Jive Records presented Britney with a plaque yesterday to certify 1 million units sold! Circus was certified Platinum by the RIAA! Congratulations Brit! Britney and manager, Larry Rudolph, met with Barry Weiss, Tom Carrabba, Peter Thea and Teresa LaBabera-Whites, to celebrate the great news.

Aww … Britney looks so happy but also so tired. She is working really hard on this tour but she is hanging in there like a champ. My initial fear was that Britney would start out the tour strong and then begin to wane — after all, it had been many years since she had performed on the concert stage. But I understand that she’s been chuggin’ along putting on great performance after great performance, night after night. It’s a nice sight to see our dear Britney hoisting up awards like this … it’s been a long time since we’ve seen pictures like this. It used to be de rigeur for her to receive these platinum awards soon after she released albums back in the day. It’s amazing to see her back on top … where she belongs. The Circus starring Britney Spears continues to wind its way around the country. It arrives here in SoCal in a few weeks … and I’m still waiting ;)

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Platinum was the theme of the week as Britney Spears’ Circus, Nickelback’s Dark Horse, Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak and the Twilight soundtrack all crossed the million-selling plateau on their way to charting at three through six, respectively.

Woot! Congrats goes out to our dear Britney on her latest Platinum Album accomplishment. Circus is a great disc, I’m very happy it has finally reached this plateau. Could 2009 turn out to be an even bigger year for Britney? I say, YES! I can’t wait to see what’s to come. Love and congrats again, Brit Brit!

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In the #10 position, Beyoncé’s I Am …:

Altho I didn’t love every single track on this album, much of it is really fun and very memorable. Honestly, for Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) alone the album is a hit. I may not be totally on board with the whole Sasha Fierce thing but as long as Beyoncé keeps bringin’ the jams like the ones on this album, I think I can get used to it.

At #9, Jason Mraz’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.:

I’ve been a minor Jason Mraz fan for a while now but this album really won me over to Team Mraz. I must admit, I didn’t really pay that much attention to him before he started blogging on My Space but once he got my attention, I was hooked. I’ve yet to listen in full to Jason’s other albums but if this one is any indication, I think I’m gonna like what I hear. Additionally, Mraz just published his own book of Polaroid photos … which wins my heart in other ways as well.

At #8 is Juliana Hatfield’s How To Walk Away:

Juliana always comes at us with great music and this album is proof positive that she’s still got it. For me, this album was an even better treat because I ordered it from her official website and it came packed with a bonus disc of demos that were recorded with the album. I really wish more people knew about Juliana … I think she appeals to so many people. I’m just glad that she continues to make music because discs like this one are always welcome on my iPod.

In the #7 position is the Ryan Adams and the Cardinals album Cardinology:

Ryan Adams releases music almost on a daily basis and, amazingly, it’s all good. While I wasn’t too crazy about Easy Tiger, I really loved Cardinology. My only regret is that the album is too short. I wish there were about 3 more songs on the disc but, knowing Ryan, I’m sure it won’t be long before we get a whole new disc of stuff to enjoy.

At #6 is the new Leona Naess album Thirteens:

I was SHOCKED when I learned that Leona Naess had released a new album months before I heard about it … but was very happily surprised. Thirteens is a great album of somber and poignant tunes … and comes with 13 bonus tracks that are still downloadable HERE. One can never have too much Leona Naess … the hits just keep on comin’.

After the jump, check out my Top 5 Fave Albums of 2008 including my fave of the bunch AND my list of Top 10 Singles of the Year …

At #5 is Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails:

This year, NIN finished out their record contract and in celebration released an epic 4 disc collection of instrumental music online, on their terms. While NIN is known for the aggressive style of their music, it is their quieter more melodic music that really surprises listeners. On this years Lights in the Sky Tour, the band unplugged themselves for a portion of the performance to play select Ghosts tracks on regular instruments — stand up bass, xylophone, etc. — which was, by far, my fave portion of the show. Disc 1 of Ghosts is available online for FREE download but I cannot stress enough how amazing the whole collection is as a whole.

