Jennifer Lopez’s “This Is Me… Now” Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart

Jennifer Lopez is livin’ in the chart-topping Now

The 54-year-old Puerto Rican superstar has earned her third No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated March 2), as her new studio album This Is Me… Now debuts atop the tally.

Jennifer LopezLopez was last at No. 1 more than 20 years ago, when J to Tha L-O! The Remixes spent two weeks atop the chart in February and March of 2002. She scored her first No. 1 on the list with J.Lo in 2001.

In the tracking week ending February 22, This Is Me… Now sold 14,000 copies in the U.S. Of that sum, physical sales comprise 11,000 (6,000 on CD and 5,000 on vinyl) and digital download sales comprise 3,000. The album was available in four CD variants (including one that had a signed insert), nine vinyl editions (all were color variants, including one with a signed insert) and three digital album variations (a standard version, a deluxe edition with two bonus tracks and a commentary edition sold via Lopez’s official webstore).

This Is Me… Now also debuts at No. 1 on Top Current Album Sales, No. 1 on Tastemaker Albums, No. 7 on Vinyl Albums, No. 7 on Independent Albums and No. 38 on the Billboard 200.

Top Current Album Sales ranks the week’s top-selling new/current albums (non-catalog/older titles). Vinyl Album tallies the week’s top-selling vinyl releases. Tastemaker Albums measures the top-selling titles at independent and small chain record stores. Independent Albums ranks the most popular independently released albums of the week, by units.

On the Billboard 200, This Is Me… Now marks Lopez’s 13th total chart entry and 11th top 40-charting effort. It’s her first studio album in nearly a decade, and her first release outside the major label system, as the new set was issued via Nuyorican/BMG.

“This is the first step of an immediate strategy with a long-term goal as the incredible content to support the album continues to roll out,” says Cyndi Lynott, SVP marketing at BMG, “including the This Is Me…Now: A Love Story Amazon Original, a documentary entitled The Greatest Love Story Never Told, and of course her massive summer tour.”

In total, This Is Me… Now marks Lopez’s ninth top 10 on Top Album Sales and 13th chart entry overall. The new release is a sister project to Lopez’s third album, This Is Me… Then, which was released 2002 and peaked at No. 2 on the chart.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated December 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.

Prime Video to Premiere Armando Bo’s FIFA Gate-Themed Docuseries “El Presidente: The Corruption Game” in November

Armando Bo’s look into how a Brazilian man wrestled control from Europe of the biggest sport on earth is headed to Prime Video.

Amazon will release the 43-year-old Argentine Oscar-winning screenwriter and film director’s Amazon Original El Presidente: The Corruption Game on November 4.

Armando Bo's Amazon Original El Presidente: The Corruption GameBo’s Latin American series focuses on João Havelange.

In a neat historical echo, backed by Bo’s About Entertainment, Narcos producer Gaumont TV, Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín’s Fabula and Argentine powerhouse Kapow, the second season in the El Presidente series saga of soccer business high jinks and low morals now looks set to become one of the biggest soccer titles released in the countdown to the greatest show on earth, the FIFA World Cup.

Whether FIFA will be entirely comfortable with it is another matter, if a trailer, shared in exclusivity with Variety, is anything to go by.

One of Iberseries’ biggest market premieres, El Presidente: The Corruption Game had its world premiere of its first two episodes on October 14 at this year’s reinvigorated Festival do Rio.

Season 1 turned on the feckless, sly, amoral but simpático Sergio Jadue, a Chilean small town soccer club supremo who’s elected president of Chile’s soccer association. The wrong man in the right place, a fish out of water, he rises in FIFA’s hierarchy, sparking FIFA Gate, a $150 million corruption scandal. Bo tells the story as ironic farce.

Now narrated by Jadue, The President: The Corruption Game teases out the human tragedy in a still arch comedy, which unspools on a far grander scale.

It takes on another extraordinary – but far more towering – figure, Brazil’s Havelange, FIFA president over 1974-98. A hulking giant with dashing blond looks, Havelange dedicated his life to serving Brazil – swimming in the 1936 Berlin Games, working as the vice-president of the Brazilian Sports Confederation from 1958 to 1973, when Brazil won three World Cups – and to serving himself from FIFA’s gravy train.

