with sales of 91,000, followed at #5 by the Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business with 80,000 scans. A 67 percent drop in week-two sales knocks the previous week's winner, Ashlee Simpson's I Am Me, down to #6 with 73,000 copies sold. Kanye West's Late Registration finishes at #8 after moving 56,000 units, while Bun B's Trill takes #9 with 55,000 in sales.

Destiny's Child's #1's was one of several career-spanning retrospectives to make the latest Billboard albums chart. The Legend of Johnny Cash, a collection of 21 tracks from the music icon, opens at #11 with more than 50,000 copies sold. The album precedes "Walk the Line," a Cash biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix that opens November 18. Aerosmith's Rockin' The Joint - Live at the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas, which features live renditions of some of the Boston's rockers' biggest tunes, debuts at #24 with 32,000 in sales. And 'NSYNC's Greatest Hits, featuring a dozen of the boy band's chart-topping tracks, takes the #47 spot with sales of over 18,000.

It was a relatively idle week for debut discs, and a slow sales week in general. Simon Cowell creation Il Divo open at #32, with The Christmas Collection moving 25,000 copies, while Demon Hunter's The Triptych takes the #136 slot with close to 8,000 in sales. Christian rockers Falling Up finish at #173 with 6,000 in sales for Dawn Escapes, followed by DJ Muggs and GZA's Grandmasters at #180. Children of Bodom's Are You Dead Yet? comes in at #195 with over 5,000 copies sold.

See the feature "Destiny's Child: A Look Back" for more on the trio's farewell.

• Destiny's Child
• Nickelback
• Ashlee Simpson
• Black Eyed Peas
• Kanye West

Ashlee Simpson
Photo: Geffen Records

Between the release of Ashlee Simpson's chart-topping debut — 2004's Autobiography — and I Am Me came the infamous "Saturday Night Live" lip-synch incident, an embarrassment that could have crippled her career. Though Simpson recovered from the mistake, new releases from legendary artists Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart made the run to #1 on the Billboard albums chart a tough one.

According to the latest SoundScan figures, Simpson pulled it off, claiming Billboard's blue ribbon for a second time. While Ashlee failed to repeat the sales of Autobiography (which sold over 398,000 to I Am Me's 220,000), she is two-for-two in the sibling-rivalry race. I Am Me trumps big sis Jessica's second disc, 2001's Irresistible, which landed at #6 with close to 120,000 copies sold. Jessica Simpson's 1999 debut, Sweet Kisses, opened at #65 with sales of 45,000.

Ashlee Simpson's latest was one of six new discs to make the coveted top 10, and one of four to surface in the top five. Simpson's closest competitor, Stewart's Thanks for the Memory ... The Great American Songbook, Volume IV, racked up sales nearing 193,000 for a second-place finish. Country star Martina McBride's Timeless takes #3 with over 185,000 copies sold while R&B icon Wonder finishes at #5 with A Time to Love selling nearly 121,000 copies. The only repeat in the latest top five is All the Right Reasons from Canadian rockers Nickelback, which sold 132,000 copies to take #4.

UGK's Bun B goes the solo route — as cohort Pimp C deals with legal entanglements — with Trill, which debuts this week at #6 with sales of 117,000 and change. Right behind Trill is Depeche Mode's Playing the Angel, which sold 99,000 copies to come in at #7. The Black Eyed Peas fall four spots to #8 with Monkey Business, followed at #9 by last week's #1, Alicia Keys' Unplugged, which sold fewer than 83,000 copies, a 58 percent slip. Kanye West rounds out the top 10 with 78,000 copies of his Late Registration leaving stores.

Country singer/songwriter Billy Currington's Doin' Somethin' Right moved more than 54,000 units to open at #11. California rockers Thrice notched the highest-charting debut of their career with Vheissu's #15 finish — the result of 46,000 in sales. Contemporary jazz trumpeter Chris Botti's To Love Again opens at #18 with 44,000 copies sold.

