MTV NEWS POLL: What Were The Biggest Stories Of 2000?
(12.24) Source - MTV: Some years leave music journalists struggling to come with a decent list of highlights for the twelve months that were. 2000 wasn't one of them. What can you say about a year when the brawl that shut down the Source Awards doesn't even make the top twelve?
�����Here are the stories that you told us were the top events in the music world for 2000. Please vote for the story you thought was the biggest of them all, and after you vote, click on the You Tell Us button to send us your reflections on Y2K.
�����[Voting Choice] WILD CARD: *NSYNC Shatters Sales Record
�����There was a time when selling one million copies of an album in one week was considered nearly impossible. In March, *NSYNC managed to move more that 2.4 million copies of its No Strings Attached in one week to knock the music industry on its ear. Those sales shattered the previous one-week record of 1.13 million (held by the Backstreet Boys) and placed the group atop the pop heap.
Top Tunes A Motley Mix
(12.24) Source - Popcentric: Pop music took a page from Charles Dickens this year. It was the best and worst of times, often for the same reasons.
�����Saccharine pop - still led by Britney, Christina, *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys - is at an all-time high, while straight-ahead rock music continues to falter. More rock acts did reach the No. 1 song position on Billboard's Hot 100 chart than any year since 1989, but none of them were particularly interesting. Creed's 1999 release `Human Clay' eventually caught on this past summer, no doubt helped by vocalist Scott Stapp's habit of taking his shirt off anytime there's a camera around. Not even Radiohead's overhyped 'Kid A' could sustain fans' interest after its novelty wore off.
Misc. *NSYNC News
(12.24) Source - Various: Here's some minor news tidbits for those of you who don't know:
�����~In the February issue of Teen People, Justin Timberlake of *NSYNC had this to say about main squeeze Britney Spears when asked about the decision to make their relationship public, "That was her decision. I've always told her, if that's something that she wanted to do, then I didn't mind. It's so hard to have a relationship period. If you really love somebody, nothing can get in the way."
�����~As reported by Channel 5 News, pop superstars Justin Timberlake & Britney Spears are arrived in Memphis on Friday for the holiday season. They are reported to be spending Christmas Eve at Britney's parents until the 30th. The couple were spotted at the McDonald's in Bertlett, and in Wal-Mart because Britney wanted to see if they carried her merchandise.
�����~Tickets for *NSYNC member Lance Bass' Millennium Jam are now available exclusively online. Call Ticketmaster for more details and further information.
�����~Teen People's February Issue release is a two cover set, the first cover hosting Boy-Band *NSYNC, the second, Pop Princess Britney Spears. Inside the popular teen mag is a feature about each.
�����~The latest issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine contains an article which claims Pop Princess Britney Spears is just using *NSYNC-er Justin Timberlake. The magazine claims she has a house/apartment where her mystery-man boyfriend, Adam, lives with her. Reports that the pop singer "can't wait to introduce him on stage at one of her concerts" were made. This is, of yet, unconfirmed.
�����~Justin Timberlake is reportedly involved in this year's "Make A Difference Day." The "Make A Difference Day" is the nation's largest, most encompassing effort to enlist local volunteers for a single day of helping others. If your interested, read more about the program here.
�����~Department stores do use online images that evoke their physical presences. Nordstrom, for instance, is using the same icy blue and white colors on its Web site that its stores are using in their decor this season. Macys.com offers a plush toy modeled after the lead float in the company's famous Thanksgiving Day parade. And Bloomingdale's offers video from events at its flagship store in Manhattan - including *NSYNC's unveiling of its Christmas display.
�����~*NSYNC is currently in second place with 25% of the voting for MTV.com's "Biggest Stories Of 2000" News Poll. The disbanding of rock group Smashing Pumpkins currently has the lead with 51% of the votes. To vote, click here.
