Chart Watch: Grammy Edition
February 21 -- It's the biggest day of the year for the music industry, the sonic version of the Academy Awards. That's right, it's the day of the Grammys, which will wisely feature Jon Stewart at the helm when the curtain goes up at Los Angeles' Staples Center. While there are no shoo-ins this year, no Santanas, Celine Dions or Lauryn Hills — unless you consider Eminem a sure thing — it can't hurt to take a look at several high-profile categories and find out where the contenders rank. Of course, big sales never guarantee a walk to the podium.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP is an unlikely favorite here but is by far and away the winner on the charts. Currently sitting at No. 62, the album has sold more than 8.1 million copies in the United States. But here's the amazing thing — not one of the other nominees has sold a million copies in the States. Really. The closest is Steely Dan's Two Against Nature, which isn't currently charting, with U.S. sales of just more than 800,000. Radiohead's Kid A, this week's No. 140, has sold 750,000. Beck's Midnite Vultures (also not in the Top 200) has sold just 615,000, while its predecessor, the Grammy-winning Odelay, sold more than two million. Lastly, Paul Simon's You're the One, occupying the No. 197 slot, has sold 393,000 copies.
RECORD OF THE YEAR: This field is considerably more competitive from a sales perspective, though again there's one nominee way out in front. That, of course, would be 'N Sync, which is nominated for "Bye, Bye, Bye," from No Strings Attached. The album, which has sold more than 10.2 million copies in the United States, is currently at No. 38. Destiny's Child's The Writing's on the Wall, which contains the nominated single "Say My Name," has sold more than 5.5 million copies and currently resides at No. 66. One of last year's Best New Artist nominees, Macy Gray's "I Try" appears on On How Life Is, which has sold more than 3 million copies and is the farthest down on the charts at Grammy time, sitting at No. 165. And neck and neck on the charts right now are Madonna's Music (nominated song: "Music") and U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind (nominated song: "Beautiful Day"), at No. 34 and No. 35, respectively. Madonna, who finally earned Grammy praise a year ago, has sold 2.1 million copies of her latest, while U2, no stranger to Grammy victories, has sold 1.9 copies of its new one.
