May31, 2000
BRITNEY SPEARS GETS SMASHED BY EMINEM'S FIRST WEEK CDs SALES!
(5/31) - "Fueled by a hit single laced with quick-witted lyrical barbs, Detroit rapper Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP sold nearly 2 million copies last week, the best first week sales in the history of rap and second only to *NSync's No Strings Attached among all albums. The album sold 1.76 million copies in the week ending Sunday, according to Interscope Records spokesperson Dennis Dennehy. A week earlier, Britney Spears' Oops! ... I Did It Again debuted with sales of 1.3 million, briefly making it the second-best first-week sales ever. "Two weeks ago we were thinking this would sell 1 million in the first week," Dennehy said. "This is way beyond that." The Grammy-winning rapper blew away the first-week sales record set by former Death Row rapper Snoop Dogg in 1993. His Doggystyle sold about 800,000 copies in its debut week, Death Row publicist Jerry Brown said. Boy band *NSync holds the record for all albums. *NSync's No Strings Attached sold 2.4 million in one week earlier this year. Sales of The Marshall Mathers LP sales were propelled by the crossover smash single, "The Real Slim Shady" (RealAudio excerpt ). Its lyrics dis teen pop idols, including Spears, and the song's music video lampoons *NSync. The single jumped from #28 to #7 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart last week and was #11 and rising on the magazine's Hot 100 Singles chart. The album sold 650,000 in its first day, Dennehy said, and "will be the #1 album by at least 1 million (sales units)." This week's Billboard 200 albums chart, based on last week's sales, will be posted Thursday (June 2). Eminem's album actually debuted last week on the magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, at #78, based on unauthorized sales before the album's May 23 release. "We sold a shit load of records," Frank Lucas, buyer for Virgin Megastore in San Francisco, said. He said the store sold close to 1,000 copies of the CD. "It did not do as well as *NSync, but it did do better than Britney Spears," Lucas said. "It was our #1 album (in the store)," Mark Yarrobino, manager at Tower Records in New York's Greenwich Village, said. "It did better than Britney." (sonicnet)

May29 2000
MONICA AND JUSTIN TOGETHER? WE'RE TALKING MOVIE HERE!
Monica's To Make Movie with Justin This Summer
(5/29) - Monica's last album was 1998's The Boy Is Mine. Since then she has toured extensively and has developed a taste for acting. The singing sensation is scheduled to begin filming a movie co-starring 'N Sync's Justin Timberlake this summer. LAUNCH asked her if she is eager to get back into the studio to record new music, or if she would rather concentrate solely on acting. "I want to focus," she said. "You know I've been promoting the last album for almost two and a half years now, so I think it is that time. I think I would rather do things that are pertaining to music but not quit, you know, still doing those records. Not that there's any problem with doing them. So I'll probably just continue to support things that I really believe in throughout the summer and then go in to work closer to the winter." One concept Monica believes in is charity. LAUNCH asked Monica what charities she is involved with to help less fortunate children. "Make A Wish, I really love them cause they bring kids out to those things," she said. "Whatever they wish for that's what they do for them. Whether it's a meal with me or coming over my mothers house or coming to the video shoot. Whatever it is they bring them to do it." (Yahoo/Launch)
*NSYNC PRODUCER RESPECTS HIS ARTISTS 'N Sync Producer Respects His Artists
(5/29) - Full Force has produced everyone from 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys to U.T.F.O. and Samantha Fox, a testament to the sextet's far-reaching production skills. Throughout its 15-plus year career, the Brooklyn, New York-based crew has created catchy, danceable music for all of its artists. Full Force member Paul Anthony told LAUNCH that it's important for producers to establish a good relationship with their artists. "Well, the production scale we approach it pretty much the same way cause the first thing we start about, start with is letting them feel our honesty. Letting them feel that we're touchable. Sometimes because of what we've done, it can be intimidating," he said. "We try to melt that away right away so we can get cohesiveness and just make the best thing possible. Then, depending on what direction we're going, then we do hip-hop, pop, R&B. We go that way. But the first thing, they say, 'OK. We're all here together. Let's do this, let's get it done. I respect you. You respect me.' And, you know, it happens." (Yahoo) *nsync over bill clinton?* (5/29) - "Surprisingly, 36 percent of kids picked boy band 'N Sync as best backseat dream buddy tying ESPN's "Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century," Michael Jordan. Despite the raging Pokemon craze, Pikachu placed third with 20 percent, leaving lame duck President Clinton last. (Genreal Tire) THANKS TO HOLLYWOOD TICKET.COM, fans are getting just what they need -- showbiz. May272000 Life in Sinks
(5/27) ROANOKE, Va. — Three women are being put to the test on just how much they love the boy band 'N Sync. All three are living in sinks — get it? — outside radio station WXLK-FM's building in Roanoke County, hoping to win front-row tickets to an 'N Sync concert in San Diego later this summer. The one who stays in the sink the longest wins the tickets. The station manager didn't expect the promotion to last long when five people moved into the sinks at 8 a.m. on May 18. One contestant dropped out after 12 hours and another, a former Marine, gave in after 20 hours. By Wednesday, Breanne McCubbin, 20, Karen Turgeon, 19, and Meghan Hatton, 26, remained in the plastic sinks about the size of laundry baskets. Each promises to stay until the contest ends June 1. I think they're all crazy," said Bud Hartge, a station worker who was monitoring the women. "But there's no way any of them are going anywhere." If more than one remains by the June 1 deadline, a random drawing will determine the winner. The others will receive 'N Sync-related consolation prizes. (Associated Press) 2-Day Concert Stop Heavenly for Young Fans
