Robbie Williams’ “Greatest Hits” (Chrysalis) maintains its No. 1 spot on the last European Top 100 Albums chart of 2004. The compilation continues to top charts in the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland and hold down top-three placings in Italy, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Austria and Greece. It also climbs into the top 10 in Spain (11-9) and the Czech Republic (13-9).
The next three spots on the pan-European album chart are also unchanged: U2’s “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” (Universal Island) holds at No. 2, followed by Eminem’s “Encore” (Interscope) and “Best of Seal 1991-2004” (Warner Bros.). The Seal set climbs 3-1 in Portugal. Moving up 6-5 is Tina Turner’s “All the Best” (Parlophone), following climbs of 7-4 in Switzerland and 8-7 in Germany.
British male pop quartet Blue moves 7-6 with “Best of Blue” (Innocent/Virgin). The compilation was the best-selling album of the holiday period in Italy, where it’s in its third week at No. 1. It falls 8-10 in Portugal but rises 19-18 in the United Kingdom.
In its 38th week on Top 100 Albums, Maroon 5’s “Songs About Jane” (J/Sony BMG) moves 12-9, its first time in the top 10 since October. That’s due mainly to the album’s continuing popularity in the United Kingdom, where it rose 7-6 on Christmas week sales. “Jane” is certified quintuple-platinum there for shipments of 1.5 million units. Similarly, “Scissor Sisters” (Polydor) rebounds 30-13 on Top 100 Albums thanks to a 7-3 resurgence in U.K. sales.
“Noiz” by Sohne Mannheims (Sohne Mannheims/Universal), which debuted on Top 100 Albums at No. 9 in June after opening at No. 1 in Germany and No. 2 in Austria, climbs 33-19 overall. This is after a 9-4 rise in Germany, where the single “Und Wenn Ein Lied” is up 7-6. Sohne Mannheims is a collaboration between hip-hop star Xavier Naidoo and keyboardists Michael Herberger and Florian Sitzmann.
Band Aid 20’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (Mercury) tops Eurochart Hot 100 Singles for a second week. It’s No. 1 again in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Spain; it also rises 5-1 in Greece and 6-3 in Sweden.
Star Academy 4’s “Adieu Monsieur Le Professeur” (Mercury) is up 23-7 on the Eurochart after a 6-2 climb in France, where it’s one of three singles from the TV talent series charting in the top 10. “Laissez-Moi Danser” and “En Chantant,” also credited to Star Academy 4, are No. 4 and No. 9, respectively.
Meanwhile, Britain’s latest TV-generated celebrity takes his chart bow. Steve Brookstein, the 35-year-old winner of ITV’s recent “The X-Factor,” debuts on the Eurochart at No. 8 and in the United Kingdom at No. 2 with a cover of Phil Collins’ 1984 hit “Against All Odds.” The single is on the BMG-distributed Syco label, run by Simon Cowell, who was a judge on the series.
