Robbie Williams begins a second week at No. 1 on European Top 100 Albums with his sixth solo studio set “Intensive Care” (Chrysalis).
Of the eight markets in which it debuted at the top last week, “Care” only retains top spot in two, Holland and Denmark. However, the album now climbs 2-1 in Portugal and debuts at No. 1 in Sweden and No. 2 in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The single “Tripping” stays at No. 3 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.
Williams has just announced a 13-country tour for 2006, to open April 10 in Durban, South Africa. It’s estimated that the tour will play to 1.6 million fans. Meanwhile, Sony BMG will release an “Ultimate Collection” album by Williams’ former group, 1990s hitmakers Take That, in the United Kingdom next Monday (Nov. 14), to tie in with a new TV documentary, “Take That – For The Record,” which airs on ITV1 next Wednesday.
There are four new entries in the top ten of the pan-European album chart, headed by German rock mainstay Rammstein’s new release “Rosenrot” (Universal) at No. 2. It includes the single “Benzin,” a recent top ten hit in Germany and Spain and a No. 1 in Finland. In addition to No. 1 debuts in Germany and Austria, “Rosenrot” is new at No. 2 in Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark, No. 4 in Holland, Norway and the Czech Republic and No. 7 in Portugal. In the United Kingdom, it bows more modestly at No. 29. The Berlin-based industrial rock band’s previous album “Reise, Reise” went straight to No. 1 on the aggregate chart in October 2004. The new album mirrors the No. 2 start made by Rammstein’s 2001 release “Mutter.”
Ahead of the other new entries, Italian heartthrob Eros Ramazotti soars 59-4 with “Calma Apparente” (Ariola), which opens at No. 1 in Italy and Switzerland, No. 4 in Germany and No. 5 in France and Austria. The album holds at No. 4 in Spain. It includes “La Nostra Vita,” which dips 3-4 on the Italian singles chart after holding the top spot there recently.
Irish pop quartet Westlife’s “Face To Face” (S/Sony BMG) is new at No. 5 on Top 100 Albums thanks to a No. 1 start in the United Kingdom on robust sales of 216,000 units, according to the Official U.K. Charts Company. That’s in addition to a second week at the top of the British singles chart with “You Raise Me Up,” which takes its two-week sales total there to 155,000 copies; “Raise” improves 6-5 on the Eurochart. “Face To Face” also debuts at No. 1 in Ireland.
Santana’s “All That I Am” (Arista) arrives at No. 8 on Top 100 Albums, following top ten starts in Italy (No. 4), Switzerland (No. 5) and Germany (No. 6). The veteran guitarist’s last album “Shaman” rose to No. 1 on the pan-European chart three years ago this week. Rod Stewart’s “Thanks For The Memory – Great American Songbook IV” (J/Sony BMG) opens at an aggregate No. 9, led by a No. 3 start in the United Kingdom on sales of almost 48,000 units.
Sugababes’ “Push The Button” (Universal Island) tops the Eurochart for a second week, spending a fifth week at No. 1 in Austria. It’s still No. 2 in Germany, No. 3 in Norway, Ireland and Switzerland and No. 5 in Denmark and the United Kingdom. The British female trio’s “Taller In More Ways” album dips 6-11 on Top 100 Albums.
The big climber on the Eurochart is Russian female duo T.A.T.U.’s “All About Us” (Interscope), up 17-7 after climbs of 16-6 in Italy and 9-7 in Germany. French perennial Johnny Hallyday’s “Ma Religion Dans Son Regard” (Mercury) holds at No. 2 in France and climbs 9-2 in Wallony for a No. 9 debut on the Eurochart.
