New releases, Nov. 7: R. Kelly, blink-182, Spice Girls, Cher, others

R. Kelly leads off the election-day releases this week with his latest disc, titled �TP-2.com� (Jive). The album is the follow up to his highly successful 1998 release �R.,� which has been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 5 million copies. Sales of �R.� were spurred by the success of the 2-CD set�s hit single, �I Believe I Can Fly,� which was originally featured on the �Space Jam� soundtrack.

�I Wish,� the first single from �TP-2.com,� is currently No. 1 on trade publication Radio & Records� latest urban adult-contemporary chart, which measures national radio airplay.

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Blink-182 serves up �The Mark, Tom & Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back)� (MCA) this week, a live, 20-track disc featuring several previously unreleased tracks that the band has only performed live. The disc also includes the new studio track �Man Overboard.� The album is a limited-edition release, and will only be available through the end of this year, according to blink-182�s official website.

Last year, Blink-182 released �Enema of the State,� which spawned the hit singles �All the Small Things,� �Adam�s Song� and �What�s My Age Again?� The album has sold over 4 million copies since its release, according to the RIAA. The group is currently touring Australia in support of the disc.

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Spice Girls will try to revitalize their Girl Power this week with the release of �Forever� (Virgin), the first album from the group since the 1998 departure of Geri Halliwell. The album features the single �Holler,� which debuted at No. 1 in the British quartet�s homeland last week. The video for �Holler� is scheduled to debut on MTV�s �Total Request Live� on Monday, Nov. 13, according to the Spice Girls official website.

The group�s last album--1997�s �Spiceworld�--has sold over 4 million copies, according to the RIAA, while the Girls� 1996 debut, �Spice,� still stands as its most commercially successful, with sales of over 7 million copies. The latter album featured the group�s No. 1 hit, �Wannabe.�

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Husband and wife duo Aimee Mann and Michael Penn, the Pretenders� Chrissie Hynde, Johnny Cash, Ben Harper and others joined together to create �Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen�s Nebraska� (Sub Pop). The disc features cover versions of all 10 tracks found on Springsteen�s critically acclaimed 1982 album, as well as �I�m on Fire,� �Downbound Train� and �Wages of Sin.� A portion of the proceeds from the disc will benefit Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), an independent humanitarian medical aid agency.

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Interscope drops the soundtrack to the upcoming film �How the Grinch Stole Christmas� this week. The disc features tracks from Faith Hill, �NSync, Ben Folds, Barenaked Ladies, Smash Mouth and others.

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Cher highlights her songwriting abilities this week on �Not Commercial,� the first release to feature the veteran singer performing material she penned herself. The disc is only being offered via Cher�s official website, or through her special online store.

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Other new releases this week: