"It’s our #1 record this week, outselling the Dave Matthews Band by a 2-1 margin."
——Jeff Davidson, HMV Corporate Buyer on 112's "Part III"

112 ALL PUFFED UP OVER #2 DEBUT!

Shaggy Still Top Dog, While Trick Daddy, Jon B Debut Top 10
First, you find out you're not going to prison, and then your label has an album debut at #2.

Is this country great or what?

No doubt about it, a lot of dead U.S. presidents floated into the hands of patriotic retailers, as Bad Boy/Arista's 112 scored an impressive #2 debut on this week's Top 50 Album Chart for Sean "Puffy" Combs' imprint.

"It's our #1 record this week, outselling the Dave Matthews Band by a 2-1 margin," said that great American and HMV corporate buyer Jeff Davidson, who, in the spirit of Old Glory, strongly advocates invading a small Third World country in order to provide cheap labor which will artificially inflate the stock price of the multibillion-dollar corporate parent back home. Hey, it's the Republican way.

"We did two 112 in-stores in Harlem and Atlanta that turned out to be incredible," said Davidson, who displayed his true patriotism by stealing some land from a Native American. "The fans created a buying frenzy."

But it just wasn't just 112 this week. MCA's remarkable Shaggy remains in the top spot, with RCA's Dave Matthews following the 112 debut at #3. Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic's Trick Daddy bows at an impressive #4, while Columbia's Aerosmith remains incredibly solid at #5.

But perhaps it's #6 Dido who deserves the most praise. Albums come and albums go, but this one just keeps selling…and selling some more. Incidentally, she and Arista labelmates Dream (#21) and OutKast (#33) have already made 2001 a fine year for L.A. Reid and his team. Open the pod bay door, HAL.

Other debuts of note this week belong to Epic's Jon B at #7, Virgin's "Exit Wounds" soundtrack at #17 and AMC's Bizzy Bone at #23.

"This is a great day for America," said HMV's Davidson. "Let's enact a huge tax cut at the expense of essential social services for the needy."

PRE-GRAMMY GALA GOES GAGA FOR GERSON
Jody will be the center of attention at Clive's shindig. (12/18a)
ON THE COVER:
BILLIE EILISH
A star upon the highest bough (12/19a)
NOISEMAKERS:
A HOLIDAY TREAT
Something for their stockings (12/18a)
SUPREME COURT SETS 1/10 HEARING ON TIKTOK BAN
How will SCOTUS rule? (12/19a)
THE HIP-HOP CONUNDRUM
Grammy being Grammy (12/19a)
NOW WHAT?
We have no fucking idea.
COUNTRY'S NEWEST DISRUPTOR
Three chords and some truth you may not be ready for.
AI IS ALREADY EATING YOUR LUNCH
The kids can tell the difference... for now.
WHO'S BUYING THE DRINKS?
That's what we'd like to know.
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