Taking Back The Streets

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Nov 22, 2000 Source: Kansas City Star Submitted By: Gina By TIMOTHY FINN - The Kansas City Star The Backstreet Boys' new record, "Black & Blue," hits record stores today, and its performance will be watched closely by the music industry, for a couple of reasons. First, the wildly successful teen-pop band will be trying to break a sales record set earlier this year by 'N Sync, their labelmates on Jive Records. In March, 'N Sync's "No Strings Attached" sold 2.4 million copies its first week, obliterating the previous first-week sales record of 1.1 million set in 1999 by the Backstreet Boys' "Millennium" album. Second, the industry will watch the record's sales performance as a sign of how potent the teen-pop genre remains after several years of unbridled growth and success. In the last four years or so, albums by 'N Sync, Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys have sold nearly 65 million copies combined. Expectations are high for "Black & Blue." Backstreet's A.J. McLean told Teen People recently: "I bet we can break ('N Sync's) record and our record combined the first week." That would mean 3.5 million units sold in seven days, or an astounding 500,000 copies a day. Jive Records apparently is prepared for such an onslaught. The label has shipped nearly 6 million copies of the record to retailers, including 2.5 million to Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, according to Billboard Bulletin. Wal-Mart will be the only retailer selling a version of the album that includes a bonus track, "What Makes You So Different (Makes You So Beautiful)." Local retailers have ordered plenty of copies, gearing up for big first-week sales. Several Best Buy outlets in Kansas City have each ordered in the vicinity of 1,500 copies of the record. Streetside Records in Overland Park ordered 150 copies. "We rarely order more than 90 copies, even for a big record," said manager Jeremy Roark. Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: ppionerka Submitted by: utilizera Submitted by: barrycmster Submitted by: Monika Submitted by: Eugene Submitted by: Edd Submitted by: Paulo Submitted by: John Submitted by: Joe Comment on this item. Next Item: Backstreet's Back With 'Black & Blue' Today Prev Item: No Rest for the Backstreet Boys