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HITS Daily Double
While it's too soon to call, scoring the #1 and #2 albums would provide a much-needed psychological boost for WMG, whose long-running cold streak isn’t exactly what the doctor ordered as IPO judgment day approaches.

ONE-DAY SALES UPDATE:
THREE-WAY BATTLE FOR #1

In Next Week's Main Event, It's Rob Thomas
Vs. Mike Jones Vs. Mariah Carey
Now that 50 Cent’s six-week reign is over, it’s once again open season on the top chart position. One artist with his eye on the prize is Rob Thomas, whose first solo album (Atlantic) is chugging toward a debut in the neighborhood of 200k. Duking it out with the Robster is Houston rapper Mike Jones, whose first album (Swishahouse/Asylum/Warner Bros.) is also on course to finish in the 200k range. And hey, so is this week’s chart queen, Mariah Carey, who is likely to see the typical 50% drop between week one and week two. So at this point it looks like a doozy of a three-way dogfight.

While it's too early to call, scoring the #1 and #2 albums, or at least two of the top three would provide a much-needed psychological boost for the Warner Music Group, whose long-running cold streak isn’t exactly what the doctor ordered as IPO judgment day approaches.

And now for something completely different. Italian “popera” quartet Il Divo is poised to notch a tally well over 100k, possibly as much as 120k or even 130k, on its Columbia album. Could it be divine intervention due to the group’s proximity to Vatican City at this historic moment? Don’t ask us—we’re agnostic. Southeast regional action on another Columbia act, Three 6 Mafia, should be good for 60k-65k.

In the feel-good department, the debut album by 20-year-old singer-songwriter Anna Nalick may break 30k, bolstered by TV appearances like today’s Regis and airplay on her track “Breathe (2 AM).” That’s quite impressive for a previously unknown artist. And whaddaya know—Nalick is on Columbia too, giving the label a rather unusual hat trick.

Did we mention these numbers could change a little—or a lot—before all is said and done next Tuesday?

And now for the not-so-feel-good department. Retail moved 9.8 million shiny round things this week, 135k more than a week ago, which comes out to…let’s see…a 1.4% increase. On the other hand, the week’s total was down 25.5%, or a shocking 3.4 million units, versus the comparable week of last year. That’s not really fair, since the comparable week in 2004 was Easter week, but it’s a sobering figure nonetheless. Here’s another one: for the year, business is off 10.4%, or 19 million units, on a total of 164.7 million.