Celine Takes 'Chances' to the Top in Europe
November 22, 2007 - Global
By Paul Sexton, London
There are new leaders on both of Billboard's pan-European sales charts, as Celine Dion's "Taking Chances" (Columbia) debuts in pole position on Top 100 Albums and "Apologize" (Mosley/Blackground/Interscope) by Timbaland presents One Republic moves 5-1 on Eurochart Top 100 Singles.
Dion's album does not lead in any individual market, but arrives at No. 2 in France and Denmark, No. 3 in Austria, No. 4 in Holland, No. 5 in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom (the latter on sales of 55,000). The title track single is at No. 7 in France and No. 8 in Italy. In May of this year, Dion's French language album "D'Elles" (Columbia) opened at No. 11 on Top 100 Albums after debuting at No. 1 in France and No. 3 in Switzerland. Her last English-language set "Miracle" bowed on Top 100 Albums at No. 8 in October 2004 and peaked the following week at No. 6.
The Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" (Polydor) thus proves short-lived, so far at least, as a chart-topper on the composite European chart, falling back to No. 2 where it entered two weeks ago. It still holds at No. 1 in Norway but loses ground in other key markets. Nevertheless, "Long Road" stays ahead of high-profile new entries to the overall survey from Alicia Keys and Led Zeppelin and, further down the top ten, the Spice Girls and Leona Lewis.
Keys' "As I Am" (J) comes in at No. 4 after starting in runner-up spot in Holland, No. 3 in Italy, No. 6 in Germany and No. 7 in Portugal. Its U.K. release was not until Monday, and it is on course to debut in or close to the top ten this weekend, according to midweek sales data. Zeppelin's Warner Bros. compilation "Mothership," meanwhile, enters at No. 4 on Top 100 Albums. Its best debut is at No. 2 in Norway (behind the Eagles), followed by No. 4 in the United Kingdom (with opening sales of 58,000) and in Austria, No. 5 in Ireland and No. 7 in Germany.
Eros Ramazotti's "E2" (Ariola), which moved 3-2 on last week's Top 100 Albums list, now dips to No. 5, despite holding at No. 1 in Italy and Greece and climbing 7-6 in Portugal. Also moving down the pan-European top ten is Amy Winehouse's "Back To Black" (Universal Island), 3-6 overall despite an 18-4 spurt in Greece.
The Spice Girls' "Greatest Hits," released by Virgin ahead of the reunited quintet's upcoming world tour, opens at No. 7 on the aggregate survey. It's in at No. 2 in the United Kingdom with sales of 75,000. The new single from the set, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)," enters at No. 2 in Italy and No. 3 in Sweden. Initial U.K. digital sales were lowly, despite the track being the official single of the BBC's Children In Need telethon Nov. 16. It dipped 20-23 last weekend but will rebound on Sunday following this week's physical release. The group's tour begins Dec. 2 in Vancouver.
Die Ärzte's "Jazz Ist Anders" (Hot Action) falls from last week's No. 5 debut on Top 100 Albums to No. 8, although it holds at No. 1 in Germany and No. 2 in Austria. North London vocalist Leona Lewis' "Spirit" (Syco Music/Sony BMG) follows its record-breaking No. 1 start on the U.K. chart (with best-ever opening sales for a debut artist of 375,000) with a No. 9 entry on the composite tally, also helped by a No. 1 bow in Ireland. Westlife's "Back Home" (Sony/BMG) falls 6-10 in its second week on Top 100 Albums.
"Apologize" makes its run to No. 1 on the Eurochart after opening at the top in Germany, and climbing 7-3 in Austria. It's also No. 1 for a second week in Sweden and holds at No. 2 in Norway and No. 3 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark. It also climbs 7-3 in Austria.
Source: http://www.billboard.biz/