Album Chart: Despite legal woes, R. Kelly is No. 1
ByFeb 25, 2003 11:00 PM
Affirming the old saying that “any publicity is good publicity,” the latest release from R&B crooner R. Kelly--who for months has been ensnared in a child-pornography controversy--was the nation’s top-selling album last week.
Affirming the old saying that “any publicity is good publicity,” the latest release from R&B crooner R. Kelly--who for months has been ensnared in a child-pornography controversy--was the nation’s top-selling album last week.
Titled “Chocolate Factory,” Kelly’s new set sold about 532,000 copies during its first week out, according to industry sources, and will debut at No. 1 on the forthcoming Billboard 200 album chart. The album’s first single, “Ignition,” has been riding near the top of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts.
Kelly is the target of multiple investigations and lawsuits stemming from allegations that he had sex with underage girls. The singer has maintained his claim of innocence.
Rapper 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” which spent its first two weeks of release at No. 1, slips to No. 2 after selling about 12,000 fewer copies than “Chocolate Factory.”
Coming in at a distant third is Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me,” for which the singer/pianist received the Album of the Year Grammy on Sunday (2/24). The album, which sold about 144,000 copies during the week leading up to the Grammys, will likely see a spike in sales after winning Jones Grammy awards for all five categories in which she was nominated, plus three non-artist Grammys for its producer, engineers and writer of its hit single, “Don’t Know Why.”
The Dixie Chicks’ Grammy-winning “Home” slips two spots to No. 4 this week, and Kid Rock’s “Cocky” falls one spot to No. 5.
Debuting at No. 6 is the “Cradle 2 the Grave” soundtrack, which moved about 98,000 copies during its first week in stores. The album features a number of tracks from DMX, who also stars in the film, as well as cuts (or guest appearances on DMX tracks) from Eminem, 50 Cent, Clipse, Drag-On, Fat Joe and others.
Avril Lavigne--who got shut out at the Grammys despite five nominations--sees her multi-platinum “Let Go” slip one spot to No. 7 this week, where it’s trailed by the “Chicago” soundtrack, down three spots to No. 8.
Closing out the top is the “Daredevil” soundtrack, which jumps six places to No. 9; and the “Grammy Nominees 2003” compilation, which is also up six spots to No. 10.
Taking a tumble this week is George Strait’s “For the Last Time--Live from the Astrodome,” which plummets 21 spots to No. 28 after debuting at No. 7 last week. Also free-falling--though likely to rebound thanks to its creator’s Grammy win--is singer-songwriter John Mayer’s live set, “Any Given Thursday,” which drops 17 places to No. 34.
Other second-week sinkers include Yanni’s “Ethnicity,” down 22 places to No. 49; and Vince Gill’s “Next Big Thing,” which tucks and dives 41 places to No. 55.
Outside of the Top 10, no new albums surface in the Top 100 this week; Cat Power’s “You Are Free” just misses by debuting at No. 105.