Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

Big news on this week's Billboard Hot 100, where there's something happening for the first time in 8 1/2 years: one group with two songs simultaneously in the top 5. Back in April '95 it was TLC with "Creep" and "Red Light Special"; this week, it's fellow Atlantans OutKast, with Andre 3000's "Hey Ya!" up 5-3 and Big Boi's "The Way You Move" rising 8-5. Wowza. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below slips 5-11 on the new Billboard 200 album chart, largely due to the phalanx of debuts (Jigga, Pac, G-Unit, et.al.) above it - and has been certified 4 times platinum. That's a lot of bank, y'all. My burning question: think they've got a shot at a Grammy nod for album of the year? Nominees are announced two weeks from today - on my birthday, so hopefully NARAS won't spoil it with a bunch of nods to shit like Evanescence and Jason Mraz (moderately cute, but so bland).