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All Rights Reserved,
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Wednesday
December 25, 2002
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Merry
Christmas |
Britney Spears Legal Blonde
On her last album she sang about not yet being a
woman, but Britney
Spears turned 21 on Dec. 2 and has emerged as a very capable, very
confident, very stand-on-her-own-two-feet kind of person. Of course, nothing
speeds up the growth process like a kettle of bad karma. This year Spears was
challenged on the charts by a new wave of grittier singer-songwriters like
Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch. She also coped with her parents' divorce.
In June she opened a Manhattan restaurant, NYLA, that proved to be a flop, and
she pulled out by November.
But her troubles began in March, when she suffered a very public breakup
with 'N Sync's Justin
Timberlake after a three-year relationship. "It was all pretty
horrible," she admits. "I cried a lot, and it wasn't fun." Some
solace from mom Lynne in Louisiana and a few bowls of Baskin-Robbins' Pralines
'n Cream helped mend her wounds, though, and after a summer tour she has just
wrapped up a three-month sabbatical. "Britney is the kind of person who
is crushed for one day and then picks herself up and carries on," says
Steve Lunt, a vice president at Jive Records. "She always comes back
stronger."
Trading in her low-rise jeans for Versace gowns and Dolce & Gabbana
suits, Spears is at work on a new album that will reflect her more mature
side. "She is going to have to sing songs that are more edgy," says
producer Rodney Jerkins, who's working with Spears on her new CD. "The
main key is to do something different to pick up a new fan base." Spears,
who splits her time between a Hollywood Hills mansion and a New York City
loft, could have a backup career on film. Though she didn't score a
breakthrough success in last winter's teen drama Crossroads, she has
been sent a few new scripts to read. "Some people want to say I'm over.
Some can't wait for the next thing. Time will tell," says Spears.
"The world hasn't seen all I have to give."
people.aol.com
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Britney Tops In 2002
Britney Spears' "Britney" (Jive/Zomba) is the top album of 2002,
according to a recently completed Billboard.com poll. A total of 19,505 music
fans turned in a vote for their personal favorite out of the top-15 albums on
the year-end edition of The Billboard 200, with Spears raking in a whopping
54% of the tally. On the 2002
wrap-up, Spears' set ranked No. 8.
The passion of Spears fans relegated the poll's second place entry, Linkin
Park's "[Hybrid Theory]" (Warner Bros.) to a mere 9% of the vote,
while third place Eminem's "The Eminem Show" (Web/Aftermath/Interscope)
grabbed 8%. Those titles were No. 5 and No. 1 on the actual year-end version
of The Billboard 200.
Further down the poll stats, Pink's "M!ssundastood" (Arista) landed
in fourth place (5%), while Nelly's "Nellyville" (Fo'
Reel/Universal/UMRG) and Shakira's "Laundry Service" (Epic) tied for
fifth (4%). Tied with 3% of the take were Ashanti's self-titled Murder Inc./AJM
set, Creed's "Weathered" (Wind-Up), Avril Lavigne's "Let
Go" (Arista), and the soundtrack to the film "O Brother, Where Art
Thou? (Lost Highway/Mercury).
Pulling in just 1% of the vote were Garth Brooks' "Scarecrow"
(Capitol Nashville), Alan Jackson's "Drive" (Arista Nashville/RLG),
Ludacris' "Word of Mouf" (Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam South), and
Nickelback's "Silver Side Up" (Roadrunner). The various artists hits
collection "NOW That's What I Call Music Vol. 8"
(EMI/Universal/Sony/Zomba/Virgin) didn't register enough votes to move the
counter off 0%.
This week we're asking for your opinion on the best album out of the top-15
finishers on Billboard's year-end version of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. Stop by The
Voting Booth and cast your ballot today!
billboard.com
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Pepsi Bounces
Britney
First Justin Timberlake, now Pepsi.
After two years, PepsiCo
Inc. has said goodbye to Britney Spears as its spokeswoman and replaced her
with Beyonce Knowles of the R&B trio Destiny's Child.
