Adele beats 7 new albums to keep top spot on chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British singer Adele stood her ground atop the Billboard album chart with "21" on Wednesday despite seven new entries vying for No. 1 this week, including stiff competition from country music singer Tim McGraw.

"21," which has sold more than 6 million copies in the United States since its release in February 2011, notched its 18th week in the top spot of the Billboard 200 chart.

Adele, who has been resting her voice after vocal cord surgery last November, said she will be making her live comeback at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 12.

Country music star McGraw's 11th studio album, "Emotional Traffic" debuted at No. 2, scoring the singer his 14th top 10 album in the Billboard 200 chart and 13th No. 1 in the Billboard Country Albums chart.

New albums from rock band "Lamb of God," singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, "American Idol" alumnus Kellie Pickler, Christian music singer Kari Jobe and soul singer Seal dotted the top 10, along with the "2012 Grammy Nominees" and "Kidz Bop 21" compilation and Drake's "Take Care."

After a couple of weeks in early January that saw low unit sales figures, the chart was rejuvenated this week across the top 10. Still, "21" was the only album to cross the 100,000 copies mark, partially driven by a re-issued deluxe edition released last week in Target retail stores.

Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You") took the top spot on the Digital Songs chart, followed by Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" holding steady at No. 2 and last week's chart-topper, David Guetta's "Turn Me On" featuring Nicki Minaj, falling to No. 3 this week.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Shines Spotlight on Adele Grammy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - the Grammy Awards in recent years have targeted young audiences even though the former acts won the key to the surprise of some music fans, but the honours of Sunday shines its spotlight on Adele, whose popularity crosses all age limits.

Singer British soulful, whose album "21" resulted in massive hits such as "Rolling in the deep" and topped the charts for 19 weeks, entering great price of the industry of music with six nominations, second only to rapper Kanye West with seven.

But all the ears will be settled to Adele, 23, who is scheduled to give a Grammy performance which is his first since undergoing surgery of the gorge towards the end of last year. And everyone, young and old, wants to know if the interpreter of top-sale of 2011 has recovered.

"My eight year old Adele daughter sings songs and 75-year-old grandmother my friend sings Adele songs," said Nic Harcourt, former host of KCRW, who is among those to British singer on the map of U.S. music.

Voice of Adele is a breath of fresh air in 2011 for an industry struggling. "21" album sold more copies in a year than any other Act since "Confessions" Usher in 2004. Total current U.S. sales is about 6.3 million copies.

Over the past years, the Grammys have often seen relative newcomers top categories such as album of the year faced the veteran acts, only to see the older artists to win, shocking the industry focused on youth. Herbie Hancock 2007 jazz album, "River: The Joni letters," was one of the surprises of the latter.

This will not happen at the ceremony on Sunday in Los Angeles. Competition for the album of the year are Adele with "21", Lady Gaga for "Born This Way," Rihanna with "Loud", Bruno March for "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" and the Foo Fighters for "Wasting Light."

Indeed, many of the major categories are dominated by young stars of pop as Adele, Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna. Traditional rockers are in large part, with the exception of legend, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen, who are both set to perform at the show on Sunday in Los Angeles.

ADELE, WITHOUT MAKING POP

But in an ironic twist, Adele won celebrity precisely because it involves as many groups of spectators with its expressive ballads such as "Someone like you" as the sound as a survival in an industry dominated by electronic music.

"She had a little substance more and is not just a pop confectionery.". "With a classical sound, Grammy veteran voters are supporting her, while it also reaches young people, no problem", said Bob Merlis, President of the advertising of the MFH.

Adele singles were played on several radio formats, helping to sell albums for consumers more older as well as younger fans who tend to buy music online.

David Bakula, senior vice president, analytic Nielsen Entertainment Adele "exceeded the limits of a simple pop artist, which involves a host of younger, more focused on the singles." said Katy Perry is a good example of a star which sells tons of singles, but not tons of albums. ?

In addition, seven nods Kanye West of the Crown back critical and commercial for the controversial 34-year old rapper who made a voluntary break to perform in 2009.

