'Retard' comments boost sales

Reuters

CONQUERER: Susan Boyle has added New Zealand to her musical conquest of the world, going straight to No1 with more than 45,000 albums sold - and Paul Henry may have helped.

Relevant offers

Music

Whitney death sparks rush for music The Stone Roses reunion Lady Gaga confirms second show Katy Perry hits back at ex Houston under water when found Web humorists hit new low City and Colour grants fans' wish Adele's ex-boyfriend deserves credit This Is Not a Love Song (list) Beyonce pays special Whitney tribute

Not that Boyle needed the help – her I Dreamed A Dream has become the fastest-selling worldwide female debut album – but her sales may have got a boost here from television host Paul Henry.

Henry sparked a storm of criticism last week by calling the Scottish singer "retarded".

A Warehouse sales assistant, who did not want to be named, said many people were buying Boyle's album for their mothers for Christmas.

"Plus, I think Paul Henry's comments have had an effect and people have felt sorry for her," the assistant said.

"I've had quite a few customers saying that. "I think Paul's done Susan a favour in a way."

I Dreamed A Dream entered the New Zealand album charts yesterday at No. 1, outselling the rest of the top 15 albums in the New Zealand charts combined.

It is the highest-selling debut album in New Zealand chart history, selling three times platinum (about 45,000 copies).

Boyle has smashed retail records around the world, including becoming the biggest ordered album in the history of Amazon.

The album is No. 1 in the charts in Britain, Australia and Ireland, and is No. 1 on iTunes in France, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Japan.

Boyle will probably top the United States and Canadian charts when they are announced next week.

Boyle's debut album was confirmed as the fastest-selling British debut album of all time, selling 411,820 copies and beating the previous best, by the Arctic Monkeys, in its first three days.

More than two million homes around the world are listening to Boyle's dreams, but critics generally remain unconvinced.

Guardian reviewer Caroline Sullivan gave it two out of five stars and wrote: "Boyle's tender but colourless readings of 12 familiar songs will undoubtedly be bliss to fans of musical theatre; anyone else will be gnawing the sleeve in frustration after five minutes."

- © Fairfax NZ News