PRETTY RICKY - PRETTY RICKY BEAT THE SHINS TO THE TOP OF THE US CHARTS

Hip-hop boy band PRETTY RICKY has ended the DREAMGIRLS soundtrack's reign at the top of the US album charts after debuting LATE NIGHT SPECIAL at number one. The group's new album beat WINCING THE NIGHT AWAY by cult indie act THE SHINS to the top spot with first-week sales of 132,000. The Shins came in second with 118,000 copies sold. While Pretty Ricky hit the top 20 in 2005 with their last album BLUESTARS, The Shins have never been higher than number 86 on The Billboard 200 chart before today (31JAN07). The number two spot also makes the album the biggest release ever on the Sub Pop label. Meanwhile, AMERICAN IDOL star CHRIS DAUGHTRY's self-titled debut slips to number three on the new chart and the 2007 GRAMMY NOMINEES compilation debuts at four. And veteran rocker JOHN MELLENCAMP is celebrating after scoring his highest debut on the US album chart - his new release, FREEDOM'S ROAD, sold 56,000 copies in its first week to enter at number five.