*NSYNC Fan's Suit Claims Timberlake Harassed Her
(12.23) Source - MTV: An *NSYNC fan has filed suit against group member Justin Timberlake, alleging that he harassed and verbally assaulted her.
�����Danielle McGuire, 15, filed suit December 18 in a circuit court in St. Louis, Missouri, charging Timberlake with false imprisonment of a minor and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to her lawyer, John Wallach. McGuire also charges a security guard with assault and battery in the suit, which stems from an alleged incident at a St. Louis hotel where the band was staying after a November 19 concert.
�����McGuire says that after the show, she and dozens of fans waited inside the lobby of the Chase Park Plaza hotel. When *NSYNC arrived, each group member save for Timberlake talked with members of the crowd before entering elevators to go to their rooms, Wallach said.
�����After being snubbed by Timberlake, McGuire yelled out, "I like JC better anyway, he's cuter," referring to group member Joshua "JC" Chasez. Wallach said that a security guard for the group emerged from an elevator and asked McGuire if she was the one who made the comment. When she said she was, the security guard told her to come with him, there was some physical contact, and the two went upstairs, Wallach said.
�����McGuire asked if she could tell her mother, but the guard refused to let her, Wallach said. When they got upstairs, Timberlake backed McGuire against a wall and began berating her for what she said, the suit alleges.
�����"[McGuire] said he went on and on, and wouldn't stop," Wallach said. "He was right in her face, saying things over and over again."
�����In the meantime, Wallach said, a friend of McGuire's went to alert her mother, who had brought the girls to the hotel. Security wouldn't let McGuire's mother upstairs, but allowed a family friend, KSDK news anchor Randy Jackson, to go get her.
�����Jackson told Wallach that when he got upstairs, Timberlake was yelling at McGuire. When Timberlake saw the newsman, he limped off, saying that his leg hurt, Wallach alleges.
�����"We tried to resolve this quietly," Wallach said. "But *NSYNC's lawyer told me they weren't interested."
�����A jury will determine damages in the suit if and when it goes to court.
�����*NSYNC's lawyer and record label did not return phone calls.
�����The suit also names the other members of *NSYNC as a partnership, as well as the group's management company and Chase Park Plaza Limited Partnership. Wallach said that the group and management company are attached to the suit because they may be the employers of the security guards.
�����The suit alleges that the hotel allowed the group and its management to take control of the lobby and members of the public.
�����Hotel lawyers were unavailable at press time.
�����*NSYNC's multiplatinum No Strings Attached, released in March, is at #9 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The band was recently announced as an addition to the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXV, January 28 in Tampa, Florida.
*NSYNC Shares Its Christmas Memories
(12.23) Source - Allstar: *NSYNC, the group which recorded a Christmas album two years ago and contributed this year to the Grinch soundtrack and BMG's Platinum Christmas, clearly is not a bunch of Scrooges. In fact, the members had a few warm memories to share about what Christmas is like at their homes. Here's what they had to say:
�����Lance Bass: "There's something about Christmas that makes you want to get up early. Any other day, you're tired, don't want to get out of bed, but it's a special kind of excitement. You run downstairs to see what Santa brought and you're with your family, there's so much happiness."
�����Justin Timberlake: "One of my earliest Christmas memories is leaving a plate of cookies and a glass and milk in the living room by the tree for Santa and waking up the next morning and seeing an empty glass and nothing but cookie crumbs. I was so excited that Santa had come to our house."
�����JC Chasez: "Every year, we go to church on Christmas Eve for midnight mass. We usually open our stockings on Christmas Eve, that way we get to share some gifts early because I could never wait and would wake my mom up at 3 in morning on Christmas Day."
2000 On The Charts: A Record-Breaking Year With Creed, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Eminem, & More
(12.23) Source - Allstar: In March, the most impressive record of the year fell by way of *NSYNC's No Strings Attached, which debuted at No. 1 on March 29 behind the sale of 2.4 million copies in its first week. The achievement made the previous record of 1.13 million, set by the Backstreet Boys' Millennium in May of 1999, look like a joke. The record still stands at press time.