At #4 is Britney Spears’s Circus:

Britney Spears is back and her album Circus is a true return to form. Of the 12+ songs on the disc (including the bonus tracks), there are only a couple that I could live without. My Baby, while sweet, is just a bad pop ballad and Mmm Papi is just bad. The rest of the songs, tho, are incredible … with Phonography, Amnesia, Quicksand and Circus as my faves. The disc is really well-rounded and is proof positive that Britney is, indeed, back!

In the #3 position is Pop Up by Yelle:

Yelle has been called the French M.I.A. but I just call her fabulous. The entire album is in French but that does not take away from the infectious nature of the songs. I found my self singing along (poorly) with the songs almost after just one listen. I’m telling you, if the album had been recorded in English she would’ve made a huge splash here in the US with this disc. Altho this album was released digitally last year, it was released domestically in 2008 and quickly became one of my fave albums. I’m not even sure how I heard about Yelle … but, I promise, if you give her a try you’ll prolly love her as much as I do.

My #2 album of the year is the self-titled debut album from Santogold:

Santogold has, too, been compared to M.I.A. but to me she sounds more like a modern version of Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Her lyrics are so smart, her singing is so beautiful and her style is just cool as hell. If I were to compare Santogold to M.I.A. it would only be in that they are both extremely talented, know how to craft songs around fun beats and will prolly be putting out amazing music for years to come. Santogold’s debut album is an impressive first step in, what I hope will be, a very successful career.

And my fave album of 2008 is The Slip by Nine Inch Nails:

While most NIN albums follow a unified epic theme, The Slip is much less organized and offers tunes that can exist on their own. While I really loved the whole concept of their previous studio album Year Zero (which, incidentally, was my #1 album of 2007) I think I like the pared down nature of this album just as much. As I mentioned before, NIN ended their contract with their record company and are now in a position to release their own music when and how they like … for The Slip, Trent Reznor decided to give the album away to fans for free writing, “This one’s on me.” If you haven’t yet, click HERE to download this album in full for free. This album, by far, was my fave release of the year. I can only hope that NIN will be comin’ at us again soon with a new batch of music in the coming year.

Here are my fave singles of 2008:

1. Beyoncé – Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
2. Britney Spears – Womanizer
3. Lady Gaga featuring Colby Odonis – Just Dance
4. Mariah Carey – Touch My Body
5. Estelle & Kanye West – American Boy
6. M.I.A. – Paper Planes
7. Madonna – Give It 2 Me
8. Sara Bareilles – Love Song
9. Kid Rock — All Summer Long
10. Duffy – Warwick Avenue

What albums and singles made YOUR list for 2008? I’d love to hear what all y’all thought was the best music of the year.

Britney Spears’ latest CD, “Circus,” has landed her back at a familiar position — No. 1. The singer’s comeback CD — actually, make that her second comeback CD — will top the album charts next week, according to her label, Jive … estimates have the record selling as many as 500,000 copies in its first week of release. “This is going to reinforce her icon status,” said Barry Weiss, chairman and CEO of the BMG Label Group, which includes Spears’ label. “It’s not just a No. 1 album.” Indeed, it’s not. For Spears, who has rebounded after a disastrous year that included rehab, a custody battle for her two sons and court-ordered supervision by her father, it is another step in her bid to reclaim her status among pop’s elite. “At the end of the day, I think she is America’s pop princess, and the world’s pop princess, and this just reconfirms it to everyone who doubted it,” said her manager, Larry Rudolph. While her last CD, “Blackout,” also debuted at No.1 when it was released in October 2007, it quickly fizzled on the U.S. charts, despite receiving critical acclaim, because Spears didn’t really promote it amid the chaos in her life. Things appear to be different this time around. Spears has been showing off her dancing moves and taut body during high-profile appearances on shows like ABC’s “Good Morning America” and was also the focus of a documentary, “Britney: For the Record.” The special, executive produced by Rudolph, aired on MTV in the days before the release of “Circus.” “The documentary had a huge role,” said Rudolph. “People were able to see Britney, to see her tell her story. I think they got the true sense of who she is, and they appreciated it.” “Circus,” which debuted to mainly positive reviews, was released on the singer’s 27th birthday, Dec. 2. The CD’s first single, “Womanizer,” was a No. 1 hit, and her latest single, “Circus,” was the most added song at pop radio, her label said. Spears plans a nationwide tour that is set to kick off March 3 in New Orleans. Weiss said Jive decided to release “Circus” just a year after “Blackout” because of the strength of the music, and said recording the CD was a great constructive outlet for the singer. Rudolph said when it comes to crunching the numbers, Spears is not all that interested in how many copies she sold the first week or her chart positions. But, he added: “Professionally, she’s feeling great. … It’s great for her to hear that she’s got a No. 1 album again.” One of entertainment’s biggest names, Spears has been a multiplatinum sensation since she made her debut over a decade ago. She’s sold more than 30 million albums in the United States alone.