Glimpsed in the trailer, colorful scenes kick off El Presidente: The Corruption Game with Havelange fuming as Pele is literally kicked out of the first round of England’s 1966 Word Cup, Havelange, the son of a Belgian arms dealer, is outraged by a FIFA meeting where “third world” members are forced to sit in a different room from their European colleagues.

In 1974, as Johan Cruyff forged the modern game on-field, Havelange began to revolutionize its economics and reach – central events in the second season.

Seizing control of FIFA from Sir Stanley Rous, a neo-colonial buffer, over the next 24 years, he created soccer’s modern global business, powered by sponsorship and TV deals, while enlarging the World Cup to 32 teams and introducing a FIFA Women’s World Cup.

But Havelange did so at a tremendous cost, opening FIFA up to multi-million bribery and money laundering and losing his friends, family and honor when he fell into final total disgrace over the 2015-16 FIFA Gate at the age of 98.

El Presidente: The Corruption Game, a mixture of near doc recreation and self-declared fiction, begins with a doddery Havelange, now celebrating his 100th birthday. Only one guest accepts his invitation.

Much of this is caught in the fast-paced, extensive trailer. Havelange used Brazil’s stunning 1970 World Cup triumph to bid to become FIFA president. He is rebuffed by Europe’s still colonial FIFA members. “Even if Brazil wins 100 World Cups, decisions will never be made in the colonies,” FIFA general secretary Helmut Kässer tells him.

Havelange launches an extraordinary play for the votes of poor countries, winning them by his promises, backhanders and a tour of Africa with Pele.

“FIFA is entering the future,” Havelange announces in the trailer. Nobody transformed soccer more off the field more than he did. It wasn’t all for the better.

Prime Video Releases Trailer for New Documentary “Los Tigres del Norte: Historias Que Contar”

Los Tigres del Norte have stories to tell…

Prime Video has released the first trailer for its documentary about the legendary Mexican norteño band.

Los Tigres del NorteTitled Los Tigres del Norte: Historias Que Contarthe film highlights everything from the Mexican group’s humble beginnings to its challenging road to success, and ultimately becoming one of Regional Mexican music’s biggest acts.

Directed by Carlos Pérez Osorio and produced by José Nacif GoberaHistorias Que Contar will premiere on June 17 via Prime Video.

The official trailer features the Amazon Original song “Jefe de Jefes.”

Jesse y Joy Release Latin Rendition of the Holiday Classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” for Amazon Music Lat!n

Jesse y Joy are hoping to get you into the holiday spirit…

Amazon Music LAT!N has launched a wave of festive content to get music lovers in the holiday spirit, from themed playlists to video interviews, and beyond, including an Amazon Original song from the Mexican Latin Grammy-winning brother & sister duo.

Jesse & Joy

Kicking off this weekend, customers can enjoy Jesse y Joy’s Amazon Original song “Te Deseo Muy Felices Fiestas,”a Latin rendition of the holiday classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

The Mexican duo is also teaming up with Amazon and its “Delivering Smiles” holiday campaign to give back to charitable organizations and the communities they serve this season.

Lele Pons gives the timeless song “Let It Snow” a Spanglish tropical twist in “Let It Snow (Navidad, Navidad, Navidad).”

“Lele Pons and Jesse & Joy are incredibly talented artists who are chart-toppers in their respective genres, so we knew they would create something very unique, exciting, and fresh- and they also share our passion for the holidays,” says Rocio Guerrero, global head of Latin Music at Amazon Music. “Their bilingual takes on classic tunes will delight fans.”

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jose Feliciano’s iconic holiday classic “Feliz Navidad,” 30 artists including CNCO, Jon Secada, Frankie J, Jencarlos Canela, Pablo Montero, Julio Iglesias, Jr., , Jason MrazGloria Gaynor, Patricia Manterola, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have joined forces for a special anniversary edition.

“Jose Feliciano’s ‘Feliz Navidad’ has been part of our holiday celebrations for generations! The opportunity to bring fans a fresh take on this beloved classic in honor of the song’s 50th Anniversary was a joy,” Guerrero says.

“Christmas is such a special time and we as a team were so excited to bring reimagined holiday favorites for our fans to enjoy,” Guerrero adds. “To bring fans extra holiday joy, we worked on exclusive holiday-themed content to go along with each song, as well as playlists to get fans through the season.”

