NEW YORK - Susan Boyle announced the November 9 release of her second album, "The Gift," only three days ago, but already the set has shot to No. 1 on Amazon's Bestsellers chart based on pre-order sales.
The singer's sophomore effort reached the top spot Wednesday in its second day as a pre-order, officially kicking off what Amazon director of music Craig Pape described as "the season of Susan" for the online retailer.
"It's pretty significantly No. 1," said Pape, who would not reveal specific sales figures but said that the volume of pre-orders has exceeded his expectations. "The Gift" has leapfrogged fourth-quarter efforts by Taylor Swift, Eric Clapton and Neil Young on the Bestsellers tally, with only pre-orders of Bob Dylan's "The Witmark Demos" coming close to Boyle's sales, according to Pape.
"It's a relative ranking, and a lot of it depends on the release schedule and what else is in the market," said Pape. "But looking at this list, you can see that it's a pretty strong slate of releases, so it's a non-trivial position to take the top slot during this release period."
Boyle is no stranger to Amazon's Bestsellers chart: her 2009 debut, "I Dreamed a Dream," broke records as Amazon Music's largest CD pre-order ever before it moved 3.8 million U.S. copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It is still unclear whether "The Gift" will rival the pre-order figures of "Dream," considering that "the pre-order window for this record is shorter" than that of the first album, Pape said.
As announced Tuesday, "The Gift" is set for release on SYCO/Columbia Records and will include Boyle's take on Christmas classics "O Holy Night" and "The First Noel" as well as performances of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." The album is displayed at the top of Amazon Music's main page with link to the pre-order and to Susan Boyle's artist page. Apple's iTunes store also prominently features "The Gift," and the album sits at No. 2 on Barnes & Noble's music bestsellers list.
"I personally expect to see it in that top slot for quite a while," said Pape. "Through street date and beyond, through Christmas, sales should stay very strong."
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Posh Beckham 'furious'
Victoria Beckham has revealed to family and friends her "rage and humiliation" over a prostitutes' claims she had an affair with husband David.
Beckham, who has three children with the soccer superstar, told UK-based relatives the claims from sex worker Irma Nici had wrecked her life in America, The Sun newspaper reports.
"She has even said she wants to come home," an unnamed friend was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
"Considering the hooker made everything up, Victoria sees it as extremely unfair."
On Friday lawyers for David Beckham filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against In Touch magazine and its publisher Bauer Publishing Company LP for libel, slander and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The suit also names 26-year-old Nici, who is quoted as making the allegations.
UK tabloid News of the World says Beckham wants to sue for $26 million, accusing Nici and the magazine of damaging the soccer star's reputation and causing him "mental anguish".
The magazine alleged the former England football captain slept with the $10,000 a night escort in a New York hotel room in 2007 and a month later in London.
Nici claims she hired a second woman to join her in the New York liaison, which allegedly took place just after Beckham joined the LA Galaxy team.
A spokesperson for Beckham has described the claims as "utter nonsense".
This is not the first cheating scandal to engulf the soccer star.
In 2004, his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, claimed that they had had an affair. He denied the allegations.
Beckham, who has three children with the soccer superstar, told UK-based relatives the claims from sex worker Irma Nici had wrecked her life in America, The Sun newspaper reports.
"She has even said she wants to come home," an unnamed friend was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
"Considering the hooker made everything up, Victoria sees it as extremely unfair."
On Friday lawyers for David Beckham filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against In Touch magazine and its publisher Bauer Publishing Company LP for libel, slander and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The suit also names 26-year-old Nici, who is quoted as making the allegations.
UK tabloid News of the World says Beckham wants to sue for $26 million, accusing Nici and the magazine of damaging the soccer star's reputation and causing him "mental anguish".
The magazine alleged the former England football captain slept with the $10,000 a night escort in a New York hotel room in 2007 and a month later in London.
Nici claims she hired a second woman to join her in the New York liaison, which allegedly took place just after Beckham joined the LA Galaxy team.
A spokesperson for Beckham has described the claims as "utter nonsense".
This is not the first cheating scandal to engulf the soccer star.
