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GUNS N' ROSES: 'Chinese Democracy' Lands At No. 3 On Billboard Chart

December 3, 2008

GUNS N' ROSES' long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy", sold 261,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release (including a reported 25,000 downloads at iTunes on November 23 not counted towards the opening week) to debut at position No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart — right behind TAYLOR SWIFT's "Fearless" at No. 2 (with 267,400 sold) and KANYE WEST's "808s & Heartbreak", which opens at No. 1 with sales of 450,000 and change.

The first-week sales of "Chinese Democracy", which was released through an exclusive deal with the Best Buy chain, puts it on par with that of the opening number registered by "Contraband", the 2004 debut from VELVET REVOLVER, which features in its ranks Rose's former GUNS N' ROSES bandmates Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. That CD sold 256,000 copies in the U.S. during its first week of release to debut at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart.

According to some reports, Best Buy's promotion of the CD was lacking. Many stores did not feature any special floor displays or banners for the record, and it was not highlighted in advertising circulars.

Only singer Axl Rose remains in the current GUNS roster, having taken some 15 years to complete "Chinese Democracy" with a revolving cast of musicians.

As previously reported, "Chinese Democracy" looks set to drop out of the UK Top 5 this Sunday (December 6) based on the midweek figures released by Music Week. The CD debuted at No. 2 in the UK after failing to outsell "Day & Age", the latest album from Las Vegas rock group THE KILLERS.

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