Amuro Namie shines near the top of world music chart~ Japan’s self-proclaimed “Queen of Hip-Pop” Amuro Namie has got her work cut out for her with the release of her newest album, “Checkmate!“. The collaboration album (which features artists like Korean group After School and other Japanese artists like Yamashita Tomohisa, AI, Tsuchiya Anna, and many more) was originally scheduled for release in March, but was postponed out of respect for recovery efforts in Japan. Despite the inevitable postponement, fans flocked in droves to support the pop star; “Checkmate!” rocketed to the top spot on the Oricon charts, selling nearly 253,000 copies in its first week alone. However, the greatest success for some fans was the appearance of Amuro on the United World Chart for the 19th week of 2011, where the singer held the #2 position with a solid lead of more than 100,000 copies. Many were surprised to learn that she bested the Foo Fighters, who were at #3. Meanwhile, the #1 spot was claimed by world vocalist sensation, Adele, who nudged ahead by 50,000 copies. As Amuro enters into her 20th career year in 2012, she continues to garner attention from all over the world. Her appearance on the world charts is a testament to her maintained popularity over the years. Source: Tokyohive, United World Chart
