Morissette’s Album Sets Sales Record

“Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie,” the new album from Alanis Morissette, enters the pop charts at No. 1 this week and sets a new standard for first-week album sales by a female artist--despite falling short of many industry forecasts.

Morissette’s album sold approximately 469,000 copies its first week, which topped first-week sales of 423,000 set by Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” early in September, according to SoundScan.

The phenomenal success of Morissette’s breakthrough album, 1995’s “Jagged Little Pill,” prompted many industry insiders to predict the album would sell 550,00 copies or more during its first week. Still, retailers interviewed Wednesday said they are excited by the album’s potential.

“We’re very enthused, and when you listen to this album you can hear four or five sure singles, so we expect this to be one of the major records for the season and beyond,” said Gary Arnold, senior vice president of merchandising for Best Buy. “This is a record we’ll be selling next Christmas.”

Morissette’s album, on the Maverick label, was joined last week by several other high-profile new releases as the music industry gears up for the busy holiday season.

“U2: The Best of 1980-1990,” the Irish band’s first greatest-hits collection, debuted as the second-best seller last week with 237,000 units sold. The Island album is being sold at a discounted price with a second disc that assembles many of the band’s B-sides.

“These Are Special Days,” Celine Dion’s new Christmas album--featuring holiday classics in four languages--sold 126,000, putting it fourth on the new sales list behind Jay-Z’s “Vol. 2 . . . Hard Knock Life,” the only non-debut album in the Top 5. At No. 5: “Belly,” the soundtrack to the new action film starring rappers Nas and DMX.