�����Teen queen Britney Spears couldn't touch *NSYNC's record, but she did manage to set a record for highest one-week sales by a female solo artist in May when her sophomore album hit stores. Oops! ... I Did It Again sold a whopping 1.3 million out of the gates, besting the previous record of 760,000 set by Mariah Carey's Daydream in 1995. Spears also smashed the previous first-week sales record by a female solo artist, out-selling Alanis Morissette's Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, which sold 469,054 copies in its first week in 1998. The album's title track and first single also set a radio record for most adds at 155, but that mark was quickly beaten by 98 Degrees' "Just One Night (Una Noche)," which wormed its way onto 172 top 40 stations during its add week.
�����The Backstreet Boys couldn't top rival *NSYNC's first-week sales record from March, but when Black and Blue was released in November, it set a few records of its own. The album sold an impressive 1.6 million copies in its first week on the Billboard album chart, marking the first time an artist in the SoundScan era has achieved million-plus first-week sales with back-to-back albums. The record also set a worldwide first-week sales record as the album topped out at just over 5 million copies globally. Black and Blue sits at No. 3 on the all-time first week sales list.
�����Until the next boy band phenomena, that's all folks...
And the most-played song of 2000 is...
(12.23) Source - Popcentric: Top 10 Canadan songs for 2000:
�����The number in brackets to the far right of the top 10 artists represents the number of times the song was played on Canadian radio stations, according to BDS.
01. Sonique - It Feels So Good (Republic) [15,005]
02. *NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye (Jive) [13,794]
03. Santana - Maria Maria (Arista) [13,709]
04. Matchbox Twenty - Bent (Atlantic) [13,472]
05. soulDecision - Faded (Universal) [13,199]
06. Toni Braxton - He Wasn't Man Enough (Laface) [13,199]
07. Madonna - Music (Maverick) [12,749]
08. Macy Gray - I Try (Epic) [12,747]
09. Backstreet Boys - Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely (Jive) [12,291]
10. *NSYNC - It's Gonna Be Me (Jive) [11,268]
�����*NSYNC also made #39 with "This I Promise You"
Behind Big Bucks *NSYNC-MSN Deal, a Secret Backroom Fixer
(12.22) Source - Popcentric: In a habit that undoubtedly drives their female devotees mad with frustration, the members of *NSYNC have been known to lurk in chat rooms under assumed handles to check out the latest rumors about themselves. (Hey, it's easier than hanging around the food court.) But to the boys, going online was synonymous with America Online. In fact, when the band's business representatives approached them about doing an Internet partnership with Microsoft's MSN portal, the members of *NSYNC hadn't even heard of the service.
To read the entire article, go here.
LMNT Asked About Their Comparison To *NSYNC In Live Chat
(12.22) Source - Popcentric: To read the whole chat, click here.
�����crunk_manda87 asks: Does it bother you guys to be compared to other boy bands like *NSYNC?
�����lmnt_teenmag: Bryan: It's funny cause that's always one of the 1st questions we get asked but it's something that once people get to know us and listen to our music it becomes pretty obvious that we're nothing like other boy bands!
That *NSYNC-ing Feeling
(12.21) Source - WorldPop: Britney Spears' boyfriend Justin Timberlake of *NSYNC is being sued by the mother of a 15-year-old *NSYNC fan who claims the singer subjected her daughter to 'verbal abuse and physical intimidation' in a hotel in St Louis, Missouri.
�����The lawsuit was filed on Monday on behalf of Joanne McGuire, mother of the 15-year-old fan Daniele. The incident arose last month after the band had performed at the St. Louis Savvis Centre on their No Strings Attached tour
�����The lawsuit also names the group's security guards who, it is alleged, laid hands upon the plaintiff Daniele and subjected her to 'verbal abuse, and verbal and physical intimidation.'
