Glastonbury boost for Jay-Z's album

8:57pm Thursday 3rd July 2008

Jay-Z caused such a stir at this year's Glastonbury Festival that sales of his album by a music chain have enjoyed a near five-fold increase.

The New York rap star was the controversial choice for the top Saturday night slot.

But HMV said its sales figures suggested he was the "clear winner" of the artists who performed at Glastonbury - with up to five of his previous singles set to re-enter the charts.

The multi-platinum selling 38-year-old answered his critics with a show-stealing performance full of swagger and bombast, which Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis described as a "triumph".

Many - including Oasis' Noel Gallagher - believed the hip-hop artist did not belong at the traditionally rock-based festival.

But Jay-Z's acoustic "tribute" performance of Wonderwall may have helped Oasis' What's The Story (Morning Glory) register an 18% pick up in sales, while the single Wonderwall is likely to re-enter the Official UK Singles top 200 this Sunday, HMV said.

The crowd roared with laughter as the show opened with a clip of Gallagher voicing criticism of Jay-Z's performance, before the rapper bounded onto the stage to perform a satirical cover version of the Oasis hit single.

HMV monitored album sales of the key featured artists at the festival at stores and on its website hmv.com on CD/vinyl and via download formats during the festival itself and in the immediate aftermath. It compared the figures with the same period the previous week.

A spokesman for HMV said the impact is further underlined by up to five of Jay-Z's previous singles releases being set to re-enter the Official UK Charts this coming Sunday as fans continue to download them.

Leading the way is his track 99 Problems, which could well make the top 30 this weekend, HMV said. This is followed by Numb/Encore (recorded with Linkin Park), Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Version), Big Pimpin' and Dirt Off Your Shoulder.

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