CAN BRANDY DOUSE BROTHER?

She may be married and pregnant, but she’s obviously that same little girl who previously captured our hearts and dollars. Yes, folks, Brandy is back... but is she back enough to keep the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? from being #1?

This week Brandy’s Atlantic album Full Moon is locked in a fierce battle for #1 with Lost Highway’s Grammy-winning soundtrack. This one is going down to the wire. Brandy’s power is partly due to the strength of her new single and video, "Full Moon," and partly because of all those record buyers gobbling up anything associated with UPN.

And speaking of singles, the rocket scientists at Top 40 are all over "Here is Gone" from Warner Bros.’ Goo Goo Dolls, which will emerge as the Most Added single of the week. Other impact-week action will belong to Epic’s B2K—whose album debut next week will compete for #1—while Interscope is cleaning up the few stations not already on Sheryl Crow. Also look for a solid week for J's Grammy darling Alicia Keys.

Meanwhile, our comrades in the republic of Post Modern are also making Goo Goo Dolls the Most Added track of the week, while Epic’s Phantom Planet continues to build momentum following a KROQ add and first-week sales of 10K. That said, industry cool people, as well as A&R Einsteins, travel to Austin, Texas this week for the annual SXSW conference. That’s where people get really serious about music and don’t spend anytime posing in the bar at the Four Seasons.