Comments on: Alicia Keys Is Fallin’ Into The Album Chart’s No. 1 Spot

By: Chris Molanphy

Chris Molanphy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:52:45 +0000

@Richard Dipper: Other way around - first, Alicia Keys was given the No. 1 album (online only, I believe); then, a day later, after much howling from Sony, the chart was corrected to give SotD the No. 1 spot. This is now official; Toxicity is the No. 1 album for that chart week (dated 22 Sept 01 but encompassing sales from the week of 9/11).

(Ironically, all these years later, Sony and Alicia Keys's label, J Records/BMG, are now merged.)

And no, I wouldn't say there's any sign of foul play here. The early chart from HITS, which relies on early/raw SoundScan returns, has Juno on top, but SoundScan's final chart (and, hence, Billboard's) often differs in small ways from the early chart because of various tweaks that are made on the final day. For one thing, Billboard includes sales from a small but sizable number of independent record stores that can't afford SoundScan - particularly black-owned stores, which would explain in part why Keys got a boost.

By: neworiginals

neworiginals — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:38:03 +0000

Huh... just went to the Hear Music site, and they're selling a version of In Rainbows with the 8 bonus tracks that I thought were only available (legally) from the discbox. Is this old news?

By: Maura Johnston

Maura Johnston — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:36:30 +0000

@DHMBIB: This is yet another sign that I need to leave the house more.

By: Richard Dipper

Richard Dipper — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:32:36 +0000

Does anyone remember in 2001, when it was announced the week after 9/11 that System of a Down had the #1 record in America, and a week later it was corrected that Alicia Keys did? And then Alicia Keys' management was accused of fudging figures?

Does anyone think that happened again?

By: bcapirigi

bcapirigi — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:32:18 +0000

i picked up across the pond when i begrudgingly went into starbucks the other night but literally got bored before i could finish glancing at the tracklisting.

By: Rob Murphy

Rob Murphy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:59:20 +0000

@pgwp: Agreed, thanks for digging that up. And you were right -- the list of included artists is so obvious I had half of them before I even looked it up.

Here's the link to the annoyingly-flash-overloaded product page for anyone who cares.

[www.hearmusic.com]

By: Maura Johnston

Maura Johnston — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:47:05 +0000

@pgwp: Ahh, I was wondering if it was a British-music compilation. All I could come up with was this. (And the title isn't exactly easily Googleable.) Thanks!

By: scott pgwp

scott pgwp — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:31:45 +0000

Across the Pond is a compilation on sale at Starbucks, sitting right next to pen-sniffing Sia on the counter. Don’t know if it was actually released by Starbucks or not. Anyway, it’s tracks from KT Tunstall, Joss Stone, and other very obvious mainstream acts who–get this–are British.

By: Maura Johnston

Maura Johnston — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:14:19 +0000

@extracrispy: Down 28%. The post-steroid numbers for her, 50 Cent, Timbaland, and Wyclef won't come until next week, but I hear they're all locks for the Home Run Derby.

By: extracrispy

extracrispy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:07:45 +0000

So was Mary J Blige up or down since last week?

Just trying to understand how steroid accusations impact an artist's sales.