Celine, Backstreet, Britney Continue Chart Domination; Sisqo, Q-Tip Debut Strong
French-Canadian songstress Celine Dion will continue to hold down the top spot on next week's "Billboard" album chart, as her "All The Way: A Decade Of Song" album continued to outpace the Backstreet Boys' "Millennium" and Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time.
According to figures released on Wednesday by SoundScan, Dion's greatest hits compilation sold 327,000 copies last week and has already sold over a million copies in just three weeks on store shelves.
The Backstreet Boys moved 283,000 copies of "Millennium" to climb back up to number two, while Spears rang up sales of over 241,000 copies of "Baby One More Time" to land at number three. Both albums look to do well in the weeks ahead, as Christmas shoppers appear to be purchasing the records as stocking-stuffers.Rounding out the rest of the new "Billboard" top five will be Santana's triple-platinum comeback, "Supernatural," at number four, and Christina Aguilera's self-titled record at number five.Sisqoof Dru Hill scored the highest debut, as his "Unleash the Dragon" LP sold over 125,000 copies to enter the charts at number 18. Former A Tribe Called Quest frontman Q-Tip had the next highest debut with his new solo record, "Amplified," which sold some 89,000 copies to settle at number 28.
In contrast, the new Guns N' Roses concert album, "Live Era '87-'93," was a relative disappointment in its first week, as the double record sold only 60,000 copies and barely cracked the top 50 by coming in at number 45.Record-buyers also appear to be less than thrilled with Marilyn Manson's new live album, "The Last Tour On Earth," which will sink to number 196 on the new "Billboard" chart after selling only 51,000 copies in three weeks.-- David Basham
