John Mayer, among others, will have an album out next week.
(Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Sound off
On our minds and on our playlists
John Mayer, among others, will have an album out next week.
(Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
A few weeks back Barbra Streisand pulled a slight upset when she bested Mariah Carey for the No. 1 slot on the Billboard album charts. Streisand had several things working for her, including an appearance on “Oprah’’ and core fans in a demographic that still buy records. Since Carey hadn’t scored a major hit - a strong album driver - youthful punk-popsters Paramore also squeaked by her.
As new releases come fast and furious in time for the holiday shopping season more apples/oranges/kiwis faceoffs loom. Next week the showdown is among “American Idol’’ victor Kris Allen, Grammy darling Norah Jones, junior diva Leona Lewis, pop heartthrob John Mayer, and rock lion Paul McCartney. Given the hit single factor, we’re counting out McCartney for the top, although he’ll likely show well. Lewis has yet to strike gold with a song as big as her debut single, “Bleeding Love.’’ Jones is stirring buzz with her slightly edgier sound, but has also come down to earth since her orgy-of-praise debut. A faction of “Idol’’ fans out to prove that Allen deserved to win over his flashier runner-up Adam Lambert may put him over the top. Or perhaps Mayer will rally his fervent fanbase to win the battle of sensitive guys with guitars.
Album sales continue their downward trend overall and number one ain’t exactly what it used to be. It is, by no means, a referendum on quality, but the Top 200 still offers a small window into a national mood in our ever-shrinking, niche-oriented world. And it still comes with bragging rights.
(Correction: Because of a reporting error, John Mellencamp's new album is not due out on Tuesday as originally reported but in June.)
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