Edited By Barry A. Jeckell. December 29, 2004, 10:45 AM ET
Holiday Shoppers Return Eminem To No. 1
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Eminem was the top-seller among last minute holiday shoppers as "Encore" returns to the top of The Billboard 200 this week after a month-long absence. A 36% increase to U.S. sales of 430,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, fuel a 3-1 rebound on the album chart.
The rapper's latest Shady/Aftermath/Interscope set now has three non-consecutive weeks atop the chart, including a two-week stay at No. 1 in November. "Encore" takes over the top spot from 2Pac's posthumous "Loyal to the Game" (Amaru/Interscope), which falls to No. 13 on a 34% slump to 219,000 copies.
Last minute holiday shopping leading up to Christmas saw sales of all titles in the top tier of The Billboard 200 rise 10% or more.
The 17th installment of "NOW That's What I Call Music!" (Sony BMG/Universal/EMI/Zomba/Capitol) manages to hold onto the chart's No. 2 slot for a second week despite having the lowest sales increase among top 10 titles, with sales up 10% to 356,000 copies.
U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" (Interscope) climbs two to No. 3 on a 17% bump to 350,000. Destiny's Child's "Destiny Fulfilled" (Sony Urban/Columbia) also jumps two positions to No. 4 on a 31% bounce to sales just shy of U2's "Bomb."
Despite an 11% gain to 347,000 copies, Shania Twain's Mercury Nashville greatest hits set drops 4-5. Usher's "Confessions" (LaFace/Zomba) makes a 9-6 jump on a 33% gain to 316,000, pushing past Toby Keith, who moves up one to No. 7 on a 21% increase to sales of 289,000 of his DreamWorks Nashville/Interscope collection, "Greatest Hits 2."
After falling to No. 10 on last week's chart, "MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups Presents Jay-Z and Linkin Park: Collision Course" (Machine Shop/Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) rebounds to No. 8 on a 20% sales increase to 283,000 copies. Green Day's "American Idiot" (Reprise/Warner Bros.) is readmitted to the chart's upper echelon, thanks to a 39% jump to 282,000 copies that fuels a 13-9 move.
After last week's 1-12 spiral, Ludacris' "Red Light District" (Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam South) also regains its top 10 footing with a two-spot gain to No. 10. The set sold 258,000 copies, up 20%.
Mannie Fresh has The Billboard 200's top debut with his solo debut, "The Mind of Mannie Fresh" (Cash Money/Universal), which enters at No. 59 with 70,000 units. As a member of Southern rap duo Big Tymers, the Cash Money producer went to No. 1 on The Billboard 200 in 2002 with "Hood Rich." While that album debuted in the top slot, 2002's "I Got That Work" remains the duo's best-selling album to date, with a 1.4 million total and a No. 3 peak on the chart.
Overall U.S. album sales were up 17.5% from the previous week at 32.7 million units, a 4.4% lead over the same week last year. Sales for 2004 are ahead of 2003 by about 1.4% at 665 million units.
-- Margo Whitmire, L.A
Holiday Shoppers Return Eminem To No. 1
photo
Eminem was the top-seller among last minute holiday shoppers as "Encore" returns to the top of The Billboard 200 this week after a month-long absence. A 36% increase to U.S. sales of 430,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, fuel a 3-1 rebound on the album chart.
The rapper's latest Shady/Aftermath/Interscope set now has three non-consecutive weeks atop the chart, including a two-week stay at No. 1 in November. "Encore" takes over the top spot from 2Pac's posthumous "Loyal to the Game" (Amaru/Interscope), which falls to No. 13 on a 34% slump to 219,000 copies.
Last minute holiday shopping leading up to Christmas saw sales of all titles in the top tier of The Billboard 200 rise 10% or more.
The 17th installment of "NOW That's What I Call Music!" (Sony BMG/Universal/EMI/Zomba/Capitol) manages to hold onto the chart's No. 2 slot for a second week despite having the lowest sales increase among top 10 titles, with sales up 10% to 356,000 copies.
U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" (Interscope) climbs two to No. 3 on a 17% bump to 350,000. Destiny's Child's "Destiny Fulfilled" (Sony Urban/Columbia) also jumps two positions to No. 4 on a 31% bounce to sales just shy of U2's "Bomb."
Despite an 11% gain to 347,000 copies, Shania Twain's Mercury Nashville greatest hits set drops 4-5. Usher's "Confessions" (LaFace/Zomba) makes a 9-6 jump on a 33% gain to 316,000, pushing past Toby Keith, who moves up one to No. 7 on a 21% increase to sales of 289,000 of his DreamWorks Nashville/Interscope collection, "Greatest Hits 2."
After falling to No. 10 on last week's chart, "MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups Presents Jay-Z and Linkin Park: Collision Course" (Machine Shop/Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) rebounds to No. 8 on a 20% sales increase to 283,000 copies. Green Day's "American Idiot" (Reprise/Warner Bros.) is readmitted to the chart's upper echelon, thanks to a 39% jump to 282,000 copies that fuels a 13-9 move.
After last week's 1-12 spiral, Ludacris' "Red Light District" (Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam South) also regains its top 10 footing with a two-spot gain to No. 10. The set sold 258,000 copies, up 20%.
Mannie Fresh has The Billboard 200's top debut with his solo debut, "The Mind of Mannie Fresh" (Cash Money/Universal), which enters at No. 59 with 70,000 units. As a member of Southern rap duo Big Tymers, the Cash Money producer went to No. 1 on The Billboard 200 in 2002 with "Hood Rich." While that album debuted in the top slot, 2002's "I Got That Work" remains the duo's best-selling album to date, with a 1.4 million total and a No. 3 peak on the chart.
Overall U.S. album sales were up 17.5% from the previous week at 32.7 million units, a 4.4% lead over the same week last year. Sales for 2004 are ahead of 2003 by about 1.4% at 665 million units.
-- Margo Whitmire, L.A
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