(11-28-2004) Eminem Up: U2 on Deck -- Billboard*

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Eminem Up: U2 on Deck

By Geoff Mayfield

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Numbers from the first two days of the tracking period had chart watchers cautiously predicting that Eminem (news - web sites)'s "Encore" would reap sales of 750,000-800,000. Throw caution to the wind, as the album clocks a whopping 871,000 units.

That brings the rapper's two-week total to almost 1.6 million, just about even with the tally that "The Eminem Show" rang in a similar number of days. Like the new one, that 2002 set hit stores with an off-cycle release date.

Numbers posted during the first few hours that U2's new album was on sale have some retailers predicting that Interscope will enjoy back-to-back 800,000-plus weeks next week.

It practically goes without saying that the band's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is expected to bow at No. 1. At least one retailer thinks U2 could exceed 900,000 copies, which would be just rewards considering the wall-to-wall marketing that has taken place since lead single "Vertigo" hit radio and iTunes in early October.

Even if it falls shy of 800,000, the album is destined to register U2's biggest-yet Nielsen SoundScan week. Paradoxically, the title that scored its previous high -- "All That You Can't Leave Behind" -- was not among the band's five No. 1s. Instead, that 2000 release had to settle for a peak of No. 3, with 438,000 in its first week, having arrived the same week as Jay-Z's chart-topping "The Dynasty Roc La Familia" and OutKast's "Stankonia." Each bowed above the half-million mark.
 
It looks like Interscope moved the Eminem release up a few days to guarantee U2 a number one album.
 
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