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number of singles released by the major record corporations on the wane, sales have never been more irrelevant in deter- mining the most popular pop songs of the year. The top three Hot 100 artists are all female acts. Destiny's Child repeats from last year in the No. 1 position, making it three years in a row that a female group has been the top artist of the year (TLC took this honor in 1999). The top solo female artist is Jennifer Lopez, followed by Janet Jackson and Faith Hill. Matchbox twenty is the top group, followed by Lifehouse and 112. The top solo male artists are Ja Rule, Nelly and Shaggy. The top Hot 100 writer is Rob Thomas, for the second year in a row. In 2001, he earns the crown strictly on songs record- ed by his own group, matchbox twenty. Last year, Thomas led all writers, based in part on writing Santana's "Smooth." At age 21, Lifehouse's Jason Wade is the No. 2 writer, fol- BY FRED BRONSON lowed by R. Kelly. The top Hot 100 producers are the Neptunes, responsible for 11 chart hits, including "Southern Hospitality" by he biggest shock of the chart year 2001 is that the POP Ludacris, "There She Goes" by Babyface and "I'm a Slave 4 TNo. 1 album of the year is by the Beatles. But Although the top song of the year on the Hot 100 recap is U" by Britney Spears. Shaun "Sting" Pizzonia, who produced wait -there's a bigger shock. This is the first time by a male act, female artists capture 60% of the top 10. Alicia Shaggy's two No. 1 hits, is the No. 2 producer, followed by in chart history that the Beatles have the No. 1 Keys' debut single, " Fallir'," places second, giving the new J Timbaland. album of the year. imprint its highest-charted year -end title. Janet Jackson had The No. 1 Hot 100 imprint is Columbia, which is also the What? Is that possible? the longest-running No. 1 hit of the year, when "All for You" No. 1 label, both repeating from 2000. The top two publish- A check of the Billboard archives says it is. The greatest- (Virgin) reigned for seven weeks, and that title track from her ers are both EMI -owned: EMI-April and EMI -Blackwood, fin- hits collection 1, which spent eight weeks in pole position on latest album ranks third. Jennifer Lopez got some help from ishing in the same order as last year. That makes EMI Music The Billboard 200, puts the Fab Four atop a year -end album Ja Rule on the remix of "I'm Real" (Epic), the No. 5 song. Eve the No. 1 publishing corporation. recap for the first time. I know I'm repeating myself, but it's teamed up with Gwen Stefani, and both artists had the The person who should be the most unhappy fella about such a stunning fact that it's worth saying twice. biggest hit of their careers with "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (Ruff the Beatles owning the No. 1 album of 2001 is Shaggy, who In 1964, the year Beatlemania first washed over our shores, Ryders /Interscope), the No. 7 song. Dido made her chart has to settle for second place with his hit -laden Hotshot Meet the Beatles was the debut with "Thank You" (Arista) and (MCA). The Backstreet Boys, No. 9 last year with Millennium, No. 8 album of the year. becomes the highest- ranked British act improved this year, coming in third with Black & Blue (Jive). The best -selling LP that on the year -end chart, ranking No. 8 for The Now That's What I Call Music series performed much bet- year was Louis Arm- 2001. And Destiny's Child was a ter in 2001 than in the previous year, when Now 3 was No. 26 strong's Hello, Dolly! In holdover from 2000, as the Charlie's and Now 4 was No. 33. Now 5 is the No. 4 album of 2001, with 1965, the Beatles had their Angels track "Independent Women Part Now 6 at No. 15 and Now 7 at No. 24. highest year-end ranking I" (Columbia) ranks 10th. The only other act aside from the Backstreet Boys to repeat until now, when Beatles '65 It was another good year for rock from last year's top 10 is 'N Sync. No Strings Attached was the ranked second. Another groups, with three of them in the top 10. No. 1 album of 2000, while Celebrity (Jive) ranks No. 9 for 2001. America -only release, After Lifehouse's triumph, Train has the Irish new -age queen Enya ranks No. 9 with the highest- chart- Beatles VI, came in 10th. In No. 4 song with "Drops of Jupiter (Tell ing album of her 12 -year chart span, A Day Without Rain 1966, two of the Mop Tops' Me)" (Columbia), and matchbox twenty (Reprise /Warner Bros.). Last year's top soundtrack was most revered albums fin- places sixth with "If You're Gone" Mission: Impossible 2, all the way down at No. 59. You don't ished in the top 10: Rubber (Lava /Atlantic). The lone solo male artist have to look that far down the list to find the top soundtrack Soul was No. 4, and in the top 10 is Lenny Kravitz, No. 9 with of 2001. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Mercury), which has Revolver was No. 8. In "Again" (Virgin). proven it really has legs, checked in at No. 23. 1967, the album that Backstreet Boys Only two acts who had top -10 hits on The top Billboard 200 artist is the Beatles, followed by changed the way we last year's recap repeat this year: in 2000, Shaggy and the Backstreet Boys. The top group is Destiny's thought about albums, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Destiny's Child had the No. 6 song, "Say My Name," and Child, and the top solo female artist is Enya. The top label is was No. 10 for the year. It continued to sell well enough to matchbox twenty was No. 9 with "Bent." Columbia, sending last year's champ, Jive, to second place. rank sixth in 1968, the same year that Magical Mystery Tour "Hangin' by a Moment" was good to Lifehouse, but also Interscope repeats as the top label, and Universal repeats as was No. 4. In 1969, the double album titled The Beatles but good to the band's label, DreamWorks, which has its first No. the top distributor. known as "the white album" was No. 8. In 1970, Abbey Road 1 song of the year on a Hot 100 recap. Lifehouse is the first Combining the Hot 100 and The Billboard 200, the top pop was No. 4 and Let It Be finished 31. male pop or rock group to have the artist is once again Destiny's Child. The top Twenty -five years later, the Beatles appeared again on the Hot 100's top song of the year since solo males are Shaggy, Nelly and Ja Rule. year -end album recaps. Live at the BBC was No. 46 in 1995, 1988, when Chicago placed first with The top solo females are Jennifer Lopez, and Anthology I put them back in the top 10 at No. 8 in 1996, "Look Away." "Hangin' by a Janet Jackson and Alicia Keys. The top new the same year Anthology II came in at No. 39. In 1997, Moment" is also the No. 1 airplay title artists are Lifehouse, Alicia Keys and Dream. Anthology III showed up at No. 107. of 2001, followed by Lopez's "I'm. Columbia is the top imprint and label, as it Perhaps as equally amazing as the Beatles collecting their Real" and Keys' "Fallin'." The No. 1 was last year. first No. 1 album of the year is . the fact that 2001's top disc is sales title is "Loverboy" (Virgin), the made up of songs that are all at least 30 years old. And plac- first single from Mariah Carey's Glitter R &B ing first put the Beatles above best -selling contemporary acts soundtrack. Joe and Mystikal place R. Kelly has written and produced the No. like Shaggy, the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child second with "Stutter" (Jive). The influ- 1 R &B single of the year before. The differ- and Alicia Keys. ence of television was felt on the sales ence between 1999 and 2001 is that in '99 the On the pop singles side, there's also a surprise. After solo chart, where Popstars finalists Eden's song was 'Fortunate," recorded by Maxwell. female artists had the top songs of the last two years (Cher in Crush have the No. 3 single, "Get This year, the song written and produced by 1999 with "Believe" and Faith Hill in 2000 with "Breathe "), a Over Yourself" (143 /London /Sire) Kelly is one he kept for himself. "Fiesta" male rock group takes top honors in 2001. Lifehouse never and the Making the Band band 0-Town (Jive), featuring guest star Jay -Z, takes top went to No. 1 on The Billboard Hot 100 with "Hanging by a has the No. 4 single, "Liquid Dreams." Jarret honors. Moment," but cumulative week -to -week strength allowed A close examination of this year's It's a very male -dominated year-end top this song to become the first album track to top a year -end Hot 100 sales and airplay recaps is proof enough that the gap 10, although by one degree less than last year. In 2000, the list (airplay tracks have been allowed to chart on the Hot 100 between what consumers buy and what radio plays has never only song by a female artist in the top 10 was "Hot Boyz" by since the beginning of the 1999 chart year). "Hanging by a been wider. The No. 1 sales track, "Loverboy," is the No. 80 Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott at No. 4. This year, Alicia Keys Moment" was a No. 1 hit on Modern Rock Tracks and went song of the year on the recap of the main Hot 100. The Eden's is No. 9 with "Fallin "' (J), and Sunshine Anderson is No. 10 top-10 on Mainstream Rock Tracks. On the Hot 100, it peaked Crush single, "Get Over Yourself," is No. 92 on the Hot 100 with "Heard It All Before" (Soulife /Atlantic). Both are first at No. 2. recap, and 0-Town's "Liquid Dreams" doesn't even register chart entries. The other men in the top 10 include Def Soul Here's a closer look at the top formats: on the Hot 100 recap. With single sales declining and the Continued on page YE-26

YE-10 BILLBOARD DECEMBER 29, 2001 www.americanradiohistory.com