(5/27) It was a two-day attack of the Lycra-clad munchkins. Thousands of screaming, mostly pre-adolescent girls lined the steps at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise for 'N Sync's two-night boy-band-aganza Monday and Tuesday. All shared one dream: That their gold makeup, pink wigs, blue face paint or itty bitty skirts might catch the eye of one of the "super-cute, super-hot, super-dancing" band members. The hysteria surrounding 'N Sync's sold-out No Strings Attached World Tour 2000 that kicked off in the U.S. earlier this month in Biloxi, Miss., coincides with the release of the band's newest compact disc, No Strings Attached, already No. 1 on the Billboard charts. With a show opened by R&B artist Sisqo and his Miami mantra The Thong Song, it added up to three hours of pre-pubescent heaven. Of the five 'N Sync members, the blond- and black-haired Justin Timberlake was a favorite. "I came here to see Justin," said 12-year-old Tasha Williams of Boca Raton. "He's so fine and he can sing." Tasha was joined by friends Courtney Terrell and Danielle Berry, all of whom agreed that the thing Justin needed most was a kiss from them. Danielle's mom, Lee, and an adult family friend got into the spirit too. "Who's my favorite?" Lee said, while pulling a poster of the group out of her purse. "Lemme show you. This one right here, with the hair." Yep, Justin again. "We love 'N Sync," screamed sisters Chelsea Korka, 13, and Kaitlyn Korka, 16, of Cooper City. "We go to all their concerts." The two made an extreme effort to get noticed, dressing up as marionettes to mimic an 'N Sync video in which the boys are puppets on the loose. They donned bright colors and Superman capes with "I Love 'N Sync" written in puffy paint on the back. The sisters were trying to win front row tickets from Y100 FM, which had undercover ticket-givers scanning the crowd for the biggest fan. Sisqo's fans weren't shy about showing their love either. "He is just too sexy with his nice body and that hair," said Melodie Griffin, 13, of Fort Lauderdale. "I want to see him in a thong." Four young women from Kent State University were beyond excited when they found out the concert tour coincided with their summer break. "We bought tickets for this in March," said Katie Fiebig, 21. "This is the spring break we never had." Fiebig and friends seemed to be the oldest fans around, but they weren't fazed. Compared to the 12-year-olds in line around them, they were giants. And as 23-year-old Samantha Boxer, of Pembroke Pines, said: "One of the benefits of being older is that you actually have developed [enough] to fit into the half shirt and spandex pants that every little girl here is trying to wear." Britney Spears and NSYNC Moms In Tampa
(5/27) from Amethyst: "britney spears was at the nsync concert with their moms and chris's sister was there too." Oops! Britney Topples 'N Sync From Top of the Charts
(5/25) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oops! She did it again. Teen pop sensation Britney Spears is two for two, as her second album debuted at No. 1, and broke some records in the process, her Jive Records label said Wednesday. "Oops! ... I Did It Again" sold 1.3 million copies in the week ended May 21, halting the eight-week reign of labelmate 'N Sync, which slipped to No. 4 on the U.S. pop album charts. New releases from Pearl Jam and the Big Tymers opened at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. Spears, 18, broke both the first-week and single-week sales records for a female artist. The former record of 469,504 copies was held by Alanis Morissette's 1998 release "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie," while Mariah Carey held the latter benchmark of 759,959 copies sold during Christmas 1995 for "Daydream," Jive said. "Oops!" ranks No. 2 on the all-time list of first-week sales, behind only the 2.4 million bow for 'N Sync's "No Strings Attached" in March. (Reuters) Lance Looking for New Popstars.. You?
(5/25) N'Sync's Lance Bass is looking for potential popstars. The N'Sync singer is undertaking a national talent search called "Free Lance Entertainment Search 2000" across the summer months. "Anyone familiar with the story of the discovery of *NSYNC knows that we were really lucky to be in the right place at the right time," says Lance. "I view Search 2000 as a chance for people who may not otherwise know how to break into the business to have that same stroke of luck." Free Lance is gearing up to see hundreds of potential stars in the opening weekend of Search 2000. Diane Bass, the well-known mother of the popular singer-turned-entrepreneur, says music submissions are already pouring in: "The response has been great so far and we've just put up the website. We expect to receive at least 2,000 entries and see 600-plus auditioners this summer. Lance always sets high goals for himself and he's done the same for everyone involved with the talent search." Participants in Search 2000 are expected to submit to Free Lance a professional-quality recording of two or three musical compositions and an 8" x 10" photograph. Entrants who are unable to attend one of the six live auditions must also submit a videotape of themselves singing one song and describing their hometown, family, favorite musical artist and favorite birthday. "We'd like to see as many people as possible at the live auditions, but I don't want to exclude anyone who can't make it to one of the six cities we've chosen," says Lance. "Between the mailed submissions and the in-person auditions, we're hoping to see a lot of talented people." Auditions will take place in Dallas, Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville and New York. For apply for an audition write to Free Lance Entertainment P.O. Box 1989 Brandon, Mississippi 39043 . Entries must be received on or before July 29th, 2000 to be considered. Artists whose entries are received at least one week before an audition date may be given a guaranteed audition time for such date. Otherwise, auditions are on a first-come, first-seen basis. (undercover)
NSA Goes 8 Times Platinum!