Woot! More great news for the Britney Comeback campaign. Unforth, this report is wrong in saying that Blackout debuted at #1 on the Soundscan chart last year … it actually debuted at #2 and The Eagles nabbed the #1 position. But that was last year, this is a whole new year … a whole new beginning for our dear Britney Spears. Much love and congrats on her latest #1 album … something tells me, it won’t be her last :)

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This photo is hawt, y’all. I love this artwork much better than the artwork for Womanizer. I am dying to hear remixes of Circus … the song is so infectious as it is, I bet the remixes are gonna rule.

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Posted from my BlackBerry :) Gettin’ on a plane now!

UPDATE: BritneySpears.com is reporting that this grainy version of the Circus video is NOT the final version and that a director’s cut of the vid is still set to premiere on Friday Thursday night. This music video is hot … can it even get any better? I guess we’ll find out.

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Britney Spears celebrated her 27th birthday Tuesday under the Big Top and before the TV cameras of Good Morning America. Dressed as a ringmaster, Spears made her entrance atop a circus wagon – accompanied by clowns, jugglers and performers dressed as circus animals. For her second number, “Womanizer,” Spears smashed through a fiery hoop. Afterwards, she announced that her concert tour would begin in New Orleans March 3. Then came the cake. The appearance, inside the Big Apple Circus tent within New York’s Lincoln Center, also marked the launch of Spears’s sixth studio album, Circus – her first CD since her 2007 comeback step, Blackout. As Spears announces on the title track (and delivered on GMA), “There are only two types of people in the world, the ones that entertain and the ones that observe.” GMA’s Robin Roberts called Spears’s appearance “our concert event of the year.” Claimed cohost Diane Sawyer about those gathered inside the circus tent, “There are about a gazillion people [here].” Among them: the pop star’s mother, Lynne Spears, and Britney’s two young sons, Preston and Jayden. Interspersed with the promos for Spears’s performance during Tuesday’s GMA were birthday greetings from the likes of Reese Witherspoon, John Travolta, Nicollette Sheridan, Teri Hatcher and PEOPLE’s newly named Sexiest Man Alive, Hugh Jackman – who sang “Happy Birthday” and blew her a kiss. “You look great,” Witherspoon relayed to Spears, “and I hope you have a great day.” Added Taylor Swift: “You have been officially awesome for 27 years.” On Sunday, Spears’s MTV special, Britney: For the Record, which documented some of her personal problems of the past year, was watched by more than 3.7 million viewers, according to the cable music network. Those are high numbers for MTV.

