SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Eminem's new album,
The Eminem Show (Aftermath/Interscope), will enter the Billboard Top 200 chart
at number one next week with 284,534 copies sold, according to figures
released today by SoundScan, the music retail tracking system.  The debut
marks an unprecedented event in the music industry:  the first time an album
has entered at the top slot without the benefit of a full first week of
on-sale days.
    "I guess people couldn't wait to sell this record," says Steve Berman,
Interscope Geffen A&M head of sales and marketing.  "I've seen this before but
never at this scale ... it's amazing.  Basically, this is like a movie opening
on a Sunday evening and being number one at the box office for the week.
We had, at the most, a thirty-six hour window with limited public knowledge of
availability.  All of our advertising runs next week"
    Adds Mike Shalett, Chairman and CEO of SoundScan:  "We've never had a
record debut at number one on the SoundScan chart that hasn't had the benefit
of a full six days of sales behind it."  SoundScan accrues point of sales data
from more than 17,000 record retailers in the U.S., accounting for more than
85% of over-the-counter music product sales in the nation.
    Retail was similarly stunned by the chart position.  "This is certainly
one of the most exciting new releases in memory," says Lon Lindeland, senior
buyer at Best Buy.  "To have it be the number one release after just 36 hours
on sale is unbelievable but, judging by the frenzy in our stores, not
surprising."
    Eminem has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide to date.  The Eminem
Show is his third major label release.

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