Euro Retailers Question Timing Of 'N Sync Album

While 'N Sync enjoys huge U.S. first-week sales of "Celebrity" (Bulletin, Aug. 1), the story in the rest of the world is more muted. Zomba has shipped 1.5 million units internationally. Strongest first-week sales were in Canada, where the album went straight to No. 1, scanning 71,200 units?the biggest first week of the year in the territory, according to SoundScan. Outside North America, sales were strongest in Germany, where "Celebrity" debuted at No. 5.

Across Europe, the release's timing has prompted criticism. "This is definitely not the time of the year to release a record in Italy?you either do it at the beginning of the summer or else at the end, but never in the middle," says Nando Posa, music manager for Virgin Megastores in Italy. Purchaser Stefan Taheri of WOM in Munich agrees: "Everyone's on holiday and would much rather be at the beach in this weather." In Paris, however, Vincent Carpentier, head of dance at the Virgin Megastore on the Champs ElysÉes, says the album is selling slightly more than was expected. At FNAC's central Madrid store, sales were brisk despite the usual slowdown from mid-July to the end of August, when the city is nearly deserted of residents.

"Many people thought that releasing the record in Europe during mid-summer would impact sales," says Zomba International Record Group managing director Stuart Watson. "On the contrary, it seems to have helped. When we get ['N Sync] to Europe later in the year, we anticipate further breakthroughs."

In the U.K., 'N Sync's commercial profile is on a gentle incline, with first-week sales of "Celebrity" at 13,000 units. That's a rise of about 10% on the debut of its predecessor, "No Strings Attached." In Japan, where "Celebrity" was released a week earlier than the rest of the world, the set sold an encouraging 20,000 units its first week. Shipments to Australia have been delayed due to artwork problems.