Billboard’s new pan-European sales charts contain a double triumph for A&M/Universal’s Welsh singer Duffy, who rises 3-1 on European Top 100 Albums with “Rockferry” and 2-1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles with “Mercy.”
The 23-year old from Nefyn, in Gwynedd in north-west Wales, has seen the album move 6-5-5-2-3-1 on the aggregate chart. This week it rebounds to the top of the U.K. list, which it has now led for five of its six weeks, as total sales climb to 481,000.
The album’s popularity has now spread across Europe: it debuts at No. 1 in Greece, No. 3 in Portugal, No. 4 in Finland, and No. 6 in Italy, climbs 2-1 in Switzerland, 4-2 in France, 4-3 in Germany and 7-4 in Norway and holds at No. 3 in Holland and Ireland and No. 4 in Denmark.
R.E.M.’s “Accelerate” (Warner Bros.) is thus pushed down from the overall No. 1 slot in which it debuted last week, falling from the top in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and the Belgian region of Flanders. A major European tour by the band will begin July 2 in Amsterdam.
Amy Winehouse moves down 2-3 with “Back To Black” (Universal Island), which is in its 70th week on the survey. The album falls from the top in Greece, but is still No. 1 in Holland and climbs 4-2 in Switzerland, 3-2 in Germany and Portugal, 5-3 in Spain and 6-5 in Flanders.
The Rolling Stones’ two-disc live set “Shine A Light” (Polydor/Universal), which accompanies the Martin Scorsese-directed film of the same name, debuts at No. 4 on the composite survey. That’s after a No. 2 start in the United Kingdom on sales of 23,000. It’s the Stones’ 35th album to make the U.K. top ten. Elsewhere, it’s in at No. 3 in Austria, No. 7 in Germany and No. 9 in Portugal.
Leona Lewis’ new Billboard 200 chart-topper “Spirit” (Syco Music/Sony BMG) falls 4-5 on European Top 100 Albums, as it dips 3-5 in both the United Kingdom and Greece. Also down one notch overall is German favorite Udo Lindenberg’s “Stark Wie Zwei” (Starwatch/Warner Bros.), after its No. 5 debut last week, although the album tops the German chart again.
Another German hit arrives at No. 7 on the pan-European list, “A Sense of Purpose” (Nuclear Blast/Koch) by the Swedish death metal band In Flames. It’s new at No. 6 there and No. 1 in Sweden. Formed as long ago as 1990 and based in Gothenburg, the band also debuted at No. 6 in Germany, and No. 10 Europe-wide, with its last album “Come Clarity” in 2006.
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller: 25th Anniversary Edition” (Legacy/Epic) is down 7-8 on Top 100 Albums and Moby’s “Last Night” (Mute) 8-9, although the Moby title holds at No. 2 in Flanders. The pan-European top ten is completed by One Republic’s “Dreaming Out Loud” (Interscope/Universal), which falls 6-10.
Duffy’s new Eurochart-topper “Mercy” moves 2-1 in no fewer than four markets, Germany, Austria, Norway and Holland, holding at No. 1 in Switzerland and No. 3 in Denmark while climbing 9-5 in Italy.
The track has two strong rivals for the Eurochart crown. “4 Minutes” (Warner Bros.) by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake climbs 14-2, after an 8-4 U.K. climb on sales of 26,000 downloads. It’s new at No. 1 in Italy, No. 2 in Wallony and No. 3 in neighboring Flanders, up 5-2 in Sweden and holds at No.1 in Finland, and moves 2-1 on the European Radio Airplay chart, tabulated by Nielsen Music Control.
Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body” (Def Jam/Universal) climbs 13-3 on the Eurochart, improves 6-5 in the United Kingdom, 22-7 in Germany and debuts at No. 3 in Switzerland.
