Almost two months after the Offspring announced an ultimately unsuccessful plan to offer it as a free download, “Conspiracy of One” (Columbia) hits shelves this week.

In late September, the band stated that it would offer all of the tracks from the new disc as free downloads on its official website. However, Columbia Records and parent company Sony balked at this. A compromise was struck, and the album’s first single, “Original Prankster,” was made available as a free download.

Fans who downloaded the track were entered into a drawing to win a $1 million prize from the group. Finalists in the drawing have been announced in recent weeks, and the winner will be chosen on “TRL” on Tuesday (11/14). The band is also scheduled to perform during the appearance, according to MTV.com.

Prior to Tuesday’s release, the Offspring plans to participate in an online chat at 9 p.m. ET on Monday night (11/13), according to its official website.

The Offspring is scheduled to kick off a tour in support of “Conspiracy of One” on Nov. 18 in Los Angeles.

Marilyn Manson [ tickets ] returns this week with “Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)” (Nothing/Interscope), the follow-up to his platinum-selling 1998 release, “Mechanical Animals.” The latest album is the third in a trilogy that began with 1996’s “Antichrist Superstar.”

“Disposable Teens,” the first single from “Holy Wood,” is No. 21 on the latest Radio & Records’ active rock chart, which measures national radio airplay. The video for the song is currently airing on MTV, and can also be seen in a streaming format at Manson’s official website.

The cover of “Holy Wood”--a painting of Manson crucified in a Christ-like pose--has been banned from Circuit City and Best Buy, according to Manson’s official website.

In response to the ban, Manson wrote in a statement posted on his site, "The irony is that my point of the photo on the album was to show people that the crucifixion of Christ is, in deed, a violent image. In fact, the picture itself is composed of a statue of Jesus taken from a place of worship. My jaw is missing as a symbol of this very kind of censorship. This doesn't piss me off as much as it pleases me, because those offended by my album cover have successfully proven my point."

An alternate album cover will be offered at the stores, according to Manson’s site.

Manson is set to mark the release of the disc with a private concert on Tuesday night (11/14) in New York City. Fans have to win invitations in order to attend the special event. Information on how to win can be found on Manson’s website.

Marilyn Manson is currently on tour in support of “Holy Wood.” He will appear on "TRL" on Wednesday (11/15).

Ricky Martin [ tickets ] launches “Sound Loaded” (Columbia) this week, the follow-up to his self-titled, multi-platinum album of last year.

“She Bangs,” the first single from “Sound Loaded,” is currently No. 13 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart, and the video for the track is No. 4 on MTV’s “TRL.”

On Tuesday night (11/14), Martin will take part in an Internet album-listening party and online chat, according to his official website.

After an 8-year hiatus, Sade [ tickets ] offers up “Lovers Rock” (Epic), her first album of new material since 1992’s “Love Deluxe.” On Tuesday (11/14), the singer plans to participate in an online chat, which she will conduct from the U.K. at 9 p.m. GMT, according to her official website. She also has promotional appearances scheduled for Nov. 21 on “The Tonight Show,” Nov. 22 on “BET Live from L.A.,” Dec. 19 on “The Late Show” and Dec. 22 on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” according to her site.

In other Sade news, Epic will release digitally remastered versions of the singer's entire album catalog--“Diamond Life,” “Promise,” “Stronger Than Pride,” “Love Deluxe” and “The Best of Sade”--to coincide with the release of “Lovers Rock.”

Sony Music will release “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 5,” featuring previously released hits from some of today’s most successful acts, including ‘NSync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, 3 Doors Down, Bon Jovi and Blink 182. The label presumably hopes to match the success of the “Vol. 4” compilation, which debuted at No. 1 on the album chart in July, and spent three weeks in that slot.

BMG Entertainment and Jive Records have teamed up to offer “Platinum Christmas” this week, an album featuring original holiday songs from Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, 'NSync, Santana, Dave Matthews Band, Monia, Joe, R. Kelly, Pink, Donell Jones, Dido and Steps.

In addition to the new tunes, cover versions of traditional holiday songs sung by Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, TLC and Toni Braxton also appear on the disc.

Classic rock fans can rejoice in compilations from two major acts this week, as the Eagles drop a 4-CD box set "The Eagles: Selected Works 1972-1999" (Elektra) and the Beatles offer up “The Beatles 1” (Capitol).

The Eagles’ offering contains three discs of previously recorded studio hits, while a fourth disc has 12 live tracks recorded at the band’s 1999 New Year’s Eve Millennium concert. The group has announced plans to make the live tracks available as free downloads via the Internet.

“The Beatles 1,” meanwhile, is a compilation of 27 of the group’s No. 1 hits.

Other new releases this week: