EVANESCENCE OPENS UP
CHART DOOR

Amy Lee’s reconstituted goth band is targeted for the #1 spot on next week’s chart with Wind-up’s The Open Door headed for anywhere between 375-400k, based on first-day sales figures from all retailers still taking our calls. That’ll be good enough to top Island Vegas rockers The Killers’ Sam’s Town, which appears bound for a #2 debut, with upwards of 320k.

MCA Nashville’s George Strait is right behind those two with an estimated 260-280k for his latest, It Just Comes Natural. He can say that again. Interscope’s Beck comes with The Information, which looks headed for 100k, as does J diva Monica’s The Makings of Me.

Elektra’s Jet (50-60k), RCA Nashville’s Chris Young (40-50k) and Verity gospel great Fred Hammond (30-35k) are also assured of Top 50 debuts. Also on tap: Concord's Ray Charles/Count Basie posthumous collaboration (30k), Virgin's Sleepy Brown (25k) and Interscope blue-eyed soul man Robin Thicke (15-20k).

Next week, J Records' Rod Stewart, Sony BMG Nashville's Jimmy Buffett, G Unit/ Interscope's Lloyd Banks, Rowdy/Universal Motown's Sammie, a Christmas album from SBMG Nashville's Brad Paisley and a Deutsche Grammophon album featuring Sting with strings hit retail shelves.

Overall, the market was up 3% vs. last week, down 4% vs. same week last year and now down a little over 5% to date.