Adele's '21' poised to tie 'Bodyguard' soundtrack for No. 1

 

This post has been corrected. See note at the bottom for details.

Adele’s “21” album is that rarity: a collection that’s the nation’s bestseller collecting the album of the year Grammy Award.

The recordings and artists who land the top awards and get significant camera time during the Grammy telecast can count on major sales bumps in the days after the show, which puts “21” in a good position to extend its run at No. 1, now totaling 19 weeks.

Should it hit a 20th week, that will put it in a tie for the all-time chart leader with ... Whitney Houston’s “The Bodyguard” soundtrack album -- the Grammy album of the year winner for 1993.

PHOTOS: Best and worst at the Grammys

“We had the all-time record with ‘The Bodyguard,’ so this one has a personal impact too,” Clive Davis said last week, before Houston died a few hours before Davis Grammy-eve soiree at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The sales fallout from Sunday’s show won’t fully be reflected in the next Nielsen SoundScan sales report, which covers a sales period from Monday through Sunday. Chart watchers are projecting the new Van Halen album will displace Adele on Wednesday, when the new sales figures are made public, but with the boost “21” will be getting, Adele may well be back at the top of the heap.

And if she scores a 21st week and breaks the tie?

“Records are made to be broken,” Davis said, “so I celebrate Adele achieving all this.”

[FOR THE RECORD, FEB. 28: An earlier version of this post stated that the Whitney Houston-led soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” won the Grammy album of the year in 1992. The album was released in 1992 but was honored with the 1993 album of the year Grammy.]  

RELATED:

Full coverage

PHOTOS: Grammy winners

PHOTOS: Grammy Awards red carpet

Adele's magnificent return to the stage

Adele is affirmed, Whitney Houston is grieved

--Randy Lewis

Photo of Adele collecting her Grammy Award for album of the year for "21." Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

Whitney Houston remembered -- Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Hip-hop artist and Bad Boy Records label founder Sean “Diddy” Combs said he “literally [was] in a state of shock” Saturday afternoon when he learned of Whitney Houston’s death.

He was preparing for his role in that evening's festivities and, like many others who took the stage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy Awards party, wrestled over whether to attend or stay home.

For Combs, the deciding factor was his overriding memory of Houston’s “natural, positive spirit,” which he said “made me kind of get dressed and hopefully made you guys get dressed” and proceed with the event.

PHOTOS: Celebrities react to Whitney Houston's death

Here is the text of Combs’ remarks to the audience:

"We see each other a lot but don’t get a chance to really connect and tell each other how much we appreciate, how much we love and respect each other. I want to give all my love and respect to all my peers that are here. I want to say it tonight, because tomorrow night as you see is not promised.

Clive Davis on Whitney Houston: 'She loved this night'

 

This is the full text of Clive Davis’ remarks to the entertainment industry audience on his decision to go forward with his annual pre-Grammy Awards gala on Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton, a few hours after singer Whitney Houston died in her room at the hotel.

“By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney’s passing. I don't have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends.

"I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years. Whitney was so full of life.

FULL COVERAGE: Whitney Houston

"She was so looking forward to tonight even though she wasn't scheduled to perform. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrates music.

"My heart goes out to her daughter Bobbi Christina, to her mother Cissy, to all of her relatives and to so many of you here tonight, her extended family who loved and cherished her and her spirit.

"Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage with her regal presence and gave so many memorable performances here over the years.

PHOTOS: Stars react to Whitney Houston's death

"Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on.

"I ask that you join me in a moment of silence as we dedicate this evening to Whitney."

RELATED:

Body moved to morgue

Autopsy planned in next 24 hours

Determining cause of death to take time

Obituary: Troubled pop titan dead at 48 

TIMELINE: Whitney Houston highs and lows

Medics performed CPR for about 20 minutes

Whitney Houston had large entourage with her

VIDEO: Watch Houston's earliest TV appearances

PHOTOS: Stars, friends react to the stunning news

'The Bodyguard' and beyond; Houston's career in film

Appreciation: A voice for the ages tarnished by addictions

-- Randy Lewis

Image: Music industry mogul Clive Davis. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Grammys 2012: Clive Davis sets the stage for Brandy/Monica redux

Clive Davis' annual Pre-Grammy Gala remains the hottest ticket outside of the big show on Sunday. The celebrated music mogul manages to solicit an elite who's who of musical talent, not to mention a surprise or two when it comes to the evening's performance.

Sanctioned by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and labeled a "Salute to Industry Icons," this year Davis will honor Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. Last year, Davis tapped R. Kelly, Janelle Monae, Mumford & Sons, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson and Whitney Houston to hit the stage.

RELATED: Clive Davis celebrates music with annual pre-Grammy party

Pop & Hiss dropped by the Beverly Hilton Hotel to take a peek at rehearsals for Saturday's gala, which features Brandy and Monica as headliners (we also spotted a run-through for the tribute set to the Kinks led by the band's former frontman, Ray Davies). The two R&B divas recently reunited nearly 14 years after the success of their chart-topping duet "The Boy Is Mine" for a new single, "It All Belongs To Me," that will appear on their upcoming albums.

After a run-through of the massive hit that brought them together, a loose and lively Houston dropped by to give the girls vocal tips for the performance.

We sat down with Brandy, Monica and Davis to talk about the reunion their fans had been waiting for, further collaborations and why Davis wanted them to debut the live performance on his stage.

Clive Davis talks of projects with Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson

In the midst of my conversation a few days ago with Clive Davis, the veteran label chief, talent scout and record producer offered up a particularly welcome bit of news about Aretha Franklin, who went through some serious surgery last fall reportedly related to a diagnosis of  cancer. She has subsequently discredited widely circulated reports that she has pancreatic cancer.