�����Teenager Daniele McGuire claims she asked for an autograph from Timberlake in the hotel foyer but he ignored her. Media reports at the time said Daniele shouted, 'JC's much cuter anyway' as Timberlake walked passed her.
�����The press reports said that minutes later Daniele was whisked by a security guard employed by *NSYNC to Justin Timberlake's hotel room from where he emerged and allegedly reprimanded her on the hotel landing.
Britney's Sensual Birthday Treat
(12.21) Source - MTV Asia: Hunky Justin Timberlake treated his girlfriend Britney Spears to an all-over body massage for her 19th birthday.
The sexy "Baby One More Time" singer celebrated the occasion by having a day at a heath spa courtesy of her *NSYNC boyfriend.
�����Britney's mum Lynne says, "Like her mom, Britney loves a day at the spa. Justin took her out to eat at a really special restaurant also.
�����"While in Los Angeles, Brit had a small celebration with some of her friends from the tour."
�����And that's not the only present she had.
�����Lynne adds, "Brit's birthday was celebrated many places this year. At home, she enjoyed a birthday dinner with family. She received a day at the spa in Hammond. Brit's friends went to Baton Rouge to go dancing after."
*NSYNC, Spears Amoung Guests At Wright Entertainment Bash
(12.21) Source - Orlando Sentinel: What did superstar trendsetters Britney Spears and *NSYNC wear at their company Christmas party? Rented roller skates. Their Orlando based manager, Johnny Wright, got his start in the music business as a roller rink DJ, so what better place to celebrate Wright Entertainment Groups Y2K success on Monday than a Kissimmee skating center?
�����"Joey [Fatone] was the first to get there and the last to leave," said Yvonne Simmons, marketing director of Skate Reflections. "He was still in the parking lot talking with friends when we closed up at a quarter till 1. Johnny was out there [on the rink] bogieing all over the place. He was excellent."
�����Spears arrived holding hands with her honey, Justin Timberlake, who turned out to be nearly as hot on wheels as Wright. No, they didnt play "The Chicken Dance." The 250 guests skated amid the rink's Christmas decor to current pop tunes, but - by their special request - none of their own. Lance Bass didnt bring a date, nor did Fatone, because his girlfriend was home sick. The two spent a lot of time cutting up with basketballs Dennis Scott and friends in other Wright acts, such as Blaque, Triple Image, Body 13 PYT, and Out of Blue.
�����JC Chasez came later, dressed in a metallic baby blue warm-up suit, with his girlfriend. But Chris Kirkpatrick was reportedly out of town.
Holiday Drumroll
(12.21) Source - WorldPop: The top 10 holiday songs, as chosen by 54,000 America Online members:
10. Merry Christmas Darling - The Carpenters
09. Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant
08. Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth - David Bowie & Bing Crosby
07. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon
06. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
05. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
04. All I Want for Christmas - Mariah Carey
03. The Hanukkah Song - Adam Sandler
02. O Holy Night - *NSYNC
01. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
*NSYNC Benefiting MSN
(12.21) Source - Excite: Some analysts think 2001 will be the year for MSN to narrow the gap between itself and fierce, long-time rival AOL.
�����"The one to watch is MSN. They have got the money and resources and power of Microsoft behind them. They don't have to make money because there is value in (Microsoft's) contact with the customer," said David Smith, an analyst at Gartner.
�����On the dial-up front, analysts said some Internet service providers may look toward co-branding their services to attract more subscribers and steal market share. MSN recently offered an service branded with pop group *NSYNC to attract young teens.
�����"*NSYNC fans represent AOL users so every person who asks their parents if they can get *NSYNC-branded MSN for Christmas is going to be a number (MSN) is taking away from AOL," Lancaster said. "I would expect (other) companies to make similar deals like that."
Britney, Beatles Among Pop Music Winners In 2000
(12.21) Source - Popcentric: Here are some of the winners and losers in pop music in 2000.