According to Guerrero, Amazon does not plan on releasing more original Latin holiday songs, but fans will be able to enjoy the exclusive Christmas-themed content throughout the season. Listen and watch it here.

Jaime Davila Named to National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Board of Directors

Jaime Davila is coming on Board

The Latino president and co-founder of Campanario Entertainment and executive producer of Netflix’s highly anticipated Selena: The Series has been appointed to the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s (NHMC) National Board of Directors.

Jaime Davila

Davila has been an advocate for mainstream Latino representation in the entertainment industry and an active member of the NHMC. 

Most recently, he served on NHMC’s 2020 Impact Awards Gala Dinner committee to plan and sponsor the event honoring the Latinx community’s media involvement throughout 2019. 

Along with his work on the committee, Davila has also hired NHMC Series Scriptwriters Program alums to projects produced by Campanario Entertainment. 

As a member of the Board, Davila will continue his efforts to bring an impactful presence of Latino stories and representation to film, television and beyond.

“Jaime has been a great ally to our organization, and we are elated to have him join as a Board member,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, the president and CEO of the NHMC. “His knowledge of the industry and determination to amplify Latino voices and authentically tell our stories, will be key as we continue to diversify the entertainment industry.”

“It’s an honor to officially become a part of the NHMC’s board and work with my fellow board members to further strengthen the presence of the Latino community across all media,” said Davila. “Campanario was founded and exists because the entertainment industry, and Hollywood specifically, needs to see that Latino stories matter and are important. It’s been my mission to authentically bring our stories to mainstream audiences. The opportunity to continue to learn from esteemed members of the NHMC that have been at the forefront of this initiative for almost three decades is invigorating.”

Since founding Campanario Entertainment, Davila has created a slate of multilingual content in the US and Mexico, including Netflix’s series about Mexican American star and music icon Selena Quintanilla

His credits also include Bravo’s Mexican Dynastythe documentary Colossus as well as the dramedy Como Sobrevivir Soltero, one of the first Amazon Original series to launch for Amazon Prime Video Mexico.

Davila’s career began at ICM and ITV Studios. He then worked at Bravo Network as a development executive under Andy Cohen where he adapted international formats and developed original series, including Best New RestaurantThe People’s Couch and the docuseries The Extreme Guide to Parentingwhich was created by Davila. He also worked on the team that developed Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck and Shahs of Sunset.

Amazon to Premiere Season Two of Laz Alonso’s Superhero Satire Series “The Boys” in September

Laz Alonso’s Boysare back in town in September…

Amazon Prime Video’s superhero satire The Boys, starring the 46-year-old Afro-Cuban American actor, will premiere the first three episodes of its second season on Friday, September 4.

Laz Alonso

New episodes will then be made available each Friday until the season finale on October 9.

Season 2 will be “crazier, stranger, more intense, more emotional,” according to the show’s creator and executive producer Eric Kripke, who  joked that “the Surgeon General has insisted we air the first three episodes on September 4, then air the remaining five episodes weekly after that. We wanted to give you time to freak out, digest, discuss, come down from the high, before we give you another dose. We only have your wellbeing in mind. Hope you love the season as much as we do.”

The new season will find The Boyson the run from the law, hunted by the Supes, and trying to regroup and fight back against Vought. 

In hiding, Hughie (Jack Quaid), Mother’s Milk (Alonso), Frenchie (Tomer Capon) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) try to adjust to a new normal, with Butcher (Karl Urban) nowhere to be found. 

Meanwhile, Starlight (Erin Moriarty) must navigate her place in The Seven as Homelander (Antony Starr) sets his sights on taking complete control. His power is threatened with the addition of Stormfront (Aya Cash), a social media-savvy new Supe, who has an agenda of her own. On top of that, the Supervillain threat takes center stage and makes waves as Vought seeks to capitalize on the nation’s paranoia.

The Supes of The Seven also include Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), The Deep (Chace Crawford) and Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell).

Recurring stars in the upcoming season include Claudia DoumitGoran VisnijcMalcolm BarrettColby MinifieShantel VanSantenCameron CrovettiPJ Byrne, Laila Robbins and Giancarlo Esposito returning as Vought boss Stan Edgar, among others.

The eight-episode Amazon Original series will be available on Prime Video in more than 200 territories around the world, and is produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television Studios with Point Grey PicturesKripke Enterprises and Original Film.