STACKING UP SALES

Total album and single sales of CDs and cassettes for the week ended Dec. 12, compared to week-ago and year-ago levels, in millions of units sold: Latest week Albums: 19.56 Singles: 2.51

Week-ago Albums: 16.28 Singles: 2.40

Year-ago Albums: 17.95 Singles: 2.45

Atop the Charts

Monthly record company market share as of November, based on units sold. This is an indicator of music company performance.

MARKET SHARE

Rank: 1 Distributor: WEA Total share: 20.88% Albums: 21.29% Singles: 18.80% Top-selling album: Doggy Style Artist: Snoop Doggy Dogg

Rank: 2 Distributor: Sony Total share: 18.01 Albums: 18.36 Singles: 16.24 Top-selling album: Music Box Artist: Mariah Carey

Rank: 3 Distributor: BMG Total share: 12.37 Albums: 11.36 Singles: 17.47 Top-selling album: Toni Braxton Artist: Toni Braxton

Rank: 4 Distributor: CEMA Total share: 12.16 Albums: 12.18 Singles: 12.08 Top-selling album: Duets Artist: Frank Sinatra

Rank: 5 Distributor: Polygram Total share: 12.01 Albums: 11.73 Singles: 13.40 Top-selling album: So Far So Good Artist: Bryan Adams

Rank: 6 Distributor: UNI Total share: 11.26 Albums: 11.47 Singles: 10.20 Top-selling album: Bat Out of Hell II Artist: Meat Loaf

Music Industry Rumor of the Week

Confirming recent rumors, EMI Music formally announced the resignation, effective March 31, of Philip Rowley, executive vice president and chief financial officer. During his tenure at the company, Rowley was instrumental in developing successful strategies to transform EMI into a music industry leader. He played a critical role at the company in making acquisitions, smoothly integrating acquired companies into the EMI corporate structure and forging an efficient worldwide manufacturing and distribution system. An EMI official said the company does not expect to appoint a successor to Rowley in the near term and that no organizational changes are planned.

Sources: Soundscan Inc., Billboard magazine, Los Angeles Times reports