�����Winners
�����--------
�����Teen pop: Although derided by many critics, teen sensations Britney Spears, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys proved they were no flash in the pan, posting record-breaking sales and dominating the charts all year.
�����Napster: To the chagrin of record conglomerates and acts such as Metallica, the Internet music swapping service that started in the dormitory room of founder Shawn Fanning remained a favorite of millions of music lovers who could pick and choose what they wanted to hear, then download it for free. At least until the lawsuits are resolved.
�����The Beatles: Forget the Backstreet Boys � The Fab Four proved they are still the ultimate boy band. The group that broke up 30 years ago debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts with "1," a collection of hits in time for the holidays.
�����Eminem: The trash-talking rapper slammed gays, fantasized about raping his mother, wrote an entire song about killing his wife � and still became a critical and fan favorite with his multiplatinum "The Marshall Mathers LP." Eminem�s twisted rhymes � sometimes humorous, always disturbing � and masterful production by Dr. Dre jelled for the most talked-about disc of the year.
�����Outkast: This eclectic duo proved there�s more to rap than "bling bling" with the dynamic "Stankonia." The funk-adelic disc, which mixed raunchy themes with esoteric raps, was one of hip-hop�s most creative of the year. It also was a refreshing break from gansta rappers more focused on their platinum rings than their rhymes.
�����Losers
�����-------
�����Whitney Houston: She morphed from glamorous diva to spiraling, out-of-control superstar when last-minute show cancellations and erratic behavior fueled rumors that she had a substance-abuse problem. A pot bust in Hawaii and her failure to respond to the rumor mill didn�t help her image.
�����Spice Girls: The fans who made the Spice Girls one of the best-selling acts in the world two years ago may still believe in "girl power," but these girls are a little long in the tooth compared to the Britneys and Christinas of today�s pop world. The Spices� new album was "Forever," but its abysmal sales showed the group is so yesterday.
�����Lil� Kim: Maybe Lil� Kim was a little too exposed this year. Although the raunchy rap queen�s nearly nude frame was everywhere, fans were underwhelmed by "The Notorious K.I.M.," the highly anticipated follow-up to her 1997 debut, "Hard Core." Although Lil� Kim�s sophomore effort went platinum, it didn�t have the impact one would expect from The Queen Bee.
�����"Serious" music: Just a few years ago, acts such as the Wallflowers and Joan Osborne were critics� darlings and racked up millions in sales. But with today�s focus on teen hits, those "serious musicians" who returned to the scene in 2000 found their audience depleted. Follow-ups by Osborne and the Wallflowers were largely ignored by the masses.
�����Diana Ross: Stop, in the name of poor ticket sales! The supreme diva set out to re-create her Motown magic with a Supremes reunion tour � but original Supreme Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, who replaced the late Florence Ballard, were left off the bill. Wilson accused Ross of trying to underpay her, and fans balked at paying up to $250 a ticket for Ross and her replacement Supremes. The tour was canceled after less than a month.
Billboard Chart Toppers
(12.21) Source - Billboard: Weekly charts for the nation's most popular recorded music as they
appear in the Dec. 23, 2000 issue of Billboard magazine.
*Top 10 Sales*
----------------
1 - INDEPENDENT WOMEN PART I - Destiny's Child. Columbia.
2 - IT WASN'T ME - Shaggy. MCA.
3 - CASE OF THE EX (WATCHA GONNA DO) - Mya. University.
4 - WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN - Creed. Wind-up.
5 - HE LOVES U NOT - Dream. Bad Boy.
6 - MS. JACKSON - OutKast. LaFace.
7 - GOTTA TELL YOU - Samantha Mumba. Wild Card.
8 - THE WAY YOU LOVE ME - Faith Hill. Warner Bros.
9 - KRYPTONITE - 3 Doors Down. Republic.
10 - THIS I PROMISE YOU - *NSYNC. Jive.
*Top 10 Albums*
------------------
1 - 1 - Beatles. Apple.