West has recorded its best competitor of rap "My beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" album in Hawaii after withdrawing from the scene of public music following severe criticism on his 2009 explosion involving country starlet Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Already a 14-time Grammy winner, it is named for the song of the year for "all of the Lights" and best performance rap with Jay - Z for "Otis".

The best new artist category reflects an eclectic mix of artists, the rapper Nicki Minaj and rapper j. Cole, to the sensations of countries The Band Perry, House and artist electropop Skrillex and American folk group Bon Iver.

Singer of "Rhinestone Cowboy" Glen Campbell, 75, currently on a

farewell tour after having announced it early stage of Alzheimer's disease, will receive a lifetime achievement award, and will perform with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton.

Other performers will include veteran crooner Tony Bennett, who is appointed for his Duet "Body and soul" with the late Amy Winehouse - Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson and Chris Brown.

Bonnie Raitt happens after "Finally" singer Etta James, who died in January at the age of 73 years, and rapper and actor of "NCIS: Los Angeles" LL Cool J will be the first official host of the ceremony of the Grammy Awards in seven years.

The winners are determined by some 13,000 members of the Recording Academy, but only a handful of trophies in 78 categories is distributed on the dissemination of the live on Sunday.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Bob Tourtellotte)

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Shines Spotlight on Adele Grammy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - the Grammy Awards in recent years have targeted young audiences even though the former acts won the key to the surprise of some music fans, but the honours of Sunday shines its spotlight on Adele, whose popularity crosses all age limits.

Singer British soulful, whose album "21" resulted in massive hits such as "Rolling in the deep" and topped the charts for 19 weeks, entering great price of the industry of music with six nominations, second only to rapper Kanye West with seven.

But all the ears will be settled to Adele, 23, who is scheduled to give a Grammy performance which is his first since undergoing surgery of the gorge towards the end of last year. And everyone, young and old, wants to know if the interpreter of top-sale of 2011 has recovered.

"My eight year old Adele daughter sings songs and 75-year-old grandmother my friend sings Adele songs," said Nic Harcourt, former host of KCRW, who is among those to British singer on the map of U.S. music.

Voice of Adele is a breath of fresh air in 2011 for an industry struggling. "21" album sold more copies in a year than any other Act since "Confessions" Usher in 2004. Total current U.S. sales is about 6.3 million copies.

Over the past years, the Grammys have often seen relative newcomers top categories such as album of the year faced the veteran acts, only to see the older artists to win, shocking the industry focused on youth. Herbie Hancock 2007 jazz album, "River: The Joni letters," was one of the surprises of the latter.

This will not happen at the ceremony on Sunday in Los Angeles. Competition for the album of the year are Adele with "21", Lady Gaga for "Born This Way," Rihanna with "Loud", Bruno March for "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" and the Foo Fighters for "Wasting Light."

Indeed, many of the major categories are dominated by young stars of pop as Adele, Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna. Traditional rockers are in large part, with the exception of legend, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen, who are both set to perform at the show on Sunday in Los Angeles.

ADELE, WITHOUT MAKING POP

But in an ironic twist, Adele won celebrity precisely because it involves as many groups of spectators with its expressive ballads such as "Someone like you" as the sound as a survival in an industry dominated by electronic music.

"She had a little substance more and is not just a pop confectionery.". "With a classical sound, Grammy veteran voters are supporting her, while it also reaches young people, no problem", said Bob Merlis, President of the advertising of the MFH.

Adele singles were played on several radio formats, helping to sell albums for consumers more older as well as younger fans who tend to buy music online.

David Bakula, senior vice president, analytic Nielsen Entertainment Adele "exceeded the limits of a simple pop artist, which involves a host of younger, more focused on the singles." said Katy Perry is a good example of a star which sells tons of singles, but not tons of albums. ?

In addition, seven nods Kanye West of the Crown back critical and commercial for the controversial 34-year old rapper who made a voluntary break to perform in 2009.

West has recorded its best competitor of rap "My beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" album in Hawaii after withdrawing from the scene of public music following severe criticism on his 2009 explosion involving country starlet Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Already a 14-time Grammy winner, it is named for the song of the year for "all of the Lights" and best performance rap with Jay - Z for "Otis".

The best new artist category reflects an eclectic mix of artists, the rapper Nicki Minaj and rapper j. Cole, to the sensations of countries The Band Perry, House and artist electropop Skrillex and American folk group Bon Iver.

