New CD Releases, November 6: Garth Brooks, Jay-Z, Jimmy Buffett
Garth Brooks “The Ultimate Hits”
The country crooner is the fastest-selling solo artist in music history, having moved more than 100 million albums in 10 years, according to his website. He should greatly add to that tally with this greatest-hits package, which includes all the fan favorites as well as three new songs. The album’s lead single, “More Than a Memory,” debuted at the top of Billboard’s Country Singles chart back in September.
Fans are hoping that this trio of new songs represents the tip of the iceberg in the way of new material. His last new studio album was 2001’s “Scarecrow,” which marked his seventh No. 1 debut on The Billboard 200.
There is speculation that the cowboy, who retired from touring in 2001 to spend more time with his family, might finally saddle up the tour bus and do some real road work in the near future. The demand for a Brooks tour is certainly there: his nine-show run scheduled for later this month at the new 18,500-seat Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO , sold some 160,000 ticket in just under two hours, tying Brooks’ own record for selling the most tickets in any city in North America, according to a press release.
The final date of the Kansas City engagement (Nov. 14) will be shown at more than 300 movie theaters. For more information on the screening, visit the artist’s website.
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Jay-Z “American Gangster”
One assumes that “retirement” didn’t really suit the rapper/entrepreneur born Shawn Carter. He ended his short-lived, much-hyped early retirement last year with “Kingdom Come,” which became his ninth No. 1 on The Billboard 200, and now quickly returns with another offering.
“American Gangster” is inspired by the film of the same name, which stars Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. That film was released to theaters Nov. 2.
Jay-Z will support “American Gangster” with a short club tour, which launches tomorrow (11/6) at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. In the following days, he’ll perform at clubs in Chicago, Baltimore, New York City and Philadelphia. Also, Jay-Z recently told MTV News that he is planning a larger-scale outing next year.
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Jimmy Buffett “Live in Anguilla”
Parrotheads will flock to buy this new concert set. The draw will be all those “songs you know by heart,” including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor,” “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitudes” and, of course, “Margaritaville.”
“Live in Anguilla,” which includes two CDs and a DVD, was recorded during the multi-media star’s shows in the Caribbean on March 23 and 24, 2007. The set includes 30 songs.
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Taylor Swift “Taylor Swift”
The young singer is one of the hottest names in country music. Her eponymous debut, which spent multiple weeks at the top of the country album charts, is now being re-released with added treats for fans. This edition of “Taylor Swift” includes three new studio tracks, two live cuts and a DVD.
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Chris Brown “Exclusive”
The R&B star returns with a follow-up to his popular self-titled debut of 2005, a work that featured the hit single “Run It!” The latest single from “Exclusive” is “Kiss Kiss,” a collaboration with T-Pain that has already topped the Billboard Hot 100. Brown will support “Exclusive” during a co-headlining tour with Bow Wow that kicks off Dec. 6 in Cincinnati, OH.
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More new releases:
Angels & Airwaves, “I-Empire” (Geffen)
Barenaked Ladies, “Talk to the Hand: Live in Michigan” (Shout Factory)
David Byrne, “The Knee Plays” (Nonesuch)
Demon Hunter, “Storm the Gates of Hell” (Solid State)
Little Big Town, “A Place to Land” (Equity)
Monster Magnet, “4-Way Diablo” (Steamhammer)
Van Morrison, “Still on Top: The Greatest Hits” (Hip-O)
Gram Parsons with the Flying Burrito Brothers, “Gram Parsons Archive, Vol. 1” (Amoeba)
Saga, “10,000 Days” (Inside Out)
Sigur Ros, “Hvarf/Heim” (XL)
Sissel, “Northern Lights” (Denon)
Rick Springfield, “Christmas With You” (Gomer)
Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Solos, Sessions and Encores” (Sony)
Russell Watson, “The Voice: The Ultimate Collection” (Decca)
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