There were several other debuts of note this week. Black Rob's The Black Rob Report opens at #40 with nearly 27,000 in sales.Bryan Adams' Anthology — which features a duet with Pamela Anderson — takes #65 with close to 17,000 scans. Punk troupe Mest hit #116 with sales of nearly 11,000 for their newest, Photographs. The soundtrack to "Tony Hawk's American Wasteland," featuring My Chemical Romance, Thrice, Fall Out Boy and others covering classic punk tunes, opens at #148 with nearly 8,000 copies sold. And the soundtrack for the Showtime series "Masters of Horror" — which includes contributions from Mudvayne, Shadows Fall, Thursday and Avenged Sevenfold — takes #161 with sales of 7,300 plus.

Check out the feature"Ashlee Simpson: Everybody Has Moments" for more on Simpson's latest album.

• Ashlee Simpson
• Rod Stewart
• Martina McBride
• Stevie Wonder
• Depeche Mode

Nelly's <I>Sweat/Suit</I> albums
Photo: Fo' Real/Universal

While it is certainly notable that veteran rocker Rod Stewart will score his first #1 debut in more than 25 years on next week's Billboard albums chart (selling more than 240,000 copies of Stardust ... The Great American Songbook Vol. III), the real stories are taking place further down the chart.

For starters, there's Nelly, whose Suit continues to push its way up the chart, rising to #2 with sales of more than 152,000 copies. That's more than three times the amount sold by its counterpart, Sweat, which falls to #17 with sales of just over 49,000 copies. This week's count also put Suit over the 1 million mark in just its sixth week of release, according to SoundScan.

George Strait's countrified reign at the top of the chart comes to an end after two weeks, as his 50 Number Ones album falls to #3, selling more than 141,000 copies. And usually unflappable Usher takes a rare stumble, as his Confessions album drops to #4, with sales of just under 140,000.

Another notable trend is the continued success of all things Ray Charles. Undoubtedly spurred by this Friday's release of the biopic "Ray," the late singer's final album, Genius Loves Company, saw a sales bounce of 61 percent from last week, leaping from #13 to #5 on sales of more than 99,000 copies. The soundtrack to "Ray," which features 16 of Charles' biggest hits, also scored an impressive debut at #23.

Even more impressive is the debut of Jimmy Eat World at #6 with Futures, by far their highest-ever bow (their self-titled last album failed to crack the top 200 when it was first released back in 2001). Futures, which sold more that 98,000 copies, builds on the success of Jimmy Eat World, which attained platinum status on the strength of its three hit singles, "Bleed American," "Sweetness" and "The Middle."

Country stalwarts Brooks & Dunn follow at #7 with their Greatest Hits Collection II, which sold more than 82,000 copies. Celine Dion lost nearly a quarter of her album sales from last week, as her Miracle album drops to #8, selling just over 80,000 copies. Hilary Duff's self-titled album is at #9, selling more than 78,000 copies. And Tim McGraw maintains his boot-hold in the top 10, selling more than 71,000 copies of his Live Like You Were Dying.

Other notable debuts on next week's Billboard 200 include John Mellencamp's greatest-hits collection Words & Music at #13; the late Elliott Smith's From a Basement on the Hill at #19; rapper Juvenile's Greatest Hits at #31; Ruff Ryder Jin's Rest Is History at #54; feminist rockers Le Tigre's This Island at #130; and jokey punks Me First and the Gimme Gimmes' Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah at #197.

Rod's Really Rockin' Retail

Not only did Stewart's third installment of his Great American Songbook series move nearly a quarter million copies, the veteran singer's latest bout of popularity has breathed new life into the first two volumes of the covers series.

The week before Stardust ... was released, 2002's It Had to Be You ... The Great American Songbook and 2003's As Time Goes By ... The Great American Songbook Volume II both resurfaced in the top 200, at #133 and #108, respectively. Then last week, with three separate albums of Stewart singing standards on the shelves, the first two volumes again took a forward leap. It Had to Be You shot up 50 spots as sales more than doubled, landing at #83, while its sequel took a 42-spot jump to #66 and also enjoyed twice as much traffic at cash registers.