Davis said that if all goes according to plan, he'll be working this year with the Queen of Soul, who he brought over to Arista Records in 1980, overseeing the dawn of a new era of chart success for her over the next decade.

"I just got off the phone with her, and she's sounding very good," Davis said. "We had a wonderful conversation, and we’re looking forward to working together. She's planning to come here when the weather gets a little warmer in New York."

He said he's also just wrapped up work with one of Franklin's myriad R&B disciples, Jennifer Hudson.

"I'm very excited about the new Jennifer Hudson album we've just completed," he said. "I love the idea of showcasing big voices of someone unique like her, who can not only break through with hits but also have a big career."

Davis will host his annual pre-Grammy Awards bash on Saturday night, and he'll also be on hand Wednesday night at the Grammy Museum to be the first honoree in the facility's new "Icons of the Music Industry" question-answer series.

-- Randy Lewis

Photo: Jennifer Hudson and Clive Davis at the 2010 Grammy Awards "Salute to Icons honoring Doug Morris" in Beverly Hills. Credit: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

Grammys 2011: A question-and-answer session with Clive Davis

In the days leading up to Sunday's Grammy Awards, which Pop & Hiss will be covering live, this blog will tackle various Grammy artists, personalities, categories and just plain oddities. 

With the Grammy Awards nearing, Clive Davis cites Lady Gaga and Eminem as examples of what is right with the music industry.

Year in and year out come Grammy time, perhaps the hottest ticket in town is the one granting admission to the bash hosted by veteran music mogul Clive Davis. It was the occasion he used to introduce a promising young singer and songwriter named Alicia Keys a little more than a decade ago and where he’s brought together an A-list of performers and party guests for more than three decades.

Davis, 78, is getting a special salute night from the Grammy Museum downtown for his patronage of the fledgling facility — his name now adorns the 200-seat theater where the museum hosts a regular series of performances and question-and-answer sessions with key players in the music business. On Wednesday, he’ll be the first honoree of the museum’s “Icons of the Music Industry” series. (“It's a real thrill having the theater at the Grammy Museum named for me,” Davis said. “Day after day I see the incredible musical events that take place there, and I know it's bringing great joy to many people.”)

Davis’ track record for identifying and nurturing new talent stretches from the 1960s and ‘70s, when he signed artists as diverse as Janis Joplin, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Barry Manilow, Patti Smith and Aerosmith. In the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s he scored megaplatinum successes with Whitney Houston and Keys, and his latest discovery, singer and songwriter BC Jean, the co-writer of Beyoncé’s megahit “If I Were a Boy,” is about to release her debut album.

The Grammy Awards give the industry a chance to celebrate its successes, so with that in mind, what do you think is going right in the much beleaguered business today?

There certainly is freshness: There is, and has been, the emergence of Lady Gaga; when you look and you see the great album Eminem did, there certainly have been some very strong records that have come out in the past year.

What are the issues that concern you the most?

We’ve got to make sure that music is not homogenized, that music does not exist only to fit into a radio format — which is just encouraging rhythm and tempo and discouraging artistry.... We’ve got to be careful that we not just concentrate on having hit records but that we launch the careers of stars. That’s what the business has always been for me: equal parts discovery of new artists like Whitney or Alicia, but also showing, in effect, how long a career can last. If you begin with a young Aretha or Luther [Vandross] or Rod [Stewart], if they are only allowed to make records that fit into a dance tempo radio format, you can’t do that. I would welcome more diversity. No one’s trying to stem the tide of newness and freshness, but we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the opportunity to build new artists that have careers that will last 10, 20, 30 or 40 years.

Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala: A few high points before crowd makes early night of it

A massive cloud of stardust made its annual descent on the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, as the entertainment-industry elite gathered for the annual pre-Grammy party hosted by music mogul Clive Davis. Now officially sanctioned by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and dubbed the "Salute to Industry Icons," the bash remains an elite affair, an evening of A-list artists performing for their peers.

Major acts including the Black Eyed Peas, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood rolled out their hits and very few surprises during the three-hour-long program. An omnibus of celebrities milled about the ballroom, Jane Fonda as well as Jay-Z and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who busted some slick moves while Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas performed “Smooth.”

There was the lingering scent of scandal, a match snuffed out: Rihanna attended, returning to the site where her troubles with former boyfriend and assailant Chris Brown began last year. She seemed resolute and relaxed strutting around in an ornithological dress by Viktor and Rolf, and palling around with It Couple Katy Perry and Russell Brand. Her contemporaries were present, including Keri Hilson and Taylor Swift, as were her elders, such as Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock. She quietly, if showily, fit in.

It was another official Night to Remember. Yet despite a showstopping appearance by Mary J. Blige and other performances of note from Harry Connick, Jr. and Maxwell, the event didn’t hold its audience. Many famous faces exited just before midnight; by the time Jamie Foxx came out to close the show less than an hour later, the venue was perhaps one-third full.

The rapid loss of heat affected the impact of what was happening onstage. Hudson’s heartfelt two-song tribute to Barbra Streisand (who stayed to witness the honor) didn’t bring down the house the way her post-“Dreamgirls” appearance had a few years previous. Thomas and Santana were lively, but the empty seats before them suggested the fading moments of a wedding reception.

Why did this happen? There were other parties to attend, for one thing. The Roots and Ne-Yo both hosted late-starting events; in fact, the R&B crooner was part of that big-name exodus.