Singer of "Rhinestone Cowboy" Glen Campbell, 75, currently on a

farewell tour after having announced it early stage of Alzheimer's disease, will receive a lifetime achievement award, and will perform with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton.

Other performers will include veteran crooner Tony Bennett, who is appointed for his Duet "Body and soul" with the late Amy Winehouse - Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson and Chris Brown.

Bonnie Raitt happens after "Finally" singer Etta James, who died in January at the age of 73 years, and rapper and actor of "NCIS: Los Angeles" LL Cool J will be the first official host of the ceremony of the Grammy Awards in seven years.

The winners are determined by some 13,000 members of the Recording Academy, but only a handful of trophies in 78 categories is distributed on the dissemination of the live on Sunday.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Bob Tourtellotte)

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Adele wow with the song of post-throat surgery

(Reuters) - Adele seduced amateur Friday in its first public release sing since surgery in November, throat to the rest of the fears that his characteristic hoarse voice have been damaged.

Singer British soulful, 23, is due to make his return from official performance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday where she should bring home a pile of trophies after the worldwide success of his album "21".

But on Friday, us television viewers heard her sing three verses, a cappella, for her hit "Rolling in the deep" song in an excerpt from an upcoming interview with "60 Minutes" on CBS.

"Thank the gods of music that it seems to also perfect as it did before this cord hemorrhaged vocal," writes Jarett Wieselman TheInsider celebrity Web site,

HollywoodLife.com said Adele "stunning sound", while it E! E Alexis l. Loinaz wrote: "the lag kills!" If there are lingering doubts that Adele is perhaps not ready to drop the pipes still, this video is at rest. ?

Adele was forced to cancel part of his American tour the year last persistent voice problems. In November, she underwent laser surgery to remove a polyp on his vocal cord hemorrhaged and ordered to take two-month vocal rest.

Organizers confirmed only 10 days ago that she would perform at the spectacle of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles ceremony Sunday, where it has six nominations, including the coveted record, album and song of the year.

"60 Minutes" full profile will be displayed immediately before the Grammy broadcast. Adele said journalist Anderson Cooper her first there was something wrong with her voice when she sings live on a French radio station, and "he felt something arises in my throat."

She said that surgery was a wake-up call kick to help him to realize his vocal limits.

(Reported by Christine Kearney; edited by Patricia Reaney)

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Adele joins "Titanic" in her 16-week chart reign

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British singer Adele's multi-platinum selling album "21" scored its 16th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, entering an elite list of only five albums to cross the that mark in the past 20 years.

"21," which has been selling more than 100,000 copies each week for 33 weeks, joined the ranks of the soundtrack to the 1997 box-office phenomenon "Titanic," Whitney Houston's soundtrack to 1992 film, "The Bodyguard," country crooner Garth Brooks' "Ropin' The Wind" and Billy Ray Cyrus' "Some Gave All," also in 1992, all of which crossed 16 weeks at No. 1.

Recently disbanded Christian rock group David Crowder Band made the highest chart debut this week at No. 2 with new album "Give Us Rest," selling 50,000 copies.

Irish alternative rock band Snow Patrol debuted their sixth studio album, "Fallen Empires," at No. 5, following Black Keys' "El Camino" and Drake's "Take Care."

Adele also snatched the top spot on the Digital Songs chart with "Set Fire to the Rain" from last week's No. 1, Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up," which fell to No. 9.

This week saw low sales on the album chart, as the bottom three CDs on the Top 10 list sold less than 20,000 copies each, the first time in Nielsen SoundScan history that albums selling less than 20,000 have entered the top 10.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Adele, Jason Mraz top 2012's first Billboard chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British singer Adele kicked off 2012 just like much of 2011 -- at the top of the Billboard album charts, for a 15th week, with her best-selling "21".

Soul-pop singer Jason Mraz scored the year's first top song with "I Won't Give Up" at No. 1 on the Billboard Digital Songs chart, ahead of his eagerly anticipated fourth album.

"21" sold 124,000 copies, almost three times more than this week's No. 2 album, Drake's "Take Care." While album sales across the top 10 were down this week, the chart saw a resurgence of some of 2011's favorites, including Black Keys' "El Camino" up to No. 3, Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" back up at No. 5 and Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" up to No. 6.