Seriously, this morning’s performances were truly a sight to see. The spectacle was totally worth getting up and out so early for. The production value, which I don’t think translated quite as well on live TV, was phenomenal. I am very much looking forward to seeing what sorts of tricks Britney’s got up her sleeves for her upcoming tour. Wade Robson, who is reportedly directing Britney’s new concert tour, was in the hiz this morning going over last minute touches right before she performed. It was all just very exciting to see her back in action. The crowd was just raucous the entire time … it was a blast. After the jump, check out video of Britney’s performances of Circus and Womanizer …

Lynne Spears certainly has plenty to be thankful for. In the past year, she has watched her famous daughter Britney crawl back from the brink. Just how did the 27-year-old singer rebound from her pair of forced hospitalizations and a long string of erratic behavior, including her quickly annulled Vegas wedding in 2004 and her infamous head-shaving in 2007? “With a lot of love and care and help,” Lynne said Thursday, speaking to the U.K.’s GMTV via satellite from New Orleans. “Sometimes you have to just settle down. You have to stop, think. And there’s a lot of people that care about Britney and love Britney – and Britney’s doing great now.” And while the singer still hasn’t regained custody of her two sons, Lynne had nothing but praise for her daughter’s parenting skills. “Oh she’s a wonderful mother – she’s funny, she’s extremely affectionate,” said the Spears matriarch, who was promoting her memoir, Through the Storm. “[At] home, where there’s nobody around, she’s very normal.” Britney – fresh off the success of her first single, “Womanizer” – is currently in Europe promoting her new album, Circus. And she’s scheduled to go on a worldwide concert tour next year. “I think Britney’s just ready to get started again,” said her mom. “I think this is when she’s most in her element.”

Ready or not (and I sincerely hope she’s ready), here she comes. It all gets underway tonight … Britney will take to the stage at the Bambi Awards for her first live performance since the 2007 MTV VMAs and will set in motion a musical comeback that will (hopefully) set the world on fire and allow her to soar to the heights of success and fame that she once enjoyed back in the day. This week will be a crazy whirlwind for our dear Britney … her schedule is jam-packed with appearances and performances — and we’re about to see if she can pull it off. My heart and my gut tell me that she can, I just hope they’re right. It’s on now, bitches. Can she really do it this time?

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Tickets for the dates on 3 and 4 June will go on general sale on 5 December – although fans who register with her website can buy them 24 hours earlier. “It’s going to be very special,” said Rob Hallett of tour promoter AEG. The concert, he said, would take its theme from her latest album The Circus, which is released next week. “We’re creating a musical circus,” he said. “Expect to see jugglers, dancers, tattooed ladies and acrobats.” According to the promoter, the concerts will be Spears’ only dates in Europe “for the foreseeable future”. Spears last performed in the UK in 2004 when her Onyx Hotel tour visited Birmingham, Glasgow, Belfast, Manchester and Wembley Arena in London. The 26-year-old will be in the capital this weekend to appear on ITV1 talent show The X Factor. Before that she will travel to Germany to attend the annual Bambi entertainment awards in Dusseldorf. The singer will be named best international pop star after achieving what organisers have called a “stunning comeback from an absolute low point”. “Britney Spears is back,” said host Hubert Burda. “Radiant and better than ever, the erstwhile idol has reclaimed her throne.” In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the performer admitted she felt “like an old person” now her much-documented troubles are behind her. “I go to bed at, like, 9.30 every night and I don’t go out or anything,” she is quoted as saying. “I just feel like an old fart.” Spears’ mother Lynne, meanwhile, has been telling the BBC how happy she is that her daughter has got her life back on track. “Britney wants to do it right,” she told Radio 5 Live’s Colin Paterson, attributing her recent turnaround to having “good people around her” and “lots and lots of prayer”.

From BritneySpears.com: Want to see Britney perform in London? You came to the right place!!! If you want to join the exclusive pre-sale to see Brit at London’s O2 Arena enter your email and postal code in the module on the upper-right side of our homepage!! You can also text BRITNEY to 81707 to join.

I’m not sure if the txt signup will work for folks outside of the UK but that is the information provided. The BBC report alludes that those who sign up with her official site will be allowed a 24-hour head-start in procuring tickets for next summer’s UK dates. Love it!!! It shant be long before the first US dates are officially announced … Woot!!!

Additionally, a new 30-second preview of Britney’s second music video Circus has been made available online. After the jump, check it out …