(5/25) 'N Sync's "No Strings Attached" (Jive) has been certified eight-times platinum in the latest round of Recording Industry Association Of America certifications. The album, however, lost its top perch on The Billboard 200 - which it has held since its record-setting debut in March - to Britney Spears' latest, "Oops! ... I Did It Again" (Jive) this week, falling to No. 4. (Billboard) Gulfport Child Visits Favorite Band Backstage (5/24) GULFPORT - Joshua Shutters' short attention span becomes evident when he plays Nintendo in his Gulfport home. One minute, he's knocking out Glass Joe in "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out." Then he quickly changes games, trying to move up a board on "Super Mario Brothers" or "Mortal Kombat." But when Joshua, 8, hears a song by 'N Sync, he drops everything. "He absolutely loves them," said his mother, Debbie. "There's nothing else for him in music or really in anything else." That made it especially thrilling when he was able to meet the group in person May 9 when 'N Sync kicked off its national tour in Biloxi. Joshua suffers from a congenital immune disorder, a condition that his mother thinks might cause his short attention span. But that hasn't kept him from becoming part of 'N Sync's national fan following. "It's helped his speech tremendously," Debbie said. "I'm just waiting for him to start singing all their lyrics one day." Because his sister, Tiffany, 18, is graduating from Harrison Central High School on Saturday, Joshua won't get to see his favorite group perform at the Superdome in New Orleans. But he's already got a scrapbook full of pictures from the Meet and Greet sessions the group had before the May 9 concert and from previous performances on the Coast and New Orleans. His mother arranged the meetings by requesting special passes from RCA, 'N Sync's fan club and the band's managers. Such experience has made Debbie a big fan of the band. She said she started researching 'N Sync after Joshua "fell in love with them" while watching a 1998 Disney Channel concert special. "They were such sweet guys at the Meet and Greet," she said. "It was Joshua's dream." But Joshua has never been able to see a complete 'N Sync concert. At each of the three shows he attended, other fans blocked his sight, his mother said. "He was in a wheelchair, and I couldn't hold him up over the crowd for the whole time," Debbie said. Nevertheless, Joshua has carried his love home, often dancing to 'N Sync songs and waving toys to their beat. But Tiffany, Joshua's sister, can't understand his fixation with 'N Sync. "I've just never really liked them as a musical group," she said. Joshua said the reason for his affection is simple. "They're nice," he said. "They talked to me." (Sun Herald)
Win Tickets To See *NSYNC on Kiwibox (5/24) "The KiwiTreasures Everyday Contest is a crazy cool contest that anyone can participate in, and all you have to do is normal things on Kiwibox. When you are surfing around the site there will be certain images on the top of the page where the advertisements show up. If you click on the right banners you will be taken to a page with a list of winners (and any special instuctions if they are needed for that prize). Here are two of the winning banners which are currently running. *NSYNC | Free Points. Basically just make sure to pay CLOSE attention to ALL the banners so you don't miss any opportunities to rake in the KiwiPoints, win concert tix and a ton of other cool prizes." (Kiwibox) If you're not a Kiwi member yet, join here!
Sisqo Dancers To Cover Up Some of That Booty (5/24) sent by Suzanne: " A debate is raging over whether it's appropriate to have PG-rated urban act Sisqo on 'N Sync's family fun tour. Many parents here were quite disturbed Sunday by Sisqo's booty- showing dance girls on stage during The Thong Song. The girls weren't actually wearing thongs, but their short shorts were cut quite high in the back, and there was a whole lot of hiney going on. Sisqo also took off his shirt and repeatedly asked the ladies in the crowd who wanted to go home with him. I found his schtick far more annoying than offensive, but I digress. So why is Sisqo on the tour? Seems 'N Sync wanted an urban act and the band thought he brought some hipness to the show. But parents' voices are not going unheard. Diane Bass, mother of 'N-Sync-er Lance Bass, told me yesterday that the Sisqo girl dancers will wear less revealing shorts for the rest of the tour. "The girls have to wear real shorts," Diane said. "There was a little too much shaking going on!"
Eminem 'Hangs' *NSYNC at Party (5/24) "It was said that at EMINEM's upcoming premier party for his new CD which features the hit song "The Real Slim Shady" he insisted and finalized the plans to have figures of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and the members of *Nsync hanging from the ceiling. The rapper is using the props to exaggerate further his obvious disapproval for the rapid success and fan following of the pop groups." Check out Eminem's new CD.