In 2004, his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, claimed that they had had an affair. He denied the allegations.
Lindsay Lohan bails out of jail
Troubled US starlet Lindsay Lohan has bailed out of jail where she spent only about 15 hours for failing another court-ordered drug test, the Los Angeles county sheriff's office says.
The 24-year-old was led from a court in handcuffs on Friday morning - the third time in as many years - after Judge Elden Fox of the Beverly Hills Superior Court found evidence Lohan was guilty of substance abuse.
Fox denied bail to Lohan after she tested positive for cocaine in a court-ordered test, but was later reversed by a superior who set bail at $US300,000 ($A312,728).
After the bail was posted Lohan was released late Friday night from the Century Regional Detention Facility in the Lynwood suburb of Los Angeles, a sheriff's spokesman said.
She is due back in court on October 22 to determine whether she violated her probation from an earlier sentence by testing positive for drugs. Lohan must also wear an ankle bracelet that will monitor her blood alcohol content.
Lohan was sentenced on July 6 to serve 90 days in jail and another 90 days in rehab for violating her probation in a drunk-driving case. But due to jail overcrowding, she served just 13 days before being freed to the detox facility.
In 2007 she spent just 84 minutes in jail after police arrested her twice for cocaine possession while driving - in one instance crashing her Mercedes-Benz into a tree.
Last week she admitted having failed a drugs test after the celebrity website TMZ and People Magazine said she had tested positive for cocaine use, prompting judge Fox to summon her back for Friday's court hearing.
A queen of Hollywood nights and a favorite target of the paparazzi, the former Disney child star was once considered one of the most promising actresses of her generation.
But Lohan's career has dipped many times since 2005 amid legal woes, stops in rehab and cinematic flops.
In 2008 the Parent Trap star received two Razzie Awards, the satirical prizes presented to Hollywood's worst acting performances.
In a Twitter post admitting the failed drugs test last week, Lohan said she was a "work in progress."
"This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences.... Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away overnight," she said.
"I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future."
The 24-year-old was led from a court in handcuffs on Friday morning - the third time in as many years - after Judge Elden Fox of the Beverly Hills Superior Court found evidence Lohan was guilty of substance abuse.
Fox denied bail to Lohan after she tested positive for cocaine in a court-ordered test, but was later reversed by a superior who set bail at $US300,000 ($A312,728).
After the bail was posted Lohan was released late Friday night from the Century Regional Detention Facility in the Lynwood suburb of Los Angeles, a sheriff's spokesman said.
She is due back in court on October 22 to determine whether she violated her probation from an earlier sentence by testing positive for drugs. Lohan must also wear an ankle bracelet that will monitor her blood alcohol content.
Lohan was sentenced on July 6 to serve 90 days in jail and another 90 days in rehab for violating her probation in a drunk-driving case. But due to jail overcrowding, she served just 13 days before being freed to the detox facility.
In 2007 she spent just 84 minutes in jail after police arrested her twice for cocaine possession while driving - in one instance crashing her Mercedes-Benz into a tree.
Last week she admitted having failed a drugs test after the celebrity website TMZ and People Magazine said she had tested positive for cocaine use, prompting judge Fox to summon her back for Friday's court hearing.
A queen of Hollywood nights and a favorite target of the paparazzi, the former Disney child star was once considered one of the most promising actresses of her generation.
But Lohan's career has dipped many times since 2005 amid legal woes, stops in rehab and cinematic flops.
In 2008 the Parent Trap star received two Razzie Awards, the satirical prizes presented to Hollywood's worst acting performances.
In a Twitter post admitting the failed drugs test last week, Lohan said she was a "work in progress."
"This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences.... Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away overnight," she said.
"I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Lohan settles 'Lindsay' ad case
Lindsay Lohan has settled a court battle over a TV commercial, which she says parodied her life for profit.
The Mean Girls star, who is facing 30 days behind bars after violating her probation by failing two random drug tests last week, has something to smile about after reaching an agreement with advertising bosses at financial firm E-Trade.
