GNR Soars To The Top Of The European Top 100 Albums Survey

[madison]

DATE: Dec. 4, 2008

SOURCE: Billboard.com

'Chinese Democracy' Fires GNR To Euro Albums Summit

December 04, 2008

By Paul Sexton, London

Guns N' Roses soars to the top of the new European Top 100 Albums survey with "Chinese Democracy" (Black Frog/Geffen/Universal), as Beyoncé's "If I Were A Boy" (Columbia/Sony BMG) starts a second week at No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.

"Democracy" races 36-1 after making a series of notable debuts in European markets. That includes only one No. 1 debut, in Switzerland, but the album secures a second week at the helm in Finland and debuts at No.2 in the United Kingdom (on 119,000 sales) and Germany, No. 3 in Italy, Austria and Ireland, No. 4 in Holland, Sweden and Hungary and No. 9 in Portugal. The comeback release also climbs 5-2 in Norway and 26-10 in France.

The Killers' third studio album "Day & Age" (Def Jam/Universal Island) arrives at No. 2 overall, missing the top spot despite a bestselling debut in the United Kingdom on robust sales of 200,000. The new title hits No. 1 in Norway and Ireland, No. 4 in Switzerland and No. 8 in Germany. The Killers' previous studio set "Sam's Town" also started at No. 2 on the composite survey, in October 2006.

The next three titles each fall one place on Top 100 Albums. AC/DC's "Black Ice" (Columbia/Sony BMG) is at No. 3 overall, holding at No. 4 in France; Enya's "And Winter Came" (Warner Bros.) is at No. 4, enjoying climbs of 5-2 in the Belgian region of Flanders and 3-2 in neighboring Wallony and Holland; and Il Divo's "The Promise" (Syco Music/Sony BMG) is at No. 5, debuting at No. 2 in Greece and holding at No. 2 in Spain, but dropping 1-3 in Flanders and 1-2 in Portugal.

Seal's "Soul" (Warner Bros.) holds at No. 6 on the pan-European chart, benefiting from a 5-1 climb in Wallony and a second week at No. 1 in France. Pink also holds steady, at No. 7, with "Funhouse" (LaFace/Sony BMG), improving 10-8 in Greece and holding at No. 8 in its fifth week on the U.K. chart. Dido's "Safe Trip Home" (Cheeky/RCA) slides from No. 1 to No. 8 on the composite chart, falling from No. 2 to No. 18 in the U.K.

The other top ten pan-European newcomer is perennial German favorite Herbert Grönemeyer's "Was Muss Muss" compilation (Capitol), new at No. 9 after a customary No. 1 start in his home market. The best-of also debuts at No. 1 in Austria, while the single "Gluck" is up 10-7 in Germany.

Closing out the Europe-wide top ten, Walt Disney/Hollywood's "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" soundtrack holds at No. 10, posting a 2-1 climb in Hungary and holding at No. 4 in Spain, where the single "Be Mine" is at No. 2 again.

The Beyoncé single is No. 1 again in Norway and Sweden and up 7-3 in Austria, but falls 1-2 in the United Kingdom and Denmark. The Eurochart top three is unchanged, with Guru Josh Project's former No. 1 "Infinity 2008" (Bigcitybeats) in runner-up place again and Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" (Virgin/EMI) steady at No. 3. The top newcomer is British pop quartet Take That's "Greatest Day" (Polydor), in at No. 8 after a No. 1 start in the United Kingdom on sales of 70,000.

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