An artist's new album giving their last one a sales boost isn't uncommon. Just as home video rentals of movies jump up whenever a sequel is about to hit theaters, the deadline for fans who want to keep current dawns on the eve of the artist's next album. You can't very well see Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King without first watching The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

In the seven weeks preceding the release of Avril Lavigne's Under My Skin, sales of the 2-year-old Let Go maintained an upward trajectory, moving from #184 to #121. After that, Lavigne's debut returned to its previous place, out of the top 200. A similar thing happened with Norah Jones. The release of her latest album, February's Feels Like Home, catapulted her 2002 debut, Come Away With Me back into the top 20, which isn't an easy feat considering that, at that point, more than 8 million copies had already been sold.

However, the release of a new album could mean the last one has hit its expiration date, as was the case with Hilary Duff. When the teen popper's second album, Hilary Duff, dropped four weeks ago, her debut, Metamorphosis, plunged 33 spots to #158, the largest drop for Duff all year.

On The Move

With a new single, "Monday Morning Church," beginning to surface at country radio, Alan Jackson's What I Do rebounds 13 spots from #49 to #36 for the biggest chart leap of any top 40 album. Duran Duran and Sum 41, conversely, share the dubious honor of moving furthest in the other direction. The '80s pop vets' reunion album, Astronaut, dips from #17 to #38, while the Canadian punks' Chuck falls from #10 to #26.

DVD Does Duff Good

Outside of the top 40, the soundtrack to the Hilary Duff film "A Cinderella Story" jumped 82 spots to #112 just as the home video hit stores.

Game (Not) Over

Game's chart position at #146 might seem like a disappointment, given that the G-Unit rapper is blessed by the million-dollar Midas touch of 50 Cent on his single "Fresh 83" and has been a staple of the mixtape circuit for months. But Untold Story, which only sold around 8,000 copies in its first week, was recorded by Bay Area producer JT the Bigga Figga prior to the up-and-comer's signing with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records. Game's new album, The Document, which drops in January, will undoubtedly better reflect his score.

• Rod Stewart
• Nelly
• Usher
• Jimmy Eat World
• Ray Charles

Ruben Studdard (file)
Photo: MTV News

To the victor may go the spoils, but the runner-up sells more records. At least that's how the "American Idol" popularity contest played out.

Last week, second-season champ Ruben Studdard sold more than 416,000 copies of his debut album, Soulful, according to SoundScan, falling nearly 200,000 copies short of the first-week total of Clay Aiken's 2-month-old Measure of a Man, which ranks fourth on this year's list of best-selling chart debuts. Clay also bested Ruben by more than 100,000 copies when the "AI" finalists' singles were simultaneously released in June.

Still, Ruben's debut will place first on next week's Billboard 200 albums chart, and the "Velvet Teddy Bear" has proven to be one of the most popular new artists of 2003, recording a duet with fellow big man Fat Joe and his working with producers Swizz Beatz and R. Kelly on Soulful. (Missy Elliott and Ja Rule also contributed, but their songs didn't make the final cut.)

Soulful will be trailed by The Diary of Alicia Keys and Now That's What I Call Music! 14, which sold more than 342,000 and 260,000 copies, respectively. Because of Diary's massive debut a week ago — third biggest of the year with 618,000 copies — the only place it could go was down. Her second album is the only disc in the top 20 that didn't see a rise in sales last week as the gift-giving holidays grew nearer. Of that pack, Rod Stewart enjoyed the biggest Christmas goose, moving six spots to #7 with As Time Goes By ... The Great American Songbook Volume II after an 83 percent boost in sales.

