U.S. Retail Enjoys Another Strong Holiday Sales Week

Holiday shoppers helped the U.S. music industry register a solid sales week for the tracking period that ended Dec. 20, with album sales posting a 34% gain over the previous week and a 5.7% gain over the comparable 1997 week.

Garth Brooks not only managed to hold the top spot on the pre-Christmas Billboard 200, his Capitol Nashville album "Double Live" actually padded its lead with a 97,000 unit gain, selling 548,000 copies, according to SoundScan. The self-titled RCA debut by 'N Sync also continued to sizzle, racking up The Billboard 200's largest unit increase for the second week in a row. The album, which moved from 3-2 and posted a 41% gain of 157,000 units, sold a total of 536,000 copies for the week.

Billboard still compiles charts but does not publish an issue during the final week of the year.

--Geoff Mayfield, L.A.


Songwriter Suing Over Cher's Hit Song 'Believe'

Songwriter Mark Scott is claiming that he co-wrote Cher's U.K. hit "Believe"--the top-selling U.K. single of the year--and is suing his former writing partner Brian Higgins, Warner Music U.K., and publishers for allegedly infringing his copyright.

In a writ filed at London's High Court, Scott claims that he and Higgins co-wrote "Believe" in 1991. The writ alleges that in 1997, Higgins, without Scott's permission, made an arrangement of the song with Steven Torch, Paul Barrie, and others. It further claims that Higgins permitted Warner/Chappell Music, Warner Music U.K., and Rive Droite Music to make and release records of the arrangement by Cher. The single--at No. 4 on the "official" U.K. CIN chart and No. 58 on The Billboard Hot 100--topped the U.K. chart for seven weeks and has sold 1.34 million units, according to CIN.

Scott is seeking an injunction and an inquiry into damages, or an account of profits and payment of sums found due. No date has been set for a hearing.

--Roger Pearson and Mark Solomons, London


Rapper Common To Form MCA Imprint

Common has shifted from indie Relativity Records, where he cut three albums, to MCA, where he will have his own imprint, which is yet to be named. The rapper hopes to have a new album out in July; the Roots and No ID will be among the producers.

--Chris Morris, L.A.


Time Warner In Talks With CDnow?

Time Warner is in talks with CDnow about a possible investment in the Internet retailer, according to a report on ZDNet, the Web site of high-tech media/marketing company Ziff-Davis. A CDnow spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny the story.


Spice Girls, Williams On 'Top Of The Pops'

The "Top Of The Pops" Christmas special will feature Spice Girls, Robbie Williams, Denise & Johnny, Jane McDonald, Tamperer featuring Maya, B*witched, and Mousse T. The show airs tomorrow at 12:50 p.m. on BBC1 in the U.K.


Castle U.K. Names International Marketing Chief

Castle Music in the U.K. has recruited Julian Wall to head its new international marketing department, effective Jan. 1. He will be based at the firm's HQ in Chessington, Surrey, reporting to commercial director Roger Semon. Wall has held U.K.-based marketing posts at BMG International; more recently, he set up London offices for European airplay tracking company Media Control.

Castle Music, formerly known as Castle Communications, is currently reorganizing its licensee and distributor networks worldwide.


Everclear, DJ Spooky On Sno-Core Tour

Everclear, DJ Spooky, Soul Coughing, and Redman will play the 1999 Levi's Sno-Core tour, a seven-week outing tentatively due to begin Feb. 2 in Anchorage. Booked by ARTISTdirect, Sno-Core will play 3,000- to 5,000-seat halls.

--Ray Waddell, Amusement Business


Attention:
This is a special abbreviated edition of Billboard Bulletin. Our next issue will be dated Dec. 29.