The company's 2010 Super Bowl ad, which featured a baby girl called Lindsay, upset the star because her namesake was portrayed as a boyfriend stealer and a "milkaholic".
Her legal team filed a $US100 million ($A105.71 million) lawsuit against the company, accusing firm executives of exploiting their client's famous first name and public persona without permission, insisting the use of the name Lindsay was a direct reference to Lohan.
E-Trade chiefs hit back and filed a motion to have the case dismissed, saying there were hundreds of thousands of women in the US with the same first name.
The Mean Girls star, who is facing 30 days behind bars after violating her probation by failing two random drug tests last week, has something to smile about after reaching an agreement with advertising bosses at financial firm E-Trade.
The company's 2010 Super Bowl ad, which featured a baby girl called Lindsay, upset the star because her namesake was portrayed as a boyfriend stealer and a "milkaholic".
Her legal team filed a $US100 million ($A105.71 million) lawsuit against the company, accusing firm executives of exploiting their client's famous first name and public persona without permission, insisting the use of the name Lindsay was a direct reference to Lohan.
E-Trade chiefs hit back and filed a motion to have the case dismissed, saying there were hundreds of thousands of women in the US with the same first name.
Jean quits Haiti politics
Wyclef Jean has officially ended his bid for Haiti's presidency.
A statement sent on Tuesday by his publicist says the singer is leaving Haitian politics to promote a new album.
Jean's candidacy ended last month when the Caribbean country's eight-member provisional electoral council left him and more than a dozen other hopefuls off the ballot. Nineteen candidates were approved.
No official reasons were given for the exclusions. Jean is presumed not to have met constitutional requirements including living in Haiti. He lives in New Jersey in the US.
The announcement ends speculation the singer would contest the disqualification, though the council does not allow appeals.
The election is slated for November 28.
A statement sent on Tuesday by his publicist says the singer is leaving Haitian politics to promote a new album.
Jean's candidacy ended last month when the Caribbean country's eight-member provisional electoral council left him and more than a dozen other hopefuls off the ballot. Nineteen candidates were approved.
No official reasons were given for the exclusions. Jean is presumed not to have met constitutional requirements including living in Haiti. He lives in New Jersey in the US.
The announcement ends speculation the singer would contest the disqualification, though the council does not allow appeals.
The election is slated for November 28.
Paris Hilton stopped from entering Japan
Japanese officials delayed Paris Hilton at Narita International Airport while they decide whether she will be admitted to the country after pleading guilty to a drug charge in Las Vegas.
The 29-year-old celebrity was stopped by immigration authorities upon her arrival in Japan on Tuesday, one day after her plea, according to an e-mailed statement by Hilton's representative, Dawn Miller.
Hilton was scheduled to appear at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday to promote her fashion and fragrance lines, but that appearance was cancelled.
Immigration authorities questioned Hilton "for undisclosed reasons", and she was not allowed to enter the country, Hidekazu Akai, an immigration official at Narita, said early on Wednesday.
The officials adjourned questioning and asked Hilton to stay at a hotel in the airport so they could continue immigration procedures on Wednesday, Kyodo News agency reported. The front desk at her hotel said calls to her room could not be connected.
Under Japanese law, immigration authorities are empowered to deny entry to those who have been convicted of drug-related offences.
Officials at the US Embassy in Tokyo declined to comment.
The 29-year-old celebrity was stopped by immigration authorities upon her arrival in Japan on Tuesday, one day after her plea, according to an e-mailed statement by Hilton's representative, Dawn Miller.Hilton was scheduled to appear at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday to promote her fashion and fragrance lines, but that appearance was cancelled.
Immigration authorities questioned Hilton "for undisclosed reasons", and she was not allowed to enter the country, Hidekazu Akai, an immigration official at Narita, said early on Wednesday.
The officials adjourned questioning and asked Hilton to stay at a hotel in the airport so they could continue immigration procedures on Wednesday, Kyodo News agency reported. The front desk at her hotel said calls to her room could not be connected.
Under Japanese law, immigration authorities are empowered to deny entry to those who have been convicted of drug-related offences.
Officials at the US Embassy in Tokyo declined to comment.
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