The Backstreet Boys [ tickets ]' Millenium album set a new first-week album sales record this week, easily beating out a holiday-season record set by Garth Brooks [ tickets ] in November of 1998. First-week sales of 1,134,000 copies were tallied, with nearly half of the week's sales occurring on the first day the album was released, leaving some industry observers wondering if the album will enjoy the longevity of the group's debut, which still hovers in the Billboard pop album top 40 after nearly two years.

The Backstreet Boys' Millenium album set a new first-week album sales record this week, easily beating out a holiday-season record set by Garth Brooks in November of 1998.

First-week sales of 1,134,000 copies were tallied, with nearly half of the week's sales occurring on the first day the album was released, leaving some industry observers wondering if the album will enjoy the longevity of the group's debut, which still hovers in the Billboard pop album top 40 after nearly two years.

Brooks moved 1,085,373 units of his Double Live album in its first week, propelled by a release date timed to match the holiday shopping rush and the gimmick of multiple album covers, intended to draw fans into multiple purchases. Brooks also performed on a network television special and on a special closed-circuit show beamed into Wal-Mart stores on the day of the album's release.

For their part, the Backstreet Boys worked closely with MTV to raise the buzz of the album release in the days before it hit stores, and announced plans for a summer tour during the album's first week.

The summer tour plan includes a stretch of US dates beginning in September. The world tour kicks off June 2nd in Belgium.