Britney Spears Debuts At #1

NEW YORK — Britney Spears' latest CD, "Circus," has landed her back at a familiar position _ No. 1. The singer's comeback CD _ actually, make that her second comeback CD _ will top the album charts next week, according to her label, Jive. Though Nielsen SoundScan does not release its official figures until Wednesday, estimates have the record selling as many as 500,000 copies in its first week of release.

"This is going to reinforce her icon status," said Barry Weiss, chairman and CEO of the BMG Label Group, which includes Spears' label. "It's not just a No. 1 album."

Indeed, it's not. For Spears, who has rebounded after a disastrous year that included rehab, a custody battle for her two sons and court-ordered supervision by her father, it is another step in her bid to reclaim her status among pop's elite.

"At the end of the day, I think she is America's pop princess, and the world's pop princess, and this just reconfirms it to everyone who doubted it," said her manager, Larry Rudolph.

While her last CD, "Blackout," also debuted at No.1 when it was released in October 2007, it quickly fizzled on the U.S. charts, despite receiving critical acclaim, because Spears didn't really promote it amid the chaos in her life.

Things appear to be different this time around. Spears has been showing off her dancing moves and taut body during high-profile appearances on shows like ABC's "Good Morning America" and was also the focus of a documentary, "Britney: For the Record." The special, executive produced by Rudolph, aired on MTV in the days before the release of "Circus."

"The documentary had a huge role," said Rudolph. "People were able to see Britney, to see her tell her story. I think they got the true sense of who she is, and they appreciated it."

"Circus," which debuted to mainly positive reviews, was released on the singer's 27th birthday, Dec. 2. The CD's first single, "Womanizer," was a No. 1 hit, and her latest single, "Circus," was the most added song at pop radio, her label said.

Story continues below

advertisement

Spears plans a nationwide tour that is set to kick off March 3 in New Orleans.

Weiss said Jive decided to release "Circus" just a year after "Blackout" because of the strength of the music, and said recording the CD was a great constructive outlet for the singer.

Rudolph said when it comes to crunching the numbers, Spears is not all that interested in how many copies she sold the first week or her chart positions. But, he added: "Professionally, she's feeling great. ... It's great for her to hear that she's got a No. 1 album again."

One of entertainment's biggest names, Spears has been a multiplatinum sensation since she made her debut over a decade ago. She's sold more than 30 million albums in the United States alone.

___

On the Net:

http://www.britneyspears.com

Comments

[spiderbucket]

Garbage.

[wolfgangmo]

I listened to the CD [pirated and then erased] and my overwhelming response was, meh.

It is the same pablum she has produced before. She has been/will be successful.

But I don't have to like or support her or any radio station that streams that crap into my home, and I won't. Others will. That is their choice, much like voting for Bush and accepting torture as an american value.

[jpmdevildog]

Britney celebrated with Bat Boy, who gave her a gold record made of guano.

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/mutants/batneys-back-at-no-1/

[KatDawgATL]

This girl has been given more chances than Joan Rivers.

[ThizIsSpartan]

Joan River look like Michael Jackson mom or something.... Cuz if MJ highlight his hair like JR...a movie could be made.

[Highwind]

Are people just buying for their kids for Christmas? I mean, seriously, who is buying her album?

[spiderbucket]

Why do people who like Britney, Mariah, Bon Jovi, and Madonna post here ? Shouldn't they be over at the MTV message boards or somewhere ? If you listen to this pap, you don't even LIKE music. It's background noise to your television.

[saintcatherine]

Gee, why. I can't figure it out. Maybe because

Huffington Post published an article???

[saintcatherine]

From someone who hasn't listened to the album, of course, and is so insecure they feel like they have to insult others' musical preferences. Kind of like high school. If you don't like the music, ignore it. People who can't do that have problems.

[PhDiva]

1. I love music AND politics, and I don't think that we all have to hold the same positions or like the same thing. 2. I'm not a Britney fan, but I don't judge people who are. You must be 15 years-old because only high school kids try to attack people's character based on the music they like. I did that when I was in high school, and it was stupid and immature. I'm a grown up now so I've learned to respect other people's tastes even if I don't share them. What happened to you? 3. People who REALLY love music are willing to actually LISTEN to everything and base their opinion on what they hear as opposed to their prejudices about the performer. 4. She annoys me, but people who are stupid do not get this successful over and over again. She's not my cup of tea, but she definitely is compelling to a lot of young people.

[PhDiva]

I notice that all of the people you mentioned have had careers lasting from 1-3 decades. That must mean they are total losers, right because only a loser could be successful in a ruthless industry for 10-30 years.

[saintcatherine]

How fascinating that people repeat the same mass-consciousness cliche about Britney over and over agian until everyone believes it. "She has no talent". "She's just a brand'. "Anybody could do that, her voice is altered so much". She doesn't have the classic deep and powerful stage voice, but she IS talented, both as a singer and as a performer. If she were not, she would not be here. It is not so easy to be Britney Spears, and if you doubt that, look at the talented people who have been given a chance and who have failed to reach her level of popularity. (Rueben Studdard)

But as for her work, both Blackout and Circus are much higher quality than anything she's ever done before, and both are solidly good, at least "B" albums. Womanizer is ironically one of the weaker songs on Circus. Unusual You is an outstanding song, for example. Her videos from this album, in particular Circus, are incredibly good.

The attention given to Britney has never been about her good, but not outstanding, work; it's that people love to hate her, and their hatred inspires her fans to love her even more. Essentially, she is screen that others project their own narcissism onto; either narcissitic jealousy or fantasy.

[spiderbucket]

Britney is the Sarah Palin of the music world.

[PhDiva]

Yes. They are both attractive, ambitious, and annoying. But they are also both incredibly successful. We can't just write them off because they must be doing something right.

[thefooligan5]

My god, do people even listen to music anymore? Her single 'Womanizer' has to be one of the least inventive pop songs I have ever heard.
I can't stand modern pop music because no one sings anymore. Theor voices and edited with that crazy electronic effect until they are unrecognizable.
I miss ABBA.

[Mollit]

Amen! I miss ABBA too!

[dmsdzinr]

THIS just goes to prove the LOW level of class of the American Public. Spears is a NO TALENTED marketing scheme that most Americans buy into. Wouldn't it be nice to have TALENT that is more than the Depth of a DIME??? There are so many incredibly truly talented people out there that can't get a break.
As David Crosby said in the Documentary, "All We Are Saying" "There is something incredibly WRONG when Brittany Spears is foisted on us as talent while no one is listening to Joni MItchell" (paraphrased)

[spiderbucket]

Music for people who hate music.

[SimJack]

Goody, finally a reason to keep on living...

[rukiddingmerightnow]

LOL

[BJBirdie]

Wonder how Axl Rose feels about this. He spent fifteen years working on his album, and Britney's producers spent a few months working on hers.

[spiderbucket]

And the BOTH suck.

[TommyJohn]

Is this a great country or what?

She is the sole creation of a production studio and can't sing live and is #1. In reality, she is a #2.

[sjones66]

Nothing like a manager announcing that his meal ticket is number one.

[JJ30]

I'm not really a fan of Brittany but I have to give her credit for turning her life around. She was a train wreck until her father stepped in and started managing her. Have to give her Dad props also. I hope she can remain on the straight and narrow path.

[PalmG]

Icon? America's Pop Princess? World's Pop Princess? All that pressure! I felt the pressure piling on as I read this article--and it wasn't even about me! I can only imagine the ridiculous expectations she must be wrestling with. She should ask that people stop with all the ridiculous labels, else she may find herself in another downward spiral. These celebrities are NOT gods! They are just people who perform for a living, let them be the HUMAN BEINGS they are. Stop aggrandizing them to these messianic levels. It's dangerous not only for them (because they are 1. not worthy of it, esp Britney whose talent is limited and 2. not able to handle it because they are again, NOT gods!) and dangerous for our society because it perverts our values. We need to get over this celebrity obsession and just let people be people. If you like her music, fine, buy her album, go to her concert, whatever. But stop with all this idol worship. It's sick!