HAITI ALBUM TOPS BILLBOARD CHART

A Haiti charity album featuring stars including Madonna and U2 has debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The all-star Hope For Haiti Now record, which also features Beyonce and other celebs, is the first digital-only album to hit the top spot in the US chart. Nielsen SoundScan said the compilation CD of performances from last week’s charity telethon sold 171,000 units over the weekend. More than 80 million people tuned in for the telethon in aid of victims of the earthquake in Haiti, which organisers have said raised 66 million dollars. The event, which was also streamed live online, featured appearances by Brad Pitt and other stars who encouraged people to make donations.