The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

After Nearly Three Decades...Manilow Tops Album Chart

February 08, 2006, 11:20 AM ET

Katie Hasty, N.Y.

For the first time in nearly 29 years, Barry Manilow tops The Billboard 200. "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" bows at No. 1 with sales of 156,000 copies in the United States, giving the artist his best sales week since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991.

The Arista album features Manilow revisiting such evergreens as "Unchained Melody" and "Love is a Many Splendored Thing." The artist's lone prior chart-topper came in July 1977 with his double concert LP "Live." His last album, "Scores: Songs From Copacabana and Harmony" (Concord), peaked at No. 47.

Mary J. Blige's "The Breakthrough" enjoys a 24% sales increase to 123,000 copies, prompting a 4-2 move. The Matriarch/Geffen release, which peaked at No. 1 in its debut week, has for weeks been dueling with Jamie Foxx's "Unpredictable" (J), which slides 3-4 this week with a 4% decrease in sales to 95,000 units.

Earning his highest Billboard 200 chart position ever, Andrea Bocelli takes the No. 3 slot with "Amore." With sales of 113,000 copies, the Sugar/Decca/Universal release also opens at No. 1 on Billboard's Classical Crossover chart. The album features duets with Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera.

Heather Headley's "In My Mind" (RCA) debuts at No. 5 to become the Tony Award-winning performer's first top 10 album on The Billboard 200. The album sold a couple hundred fewer copies than Foxx's "Unpredictable" at 95,000, but unseats that set from the No. 1 slot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart due to stronger sales in the stores that make up that chart's contributing panel. Headley's previous release, "This Is Who I Am," peaked at No. 38 on The Billboard 200 in 2002.

"Ancora" (Syco/Columbia), from the Simon Cowell-constructed quartet Il Divo, falls 1-6 this week on a 40% slip to sales of 93,000 copies. The Eminem retrospective "Curtain Call: The Hits" (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope) steps up 8-7 with 78,000 copies (+6%), switching places with Carrie Underwood's "Some Hearts" (Arista), which falls 7-8 with 74,000.

James Blunt's "Back to Bedlam" (Custard) rebounds 11-9 to its previous peak position in its 18th week on the chart. A 47% surge to sales 71,000 copies follows an increase in spins for the single "You're Beautiful" on adult contemporary radio.

Train's "For Me, It's You" rounds out the top tier on The Billboard 200, bowing at No. 10 with sales of 62,000 copies. The Columbia set opens slightly lower than its predecessor, "My Private Nation," which peaked at No. 6 in 2003.

The Razor & Tie compilation "Monster Ballads: Platinum Edition" debuts this week at No. 18 with sales of 44,000 copies, followed closely by the Verity collection "WOW Gospel 2006" at No. 20 (43,000). Other major debuts this week include She Want's Revenge's self-titled album (PerfectKiss/Flawless, No. 38), the Temptations' "Reflections" (Mercury/New Door, No. 80) and Jamey Johnson's "The Dollar" (BNA, No. 87).

Sales were up by 11% over the previous week at 9.5 million but down 4% compared to the same week a year ago. Sales for 2006 are down 1% compared to 2005 at 51.2 million units.

Does anyone know how At This Time actually did? What were the sales figures for this great CD? How disappointed, if at all, were Sony? Did the CD ever make it to the charts?

I think you have an advantage being a famous singer than you do for being a famous composer. Also, I think Barry Manilow's Las Vegas show (where a showroom is devoted just to him, as Celine Dion has her own showroom) has helped this CD go to #1. Burt does not have this advantage. He was never known as a famous worldwide singer, as Barry was.

Another point is that At The Time is not, as Burt has said, a CD made up of songs. It's a CD which contains musical compositions with some words, but not songs, per se.

I love the music so much, too. I also think "Danger" is one of the most fantastic pieces of music written by anyone. It's so fresh and original. Burt remains as inspired as always.

Two Words - CLIVE DAVIS (Arista / J Records)....... An undeniable synergy exists among Dionne, Barry, Bette and Clive. I believe that Burt could be a viable participant as well; however, I question whether or not he would be interested.

Dionne said in her interview with Mary Hart on Entertainment Tonight (2/15) that Whitney Houston is recording again and that Dionne and Whitney will be in the studio together. ...There you have a Clive connection

GehVorbei:

That connection has existed for a long long time. It was Clive that arranged the collaboration between Manilow and Warwick for her 1979 Arista debut entitled "DIONNE" which netted her 2 Grammy Awards for "I'll Never Love This Way Again" and "Deja Vu" PLUS A "Gold Record" Dionne & Barry both left the label. Barry's Back! HISTORY COULD BE REPEATED!!!!!!

I´m aware of all of that, but I also remember how frustrated Dionne was for the lack of promotional support she got from Arista for her last couple of albums.

And while Clive Davis is a legend and certainly an extremely shrewd marketeer I´m not sure I like his musical taste as much - if you think of some of the awful MOR stuff he had Aretha and Dionne and Whitney record at Arista and how he almost ended the careers of Phyllis Hyman or Jennifer Holliday.

I was just surprised that after not including Dionne on the all-star tribute for Luther Vandross last year, which i felt was an inexusable snub, she is apparantly now part of Whitney´s new recording.

I think it will be Whitney who is part of Dionne's recording - one of the duets for MY FRIENDS & ME project - i don't think it will be included on Whitney's CD

Truth is Clive may need Dionne to help with Whitney if you know what I mean.

Whitney performed in Turin on Sunday and apparantly well and she was travelling with Cissy again. After months of the two not speaking to each other.

And Dionne has been in the studio for My Friends And Me this week and will be for much of this month. I´m so glad that it is happening NOW, with the shape she´s in vocally and that she showed at the Kodak.

Dionne had a wonderful relaxing influence on Whitney when they toured in Germany together in 2004. Whitney had an interesting, more song-stylist quality when they did Alfie together. And they were such great fun and so likable on You Can Have Him.