If sales of *NSync's new album are an accurate barometer of the teen-pop phenomenon, then the prognosis might look like this: some weakening, but still strong.
SoundScan Canada data reports that the pop group snatched the number one spot on the retail album charts during the first week of release of their new album "Celebrity," selling 71,245 copies in Canada.
As strong as that showing was, it was dwarfed by the group's Stateside performance. SoundScan in the U.S. reported that in the same period, the record sold 1,879,955 copies. Given that Canada has approximately one-tenth the U.S. population, record industry observers anticipate bands of equal stature in both countries sell one-tenth of their U.S. sales in Canada.
By that measure, *NSync would be expected to sell over 187,000 copies in Canada, a mark of which they fell far short.
The numbers were also down significantly from the group's achievement with their last album, "No Strings Attached." Opening week sales in Canada for that release were 104,897, while the U.S. saw the band sell a record-breaking 2.4 million copies.
The U.S.-based trade publication HIts had correctly predicted "Celebrity" would sell between 1.8 million and 2 million copies in the first week. Canadian retailers contacted by JAM! Music also indicated the album was likely to be the week's biggest seller, but noted the first-day response was muted compared to the reception for "No Strings Attached."
The Canadian chart saw two other top 10 debuts this week. Cake's "Comfort Eagle" shot into #7 with 8,389 copies sold, while Moist singer David Usher's second solo album, "Morning Orbit", entered at #9 with 7,654 copies sold.
Behind *NSync's chart-topping debut, Destiny's Child held on to second place, selling 15,097 copies of "Survivor." Eminem's side project D12 has owned top spot on the chart for the past five weeks, but their album "Devil's Night" this week drops to third place with 14,462 copies sold.
British newcomer Craig David's "Born To Do It" (9,223) slipped one spot to fourth. The "Planet Pop 3" collection (8,919) likewise dropped one position, to fifth, as did Blink 182's "Take Off Your Pants And Jacket" (8,868), which settled at sixth place.
In between Cake and Usher's seventh and ninth-place debuts was Shaggy's "Hotshot" (8,377) at #8.
Staind's "Break The Cycle" (7,333) fell three places to 10th.
JAM! readers predicted *NSync's dominance in our weekly Chart Battle. The weekly survey found 61% picked *NSync to enter the charts higher than Usher, who earned 39% of the vote.
1. *NSYNC -- CELEBRITY 71,245
2. DESTINY'S CHILD -- SURVIVOR 15,097
3. D12 -- DEVIL'S NIGHT 14,462
4. CRAIG DAVID -- BORN TO DO IT 9,223
5. VARIOUS -- PLANET POP 3 8,919
6. BLINK 182 -- TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS 8,868
7. CAKE -- COMFORT EAGLE 8,389
8. SHAGGY -- HOTSHOT 8,377
9. DAVID USHER -- MORNING ORBIT 7,654
10. STAIND -- BREAK THE CYCLE 7,333