The only new entry this week to break into the top 50 was alternative rock group SafetySuit's sophomore album "These Times," which entered the chart at No. 7.

In the digital songs chart, Mraz surpassed recent chart staples such as LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It," Rihanna's "We Found Love," with his new single.

The song was released after the singer posted a video on his website, which then spread through the social networks. It sold more than 229,000 download copies in its first week.

"I Won't Give Up" precedes Mraz's follow-up to 2008's "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things," which included the hit single "I'm Yours" and earned a Grammy nomination.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Sheeran leads BRIT nominations, Adele eyes return

LONDON (Reuters) - English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran led the field with four BRIT nominations on Thursday, one ahead of global chart queen Adele who is down to perform at the awards after months out for throat surgery.

The annual honors, Britain's top pop awards, will be handed out at London's O2 Arena on February 21, and Adele's live UK comeback is likely to be among the highlights.

The 23-year-old had the world's top-selling album last year with "21", which sold 5.8 million copies in the United States alone, and picked up six Grammy nominations in a triumphant year.

Adding to her list of accolades on Thursday, the "Rolling in the Deep" singer earned three BRIT nods and was bested only by the less familiar face of Sheeran.

The 20-year-old, whose debut album "+" topped the UK charts and has sold nearly a million copies in Britain so far, scooped four nominations, including for the coveted British Album of the Year prize sponsored by Mastercard.

He is also in the running for British male solo artist, British breakthrough act and British single for "The A Team".

Sheeran performed "Give Me Love" at a nominations launch in central London and confirmed he would sing it again at the main awards show.

On the red carpet before the event, he explained why he had featured Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, in his video for the track "Lego House".

"I went to school and was a ginger (haired) kid, so you're obviously going to get the Ron Weasley comments at some point so I just thought I would take the piss out of myself and get him to play me," Sheeran told Reuters.

Just behind him with three nominations apiece were Adele and Jessie J, the 2011 winner of the Critics' Choice award for rising music stars.

Adele is up against Sheeran in the British Album category for "21" and was also nominated for British female solo artist and British single ("Someone Like You").

Jessie J competes in the female solo artist, British breakthrough and single categories, the latter for "Price Tag".

Veteran Kate Bush is also vying for best female act, sealing a remarkable comeback.

Florence & the Machine and Coldplay are each nominated twice, as are Emeli Sande, this year's Critics' Choice winner, and Americans Bon Iver and Aloe Blacc.

Playing at the awards ceremony next month are expected to be Adele, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Sheeran, Florence & the Machine, Rihanna, Noel Gallagher and Blur, recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, according to a list released by organizers.

Following is a full list of the 2012 nominees:

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST:

Ed Sheeran; James Blake; James Morrison; Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds; Professor Green

BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST:

Adele; Florence & The Machine; Jessie J; Kate Bush; Laura Marling

BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT:

Anna Calvi; Ed Sheeran; Emeli Sande; Jessie J; The Vaccines

BRITISH GROUP:

Arctic Monkeys; Chase & Status; Coldplay; Elbow; Kasabian

BRITISH SINGLE:

Adele/Someone Like You; Ed Sheeran/The A Team; Example/ Changed The Way You Kiss Me; Jessie J Ft B.o.B./Price Tag; JLS Ft Dev/She Makes Me Wanna; Military Wives and Gareth Malone/Wherever You Are; Olly Murs Ft Rizzle Kicks/Heart Skips A Beat; One Direction/What Makes You Beautiful; Pixie Lott/All About Tonight; The Wanted/Glad You Came

MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Adele/21; Coldplay/Mylo Xyloto; Ed Sheeran/+; Florence & The Machine/Ceremonials; PJ Harvey/Let England Shake

INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST:

Aloe Blacc; Bon Iver; Bruno Mars; David Guetta; Ryan Adams

INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST:

Beyonce; Bjork; Feist; Lady Gaga; Rihanna

INTERNATIONAL GROUP:

Fleet Foxes; Foo Fighters; Jay Z and Kanye West; Lady Antebellum; Maroon 5

INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH ACT:

Aloe Blacc; Bon Iver; Foster The People; Lana Del Rey; Nicki Minaj

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC AWARD:

Blur

CRITICS' CHOICE:

Emeli Sande

BRITISH PRODUCER:

Paul Epworth; Flood; Ethan Johns

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato and Jill Serjeant)

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Sheeran leads BRIT nominations, Adele eyes return

LONDON (Reuters) - English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran led the field with four BRIT nominations on Thursday, one ahead of global chart queen Adele who is down to perform at the awards after months out for throat surgery.

