As expected, Carrie Underwood debuts at Number One on both the Country Albums and Billboard 200 charts this week (week ending November 10). Her second album, Carnival Ride, sold 527,000 copies its first week of release. That's more than any other female singer's first-week sales this year. Carrie's 2005 debut album, "Some Hearts," sold 315,000 copies its first week in stores. It went on to sell six million copies in the United States.
In other chart news, Billboard.com reports that for the first time in chart history, Country artists debut in the top three spots on the Billboard 200 chart. Behind Carrie Underwood at Number 2 is Alison Krauss' duets album with Robert Plant, Raising Sand. And, landing on the list at Number 3 is Gary Allan's latest release, Living Hard.
The new album by hip-hop star Jay-Z will be released on November 6. American Gangster was inspired by the new Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe film of the same name. Also on November 6, Jay-Z will begin the first of five concerts in support of the album. Dates begin in Los Angeles and continue in Chicago, Illinois (November 7); Baltimore, Maryland (November 9); New York, New York (November 11); and Philadephia, Pennsylvania (November 12).
On November 6, Big Machine Records will release Garth Brooks' new album, Ultimate Hits.The double-CD, single-DVD set features four new songs, including a cover of Huey Lewis' 1982 hit, "Workin' For A Livin'." Lewis plays harmonica on Garth's new version. Another new track, Brooks' current single "More Than A Memory," climbs to Number 4 on this week's Country chart (week ending November 10). On November 5, Garth will begin the first of nine sold-out concerts in Kansas City, Missouri. His final show on November 14 will be simulcast live to 300 movie theaters throughout the U.S.
1980s rock band Loverboy will release its first album in more than a decade on November 6. Just Getting Started will be exclusively sold at Wal-Mart stores throughout the United States. Loverboy's original members include Mike Reno, Paul Dean, Matt Frenette and Doug Johnson. Their new bassist Ken Sinnaeve replaces original bass player Scott Smith, who was declared lost at sea seven years ago.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES
New albums scheduled for release on November 6 include: "As I Am" by Alicia Keys, "A Place To Land" by Little Big Town, "Exclusive" by Chris Brown, "B.A.R.S." by Cassidy, "Christmas With You" by Rick Springfield and "Live in Anguilla" by Jimmy Buffett.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS
The 8th annual Latin Grammy Awards will take place in Las Vegas on November 8. 50-year-old Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra earned five nominations, including Album of the Year and Merengue Album of the Year for "La Llave De Mi Corazon." Guerra has also been chosen as the Latin Recording Academy's 2007 Person of the Year. Following close behind are Ricky Martin and Puerto Rican reggaeton group Calle 13 with four mentions each. Venezuelan singer Franco De Vita and Panamanian-born singer Miguel Bose received three nods apiece. (More info at www.grammy.com/latin)
TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION
On November 8, Blondie's lead singer Deborah Harry will begin a month-long North American tour in support of her new solo album. Necessary Evil marks her first solo release in 14 years. Concerts begin in New York City and wrap up in San Francisco on December 9.
