Matthews’ ‘Everyday’ Could Be Year’s 1st Pop Blockbuster

U2, Eminem and Steely Dan enjoyed sizable sales bumps from their Grammy Awards exposure, but it’s the latest album by a past Grammy winner--the Dave Matthews Band--that is shaping up as the first pop blockbuster of 2001.

The band’s “Everyday” hit stores Tuesday, and first-day sales were so strong that one retail chain is projecting that it will sell 850,000 copies this week. That would be the biggest first-week total since the Backstreet Boys’ “Black & Blue” generated nearly 1.6 million sales last November.

If the projection is correct, “Everyday” will easily end the four-week reign of Shaggy’s “Hotshot” as the nation’s best-selling album.

The reggae star’s pop-minded collection sold 272,000 copies last week to retain its No. 1 spot on the current sales chart, according to SoundScan. The figure pushes the total sales of “Hotshot” to 3.6 million.

“We’re seeing some absolutely spectacular numbers on Dave Matthews,” says Wherehouse Entertainment senior pop buyer Bob Bell. “It’s blowing away all our expectations.

“I think it’s an accessible enough record that it’s going to introduce the band to a whole new audience,” Bell adds. “Working with [producer-songwriter] Glen Ballard, they’ve made a radio-friendly record that’s still true to their roots.”

On the new album, Matthews teams with Ballard, who worked with Alanis Morissette, for an album that gives Matthews’ music a more personal and focused sound. The Matthews Band will be at Dodger Stadium May 22 as part of an ambitious U.S. tour.

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On the Grammy front, U2--which won three awards last week, including best record for “Beautiful Day”--saw sales of its “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” almost double, to 85,430 copies. That was enough to push the collection from No. 35 on the nation’s sales list to No. 11. (Total sales of the album, which was released last fall, are now at 2 million.)

Eminem, the controversial rapper who won three Grammys, jumped from No. 62 to No. 32 on the chart as sales of his nearly year-old “The Marshall Mathers LP” increased from 31,000 copies to 49,100 last week. (Total sales: almost 8.2 million.)

Several other Grammy winners--including Steely Dan, Macy Gray, Paul Simon, Destiny’s Child, Radiohead and Shelby Lynne--also enjoyed sales upswings. Sales of Steely Dan’s “Two Against Nature,” which was named best album, jumped from 3,800 the previous week to almost 32,000. That was enough to push the album, which had fallen out of the national Top 200, to No. 54 on this week’s chart. (Total sales of “Two Against Nature” since its release a year ago: 835,000.)

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Apair of “Grammy Nominee” packages also benefited from the exposure. The collection of nominated pop songs jumped from No. 25 to No. 12, while the R&B;/rap version moved from No. 55 to No. 43.

Entering the chart at No. 2 this week, with sales of 177,000, “WWF: The Music Vol. 5” extends a highly successful series of theme music of various World Wrestling Federation stars. The latest volume includes hard rock and hip-hop themes, nearly all composed and performed by Jim Johnson.

The rest of the Top 5: the Beatles’ “1,” Dido’s “No Angel” and the “Save the Last Dance” soundtrack. The week’s top single continues to be Joe’s “Stutter.”