The 21-year-old is
"a multitalented entertainer who has achieved tremendous success and
popularity in both music and movies," Dave Burwick, senior vice president
and chief marketing officer of Pepsi-Cola North America, said Tuesday.
Knowles' film credits
include this summer's "Austin Powers in Goldmember" and a hip-hop
version of "Carmen" that aired last year on MTV. Her first solo
album is expected early next year.
She's agreed to star in
two TV commercials for Pepsi. The campaign will include radio and Internet
ads, point-of-purchase materials and consumer promotions. Pepsi also has the
option to sponsor a solo concert tour, which Knowles is considering for 2003.
"I'm thrilled to be
joining so many talented entertainers who have created memorable Pepsi moments
over the years," she said.
Previous stars who've
appeared in Pepsi ads include Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Robert
Palmer.
The new spots will
continue the "Joy of Pepsi" campaign, which Spears began in January
2001, Pepsi spokesman Bart Casabona said.
The company's contract
with Spears expires at the end of this year, and Casabona said there are no
plans to renew it.
But Spears' spokeswoman,
Lisa Kasteler, said the end of the contract does not mean the pop star's
relationship with Pepsi is over.
"They are in
conversation ... I'm sure Britney would love to work with them more,"
Kasteler told The New York Times.
Pepsi declined to say
when Knowles' commercials would begin airing. Financial terms of the agreement
weren't disclosed.
entertainment.msn.com |
Britney,
'NSYNC Buried In Ticket Sales By McCartney, Stones
'NSYNC and
Britney Spears took a distant back seat to dinosaur rockers Paul McCartney,
the Rolling Stones and Cher this year when it came to concert ticket sales.
As alarming as that might seem to Timberlake groupies, it probably has a lot
more to do with the limited number of shows the young stars played than with
any sort of pop backlash or classic rock revolution. Touring for the first
time in almost a decade, McCartney netted $126.1 million, according to data
from Billboard Boxscores. The former Beatle landed $98.8 million from U.S.
shows and an additional $27.5 million from gigs in Mexico and Japan.
The Stones, who staged a tour with multiple stops in large stadiums, smaller
arenas and intimate theaters, brought in around $90 million from performances
to more than 700,000 people. Cher managed to rank high with a lengthy farewell
tour that made $67.6 million and will continue well into 2003.
Last year Billy Joel and Elton John enjoyed touring success together, and this
year they correctly assumed that fans just can't get enough of a good thing.
The duo grossed $66 million with 34 arena dates and plan to play more dates
together next year.
The exhaustively touring Dave Matthews Band made $52.8 million in 2002. Even
without playing any stadiums, the band performed for 1.4 million fans, more
people than any other artist this year.
Also earning big were Neil Diamond, who netted $52.2 million; Spears, who took
in $43.7 million; and Creed, who grossed $37.3 million from 80 shows. The band
might have scored higher on the chart, but its tour was marred with
postponements and cancellations.
Classic rockers the Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young both brought
in receipts for $34.9 million, and Aerosmith grossed $36.3 million.
'NSYNC earned $33 million on the road, compared to a whopping $90.2 million
the year before, but the band took much of the year off while Lance Bass
trained to blast into space and Justin Timberlake worked on his first solo
record.
Other top earners included: Jimmy Buffett ($27.7 million), the Who ($28.6
million), Ozzfest ($24.5 million), Barry Manilow ($23.9 million), Bruce
Springsteen & the E Street Band ($22.2 million), and Blink-182 and Green
Day ($20 million).
mtv.com
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"Britney" On The Billboard
200: Week 56
"Britney" has moved up 4 spots
on Billboard 200 Album Chart this week at #153. This is the 56th week on the
chart.
BILLBOARD 200 HISTORY: Britney
week (56) ending 12.14.02 #153
week (55) ending 12.07.02 #157
week (54) ending 11.30.02 #186
week (53) ending 11.16.02 #196
week (52) ending 11.09.02 #188
-
week (05) ending 12.15.01 #4
week (04) ending 12.08.01 #5
week (03) ending 12.01.01 #3
week (02) ending 11.24.01 #2
week (01) ending 11.17.01 #1 (debut)
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© 2001, All Rights Reserved, PG web design
