1 U2 HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOM 839,696
2 EMINEM ENCORE 471,208
3 TWAIN*SHANIA GREATEST HITS 383,745
4 DESTINY'S CHILD DESTINY FULFILLED 336,884
5 KEITH*TOBY VOL. 2-GREATEST HITS 331,144
6 VARIOUS NOW 17 319,380
7 STEFANI*GWEN LOVE.ANGEL.MUSIC.BABY 309,111
8 FANTASIA FREE YOURSELF 239,589
9 SNOOP DOGG R&G (RHYTHM) 203,048
10 LIL JON & EAST SIDE BOYS CRUNK JUICE 195,508
11 AIKEN*CLAY MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE 183,529
12 USHER CONFESSIONS 183,225
13 MCGRAW*TIM LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING 179,633
14 NELLY SUIT 173,896
15 CREED GREATEST HITS 158,168
16 SIMPSON*JESSICA REJOYCE: THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM 152,063
17 SPEARS*BRITNEY GREATEST HITS:MY PREROGATIVE 118,070
18 STRAIT*GEORGE 50 NUMBER ONES 108,226
19 NIRVANA WITH THE LIGHTS OUT 105,760
20 STUDDARD*RUBEN I NEED AN ANGEL 96,389

If Gwen had released her CD at another time (when there wasn't this much competition),she surely would have debuted at Number One.

I don't see Michael Jackson anywhere

DavidEye said:

Couldn't the same excuse be made for Ruben Studdard?

Looks pretty good for U2.

Wow, U2!Too bad Destiny's Child fell to #4.
[Edited 12/1/04 10:16am]

hey, fantasia did pretty good...

good for her!!

dreamfactory313 said:

But they sold over 1/3 of a million CDs. That disc is surprising the hell out out of me. Hell, half those CDs and their sales are surprising the hell out of me. Nirvana's 3 disc set debuted in the top twenty, proving it can be done! It looks like a really good set.

I know some people are probably upset about the Stefani debut. I bought the disc, really like it but didn't and still don't have high commerical expectations for it although that number is really good (and yes, almost any ohter week, it would have been a number one CD). Keep in mind, it didn't start out with a hit single and I can't judge how the publcity is going since I don't have cable but I don't see her shilling it everywhere (although she is supposed to perform at anohter awards show soon, right?). Considering this is dance music, a top ten debut and over 300K sold is amazing! And while I don't love the new Shania hits set (I guess I expected more), I'm very happy that she is still outselling Toby Keith. Stick it the the man!

sosgemini said:

But probably could have done better. I like her single and all. It was the wrong week to release the disc if they wanted a number one debut. So far all the American Idol winners and Clay have had their debut albums hit number one, although I think the number of discs sold for Kelly, Ruben and Fantasia are very close.

DavidEye said:

that would mean releasing it between January and April, which would mean missing the holiday boom.

GrayKing said:

True,but at least she wouldn't have had to compete with an unbeatable Eminem

In a "normal" week,309,111 copies would have surely put her in the Number One slot.

DavidEye said:

309,111 people might not have bought it last week if not for the holiday shopping weekend, though. it's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other, honestly.

sosgemini said:

i know, go fantasia!

interesting to note that had musicology been released last week, it would not have made the top ten, it sold around 190,000 copies in its first week in the us. mmmm

jayaredee said:

Well... just look in the Music:Non-Prince forum ,because at any given time and in spite of the general warning at the top of the page, you can bet there will be at least 5 threads dedicated to him...

MrTation said:

correct. there are, at this very moment 6 on page 1 alone :

http://www.prince.org/msg/8/123602
http://www.prince.org/msg/8/124500
http://www.prince.org/msg/8/124384
http://www.prince.org/msg/8/124423
http://www.prince.org/msg/8/124306
http://www.prince.org/msg/8/124375

blackboab said:

But as GrayKing suggested, with the holiday boom, a lot of people who don't regularly buy CDs went into the stores. I think the sales might have been a bit higher for the album if it was released this week but maybe it wouldn't have made the top 10.

jayaredee said:

i think theres a special chart 4 greatest hits collections but billboard calls them compilations

ABeautifulOne said:

Surely you jest, but just in case.

-
3 TWAIN*SHANIA GREATEST HITS 383,745
-
5 KEITH*TOBY VOL. 2-GREATEST HITS 331,144
-
15 CREED GREATEST HITS 158,168
-
17 SPEARS*BRITNEY GREATEST HITS:MY PREROGATIVE 118,070
18 STRAIT*GEORGE 50 NUMBER ONES 108,226
19 NIRVANA WITH THE LIGHTS OUT 105,760
-


I'm sorry but over one fifth of the Top Twenty was Greatest Hits albums, including one box set (Nirvana's...which had only 3 discs and cost about the same as MJ's box). The album, to dissapointment of fans, debuted at #154 (as stated in another thread). I'm not one of those people that beats up on MJ and I actually wanted to get the collection (I'm still considering it since they put it on sale again at Best Buy) but the set just didn't do well. I don't mean to come off as angry, just wanted to set the (record) sales straight.

no really i thought bcuz the other day i was snooping around the billboard charts and it had a chart 4 compilations.but the only thing that was all over it was those sorry ass NOW sets

ABeautifulOne said:

there is a top catalog chart that lists how well old releases are selling, but there's no separate chart for greatest hits and compilations.

ABeautifulOne said:

Then they must have it meaning collections of songs from different artists that were previously released or something. When you think about it in that respect, pretty much the only thing that would include are "Now" type CDs. A good well promoted Hits/Best Of should sell if it's from an artist people are still interested in (Shania, Keith). I the case of Creed, it probably debuted well since parents still think their kids like Creed (or for some reason, made themselves think they liked Creed in the first place). If MJ actually went out there and promoted the CD, it would probably sell OK for a boxset. If it had single, it probably would have done better. I did see an ad on the TV Guide Channel for it, which might help. I'm sure most people don't even know this out and are probably interested in buying it for themseleves or other fans. Promotion sucked (and I say sucked, becuase unless MJ himself comes out to push it, it's probably going to be off the charts altogther next week).

that is correct bcuz when number 1's came out it sold a lot in the UK but it flopped in the US.

ABeautifulOne - Not true. Number Ones continued to shift 3,000-5,000 units each week this past year. The album is quietly nearing the 800k mark in the USA and should surpass 1 million units scanned by the end of next year. In other words, it's been just as successful in the USA as the Warner Bros. compilation The Very Best Of Prince.

Worldwide sales stand at over 5 million units. A very respectable figure considering Jackson couldn't even promote the set.

sorry but i didnt see it anywhere on billboard so i concluded that it didnt sell as much but its a good cd i bought it the week after it came out