2 - BLACK AND BLUE - Backstreet Boys. Jive.
3 - NOW 5 - Various Artists. Sony/Zomba/Universal/EMI.
4 - HUMAN CLAY - Creed. Wind-up.
5 - OOPS!...I DID IT AGAIN - Britney Spears. Jive.
6 - GREATEST HITS - Tim McGraw. Curb.
7 - DREAM A DREAM - Charlotte Church. Sony Classical.
8 - CHOCOLATE STARFISH...HOT DOG FLAVORED WATER - Limp Bizkit. Flip.
9 - WHO LET THE DOGS OUT - Baha Men. S-Curve/Sheridan Square.
10 - NO STRINGS ATTACHED - *NSYNC. Jive.
*NSYNC To Meet Backstreet Boys In Super Bowl
(12.20) Source - Wall Of Wall Of Sound: Sports fans had better get their tickets early, because millions of boy-band fans � who have, no doubt, experienced ticket rushes before � may be competing to get Super Bowl XXXV tickets now that the Jan. 28 event is scheduled to feature *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
�����A showdown on the gridiron is unlikely, as the rival pop quintets will take the field at different times at Tampa, Fla.'s Raymond James Field. The Backstreet Boys will follow Ray Charles in the opening ceremony, where they will perform the national anthem.
�����*NSYNC, along with classic rock outfit Aerosmith, will run the show at halftime in a broadcast expected to reach 130 million viewers in the United States alone.
�����The boy band continues to ride high on the success of No Strings Attached, an album that sold 2.4 million copies in its first week out last March. The LP just achieved diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping more than 10 million copies.
�����Aerosmith, which will be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the spring, is nearing completion of its latest album, recorded at guitarist Joe Perry's studio outside of Boston.
McKnight Speaks About New Album, Timberlake, Aguilera
(12.20) Source - Yahoo! Music: Brian McKnight was recently interviewed by Yahoo! Music about his new album, his colaborations with recording artists Justin Timberlake & Stevie Wonder, and his views on pop songstress Christina Aguilera & pop heartthrob Justin Timberlake. Here's a section of the interview...to check out the whole thing, click here.
�����Yahoo!: Can you talk about the next record a little bit?
�����Brian: No, but it�s almost done. It�ll be out, but only because I�ve done some things this time that I�m really excited about that are different. And if I start telling you about them now as opposed to throwing them all at you at once, then, you know, it might sort of take the effect away.
�����Yahoo!: Have you been involved in any compilations lately?
�����Brian: Well I did a duet with Stevie Wonder, a duet with Justin Timberlake. That�s sort of just to show you where I�m at, I guess.
�����Yahoo!: We just saw you on TV with Justin Timberlake and also Christina Aguilera. Most people have perceptions of these young artists as being manufactured. What impresses you about them?
�����Brian: Well, Justin and Christina, in particular, they can really sing. Where this happened before with boy bands, I don�t think those guys were really good singers that these kids are now. I remember meeting Justin and Christina when they were on the "Mickey Mouse Club," when I went to do a guest spot on there. I met Justin in the hall that day when he was 12 years old, and he was working on all these runs that he does there. I did not know at 12 years old that people could sing like that. But now because of the way the world is, they know about this stuff and they�re starting so much earlier. Now my own 11-year-old son can do everything I can do. I�m just trying to work on his jump shot � you know, I don�t really want him to do this.
�����Yahoo!: How did working with Justin Timberlake come about, as far as why you chose to work with him?
�����Brian: We hang out, we�re friends. He�s probably the best young singer that I�ve heard in a long time. Just from being around each other, I wrote a song with him in mind to sing with me on my album, and I asked him and he said yes.
�����Yahoo!: What�s the name of the song?
�����Brian: "My Kind of Girl"
�����Yahoo!: What�s the name of the album?
�����Brian: I can�t tell you the name of the album yet.
�����Yahoo!: When will it be out?