The Very Best of Sheryl Crow holds at #9, though its sales went up 32 percent to more than 173,000 copies. The rest of the top 10 slides slightly, as Toby Keith's Shock'n Y'all drops two to #4 (more than 245,000 sold); Josh Groban's Closer falls two to #5 (237,000); Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below sinks one to #6 (215,000); Hilary Duff's Metamorphosis shifts down to #8; and Britney Spears' In the Zone dips three to #10 (158,000).

Hip-hop and R&B albums lead the pack of chart newbies, with Musiq's third album, Soulstar, fronting the charge at #13. Featuring Ice Cube, Mack 10 and WC, Westside Connection's return from a seven-year absence, Terrorist Threats, bows at #16, while singer Avant's third album, Private Room, comes in at #18.

The Big Tymers' Big Money Heavy debuts at #21, just missing a spot in the top 20 thanks to the Beatles' Let It Be ... Naked, which outsold it by around 500 copies. Despite the popularity of her Tasty single, "Milkshake," Kelis' third album bows at #27 with more than 93,000 copies sold. At least her record label decided to release it in the U.S., which is more than can be said for the singer's second album, Wanderland.

Rockers take their positions further down the chart. The Offspring's seventh album of their 14-year career, Splinter, debuts at #30 (87,000), a big drop from the mark set by their last album, 2000's Conspiracy of One, which placed at #9 with more than 125,000 sold. Hoobastank's second album, The Reason, bows at #45.

Other notable debuts include Nick Cannon's self-titled premiere at #83, Fefe Dobson's eponymous debut at #111, and Ryan Adams' second volume of his Love Is Hell twin EPs at #171.

• Ruben Studdard
• Clay Aiken
• Alicia Keys
• Rod Stewart
• Sheryl Crow

The Strokes
Photo: RCA

After a three-week layoff, Outkast will resume their position at the top of the Billboard albums chart.

The hip-hop duo's Speakerboxxx / The Love Below sold more than 141,000 copies last week to pull just slightly ahead of Rod Stewart's As Time Goes By ... The Great American Songbook, Volume II in the weekly sales race. Just 500 albums sold separate the two, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (November 5).

Outkast had held the #1 spot for two straight weeks after releasing their double LP in late September.

The two albums that temporarily kept the throne at the top warm for Big Boi and Andre 3000, Ludacris' Chicken-N-Beer and Clay Aiken's Measure of a Man, aren't too far behind the leaders. Four weeks after its release, Chicken-N-Beer will hold its position at #5, having sold more than 102,000 copies; while the "American Idol" runner-up's debut will slip to #3 with more than 140,000 copies sold, to forfeit its two-week grip on the #1 spot.

The Strokes' Room on Fire lived up to its rep as one of the most anticipated albums of the fall. More than 126,000 copies of the New York quintet's second album were scooped up by hipsters and those who just look like them in its first week out. Two years ago, the band's debut, Is This It, placed at #74 with only 16,000 in first-week sales. It may be too early to tell, but it seems that Room on Fire will have no trouble eclipsing the total sales of its predecessor, which stands at just more than 909,000 copies.

R.E.M. will also make an impressive splash on next week's chart. Had the alternative pioneers' greatest-hits set, The Best of R.E.M.: In Time 1988-2003, been issued only in one format, it might have bested the Strokes' position. Two separate packages, however, fall at #8 and #16. Proof of their dedication to the band, fans bought more than 75,000 copies of the deluxe set, which includes a CD of bonus material, while the single-disc album moved 51,000 copies.

Having made steady chart progress for more than four months, 3 Doors Down deserve some kind of medal for outstanding achievement. Since the end of June, when the then 7-month-old Away From the Sun stood at #80, it's been quietly advancing up the chart. The band's second album has re-entered the top 10, for the first time since it debuted at #8 last year, at #10, by selling more than 62,000 copies last week. Sustained success of singles "When I'm Gone," "The Road I'm On" and their latest, "Here Without You," has helped the band move more than 1.8 million copies of the follow-up to 2000's The Better Life.

