ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Grammy Award®-winning international megastar Rod Stewart returned to HSN on October 26 to once again shatter music sales records at HSN, selling nearly 30,000 copies of his first-ever holiday CD, MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY before its official release on October 30 (Verve Records). Stewart surpassed previous sales records he set at HSN in 2010 with his exclusive debut of FLY ME TO THE MOON: VOLUME V, selling 26,000 CDs on the day of launch. He continues to be the largest selling music artist on HSN.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121031/FL03799 )
HSN kicked off the holidays in style with Rod performing from a beautifully decorated, holiday-themed set that even included snow fall during Rod’s lively performance of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” A spectacular 20-piece orchestra led by legendary 16 time Grammy Award®-winning composer, arranger and music producer David Foster accompanied Stewart as he performed some of the world’s most beloved holiday tunes and entertained viewers on HSN TV, HSN.com, Facebook, HSN Mobile and via Skype.
“Rod is the ultimate entertainer and we congratulate him on another record-breaking debut on HSN,” said Andy Sheldon, EVP of Television, Live Events and Creative for HSN. “The natural camaraderie between Rod and David made for a fun-filled and festive live concert event that was enjoyed by all.”
“It’s been a true team effort between Rod Stewart, David Foster, Stiefel Entertainment, HSN and Verve Records to help successfully kick off the worldwide launch of MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY. We are thrilled with the results,” said Mike Rittberg, VP Artist Development and Promotion for Verve Records.
HSN has incorporated the title track from MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY into it robust multi-channel holiday marketing campaign, providing additional exposure and opportunities for sale throughout the coming months for HSN’s millions of customers. Fans can still purchase the exclusive 2-disc bundle for $14.95 via HSN.com. It includes the new release, MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY and a “Best Of” CD that features Stewart’s greatest hits, including Maggie May, Reason to Believe and Twistin’ the Night Away.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY is an album filled with holiday classics, including duets with Michael Buble on Winter Wonderland; Mary J. Blige on We Three Kings; and Cee-Lo Green for the title tune, Merry Christmas, Baby. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? is a “virtual” duet with Ella Fitzgerald featuring Chris Botti. The balance of the tunes on MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY include: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Irving Berlin‘s White Christmas, Blue Christmas, When You Wish Upon A Star, Silent Night and Auld Lang Syne. The album’s one original track, Red-Suited Super Man, is composed by Rod Stewart, David Foster and Amy Foster and features Trombone Shorty.
For more information about HSN Live Presents Rod Stewart and to order MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY please visit www.HSN.com/RodStewart and join in the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. For more information on Rod Stewart please visit www.RodStewart.com, Twitter and Facebook.
About HSN
HSN is a leading interactive multichannel retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to its customers. HSN incorporates entertainment, inspiration, personalities and industry experts to provide an entirely unique shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in Health & Beauty, Jewelry, Home/Lifestyle, Fashion/Accessories, and Electronics. HSN broadcasts live to 96 million households in the US in HD 24/7 and its website – hsn.com – is a top 10 most trafficked e-commerce site, featuring more than 16,000 product videos. Mobile applications include HSN apps for iPad, iPhone and Android. HSN, founded 35 years ago as the first shopping network, is an operating segment of HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI ). For more information, please visit HSN.com, or follow @HSN on Facebook and Twitter.
About Rod Stewart
With his soulful and singular voice, narrative songwriting and passionate live performances, Rod Stewart has built one of the most successful and enduring music careers of all time. In a career spanning more than five decades, he has amassed sales of more than 150 million albums worldwide and has garnered countless chart-topping hits and industry accolades – including 18 Grammy nominations, two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2007, he was bestowed the title of a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by the Queen of England. On the heels of resuming his two-year residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace this fall, Stewart released his highly-anticipated memoir, ROD: The Autobiography on October 23, followed by his first Christmas album, Merry Christmas, Baby on October 30.
SOURCE HSN