The annual honors, Britain's top pop awards, will be handed out at London's O2 Arena on February 21, and Adele's live UK comeback is likely to be among the highlights.

The 23-year-old had the world's top-selling album last year with "21", which sold 5.8 million copies in the United States alone, and picked up six Grammy nominations in a triumphant year.

Adding to her list of accolades on Thursday, the "Rolling in the Deep" singer earned three BRIT nods and was bested only by the less familiar face of Sheeran.

The 20-year-old, whose debut album "+" topped the UK charts and has sold nearly a million copies in Britain so far, scooped four nominations, including for the coveted British Album of the Year prize sponsored by Mastercard.

He is also in the running for British male solo artist, British breakthrough act and British single for "The A Team".

Sheeran performed "Give Me Love" at a nominations launch in central London and confirmed he would sing it again at the main awards show.

On the red carpet before the event, he explained why he had featured Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, in his video for the track "Lego House".

"I went to school and was a ginger (haired) kid, so you're obviously going to get the Ron Weasley comments at some point so I just thought I would take the piss out of myself and get him to play me," Sheeran told Reuters.

Just behind him with three nominations apiece were Adele and Jessie J, the 2011 winner of the Critics' Choice award for rising music stars.

Adele is up against Sheeran in the British Album category for "21" and was also nominated for British female solo artist and British single ("Someone Like You").

Jessie J competes in the female solo artist, British breakthrough and single categories, the latter for "Price Tag".

Veteran Kate Bush is also vying for best female act, sealing a remarkable comeback.

Florence & the Machine and Coldplay are each nominated twice, as are Emeli Sande, this year's Critics' Choice winner, and Americans Bon Iver and Aloe Blacc.

Playing at the awards ceremony next month are expected to be Adele, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Sheeran, Florence & the Machine, Rihanna, Noel Gallagher and Blur, recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, according to a list released by organizers.

Following is a full list of the 2012 nominees:

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST:

Ed Sheeran; James Blake; James Morrison; Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds; Professor Green

BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST:

Adele; Florence & The Machine; Jessie J; Kate Bush; Laura Marling

BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT:

Anna Calvi; Ed Sheeran; Emeli Sande; Jessie J; The Vaccines

BRITISH GROUP:

Arctic Monkeys; Chase & Status; Coldplay; Elbow; Kasabian

BRITISH SINGLE:

Adele/Someone Like You; Ed Sheeran/The A Team; Example/ Changed The Way You Kiss Me; Jessie J Ft B.o.B./Price Tag; JLS Ft Dev/She Makes Me Wanna; Military Wives and Gareth Malone/Wherever You Are; Olly Murs Ft Rizzle Kicks/Heart Skips A Beat; One Direction/What Makes You Beautiful; Pixie Lott/All About Tonight; The Wanted/Glad You Came

MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Adele/21; Coldplay/Mylo Xyloto; Ed Sheeran/+; Florence & The Machine/Ceremonials; PJ Harvey/Let England Shake

INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST:

Aloe Blacc; Bon Iver; Bruno Mars; David Guetta; Ryan Adams

INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST:

Beyonce; Bjork; Feist; Lady Gaga; Rihanna

INTERNATIONAL GROUP:

Fleet Foxes; Foo Fighters; Jay Z and Kanye West; Lady Antebellum; Maroon 5

INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH ACT:

Aloe Blacc; Bon Iver; Foster The People; Lana Del Rey; Nicki Minaj

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC AWARD:

Blur

CRITICS' CHOICE:

Emeli Sande

BRITISH PRODUCER:

Paul Epworth; Flood; Ethan Johns

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato and Jill Serjeant)

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