�����Brian: It will be out in the spring � March, April, May sometime around then.
*NSYNC, Backstreet, Britney Give Label Success
(12.20) Source - Allpop: *NSYNC, Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys have all given their record label a successful year.
�����Jive Records, the label that handles the three pop heavyweights, have enjoyed 40 million album sales in the U.S. alone, Music 365 reports.
�����*NSYNC have sold 10 million of "No Strings Attached" this year, the Backstreet Boys have sold 8 million copies of their latest effort "Black & Blue", and Britney has also sold 8 million of "Oops...I Did It Again" plus three million (this year) of her first album "...Baby One More Time".
*NSYNC, Britney Rule 2000 Sales
(12.20) Source - Wall Of Sound: Skeptics be damned � if year-end sales figures are any indication, teen-pop showed no signs of relinquishing its vigorous grip on the charts in 2000. At the cash registers, the year's biggest stars were the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and, leading the pack, *NSYNC.
�����According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the folks who dole out the gold, platinum, and diamond records that hang on the stars' walls, *NSYNC's No Strings Attached was the best-selling title released in 2000. The disc racked up sales of more than 10 million copies, making it *NSYNC's second diamond-certified (signifying shipments of 10 million units) album in a row.
�����Nipping at the quintet's heels was Britney Spears, who was certified for 8 million copies of her sophomore release, Oops � I Did It Again. Meanwhile, her debut set, � Baby One More Time continued to enjoy brisk numbers, drumming up another 3 million in 2000. That disc is currently certified platinum 13 times over.
�����Coming in third, the Backstreet Boys recent chart topper, Black & Blue, with 8 million copies under its belt, was simultaneously certified gold, platinum, and eight-times multiplatinum in December, its first month of release. Meanwhile, BSB titles Millennium and the band's self-titled debut were each certified for an additional 1 million copies this year, which means that BSB moved 10 million units in 2000 alone.
�����What do all those acts have in common � besides a massive Clearasil bill? All three belong to the Jive Records stable of artists. Factor in additional releases by Aaron Carter, R. Kelly, and Mystikal, and Jive accounted for nearly 40 million albums sold in 2000. "40 million records in a single year for an independent label is astounding and is a testament to both their marketing savvy and true understanding of their audience," said RIAA president and CEO Hilary Rosen.
�����But the dinosaurs aren't completely extinct. Thirty years after splitting up, The Beatles reinforced their status as the greatest band in rock history by racking up more than 18 million in sales in 2000, the most of any artist this year. The Liverpool legends' new hits collection, 1, was responsible for 5 million of those units.
�����Santana's Supernatural also continued a phenomenal run, moving more than 8 million units, making it the second-best-selling album of the year. The disc sailed past the 13 million-certified mark this year, earning Santana his first diamond award.
�����Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, certified seven-times platinum, was the third-highest-certified album and the best-selling hip-hop release of the year. Mentor Dr. Dre did OK, too, with Dr. Dre 2001 certified for sales of 6 million, doubling the success of his 1992 triumph, The Chronic.
�����Teenagers, old guys, hip-hop � but where's the rock? Fred Durst won't like it, but the best-selling modern rock release in 2000 was Creed's Human Clay, which moved another 6 million units in its second year in stores and is now certified for sales of 8 million copies.
�����In the world of country, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks held sway � but did so neck and neck. Hill's Breathe was certified for sales of 5 million, but so was the Chicks' Fly; the trio's sophomore album is now certified at eight-times platinum. Meanwhile, back in May, Garth Brooks � whose Double Live album was certified for sales of 18 million � became the first solo artist to sell 100 million albums, making him the top-selling artist of the '90s and the fastest-selling artist in music history.
�����Among the new faces to make significant gains in 2000, St. Louis rapper Nelly was certified five-times platinum for his Country Grammar. Also this year, Destiny's Child moved another 5 million copies of The Writing's on the Wall, which has now been certified six-times platinum.