Another season, another teen-pop milestone. As 98
Degrees' Revelation awaits its Sept. 26 release date,
the group has already dropped "Give Me Just One Night
(Una Noche)" on their apparently very suspecting fans.
The single became the most added single last week on
mainstream radio, breaking Britney Spears'
not-so-venerable three-and-a-half-month record for
"Oops!...I Did It Again."
Spears set the mark on April 17 when the title track
from her then-unreleased album was added to 155 radio
stations, topping 'N Sync's previous mark (for "Bye
Bye Bye") by one station. Her album went on to debut
with 1.2 million copies sold in its first week,
formerly a record for a solo artist, though less than
half of 'N Sync's debut week tally. But 98 Degrees
more than squeaked by Ms. Spears. The Ohio quartet
found their new single added to 170 (out of 172)
stations that report to trade publication Radio and
Records.
Is the adds record an indication of where the 98
Degrees kids will debut with their album next month?
The group's official Web site urges fans to request
the song for TV and radio, and offers a link for
listeners to vote for "Una Noche" on MTV's Total
Request Live. "We can't do it without you," the site
says. "The guys always say that they have the most
devoted, enthusiastic fans around -- let's prove them
right!"
By placing 98 Degrees' sales history against that of
'N Sync and Britney, it seems they'll have their work
cut out for them should they wish to transfer this
week's radio success into album sales victories. Their
previous album, 98 Degrees and Rising, has currently
gone five-times platinum, compared to ten-times
platinum for 'N Sync and Britney's Baby...One More
Time.
ANDREW DANSBY
(August 4, 2000)