The rest of next week's top 10 will find soul singer Gerald Levert's Stroke of Genius debuting at #6 (97,000); The Very Best of the Eagles falling from #3 to #7 (77,000); and Dido's Life for Rent slipping two spots to #9 (68,000).

Next week's only other notable chart debut is Hatebreed's fourth album, Rise of Brutality. The metal band's follow-up to last year's Perseverance sold more than 32,000 copies to land at #30.

• OutKast
• The Strokes
• Ludacris
• Clay Aiken
• Rod Stewart

Clay Aiken
Photo: RCA Records

Even at 58 years of age, platinum-haired rock legend Rod Stewart can still sell himself like a high-class hooker. But his best efforts couldn't unseat an "American Idol" runner-up.

Clay Aiken's Measure of a Man will hold tight to #1 on the Billboard albums chart for the second week in a row with 225,000 copies sold, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (October 29). The singer's two-week run puts a little added pressure on Ruben Studdard, the "Idol" who bested Aiken on the TV show. Studdard's debut album, Soulful, has now been pushed back from November 11 to December 9.

Stewart, who has been on "Oprah," "Good Morning America" and U.K. station Radio Times this past week to plug his latest collection, As Time Goes By ... The Great American Songbook: Volume II, will have to settle for #2.

If it's any consolation, Stewart's burst of self-promotion — aided by some well-placed TV ads and, perhaps, press generated by his tongue-in-cheek swipes at other aging rockers such as Paul McCartney and Elton John — did its trick. As Time Goes By sold over 212,000 copies last week, while its 2002 predecessor, It Had to Be You ... The Great American Songbook, will vault 49 spots on next week's albums chart to #46. In addition, the 2001 compilation The Voice: The Very Best of Rod Stewart sold just over 10,000 copies and will nestle in at #125.

Meanwhile, it looks like the Eagles are still in it for "The Long Run." The durable classic rockers will take the #3 position with their newest compilation, The Very Best of the Eagles, which sold nearly 162,000 copies during its first week.

Refusing to drop from the top five are Outkast, whose double-disc set, Speakerboxx/The Love Below, will remain at #4 with just under 146,000 copies sold in its fifth week. Taking a 36 percent sales hit is Ludacris, whose fourth offering, Chicken & Beer, will dip three positions to #5. In its third week in stores, the album sold more than 123,000 copies.

The highest debut for an artist under 50 goes to Loon, whose self-titled first album will nab #6 (80,000 sold). The rest of the top 10 will include Dido's Life for Rent,, which falls one spot to #7 (78,000 sold), and Jagged Edge's Hard, which falls five positions to #8 (76,000 sold). Barbra Streisand's The Movie Album will fall four to #9 (72,000 sold), and Barenaked Ladies will squeak in at #10 with their latest, Everything to Everyone, the fourth highest debut of the week with just over 71,000 copies sold.

Other noteworthy debuts include Mandy Moore, whose covers album, Coverage, attracted over 53,000 consumers to take the #14 spot; IMX crooner Marques Houston, whose MH will arrive at #18 with 41,000 sold; Something Corporate, whose third offering, North, will grab #24 with over 41,000 sold; and strummy alternative band the Shins, whose second album, Chutes Too Narrow, will land at #86 with sales of more than 15,000.

New York indie groove band the Rapture will debut at #121 with Echoes; Dead Prez will Get Free or Die Trying at #144; and Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros' swan song, Streetcore, will hit the chart at #160.

• Clay Aiken
• Rod Stewart
• Loon
• Mandy Moore

Madonna, Samuel L. Jackson, Sting, Korn's Jonathan Davis, More Show Off Their Kilts

• Mary J. Blige
• Rod Stewart
• Sting
• Dropkick Murphys
• Christina Aguilera

Hair Aware

• Busta Rhymes
• Gwen Stefani
• Cyndi Lauper
• Rod Stewart
• P!nk

45th Annual Grammy Award Nominees, Presenters, And Performers

• Ashanti
• Norah Jones
• Avril Lavigne
• John Mayer
• Nelly