The Recording Association of America certified Shaggy's Hotshot six times platinum (sales of 6 million), the highest certification of 2001. 'N Sync's Celebrity and Enya's A Day Without Rain came in second with certifications of five million a piece . . . Blink-182 have cancelled their European tour because of a herniated disc in frontman Tom Delonge's back. The outing was to begin January 4th in Zurich . . . The Doves, the Pet Shop Boys, Starsailor, Bubba Sparxxx and Nickelback are among the artists who will perform at London's Astoria from February 6th to the 21st to celebrate British magazine New Music Express's fiftieth anniversary . . .

Aalyah's brother, Rashad will overdub lines from the late singer's upcoming film The Queen of the Damned due in February . . . Starsailor and the Charlatans will team up for a U.S. tour beginning January 11th in Los Angeles, California . . . Lambchop will release their next album, Is a Woman on February 19th . . . Slayer's original drummer, Dave Lombardo, will rejoin the band for their upcoming tour in January. Recent Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph's recurring elbow injury has forced him into early retirement . . . British pop superstars Steps is breaking up after five years . . .

(December 27, 2001)