'Don't Stop Believin'' in the Music of Journey: Downloads Of Definitive Power Ballad Jump 482% in Wake of Tony Soprano's Final Cut-to-Black

"The Sopranos" may be over, but the timeless music of Journey lives on. After Journey's classic power ballad "Don't Stop Believin'" served as the soundtrack to the climactic final set-piece of HBO's hit mafia family television series, download sales of the song on iTunes rocketed an incredible 482% for the period from Saturday, June 9 (the night before "The Sopranos" finale) through Tuesday, June 12.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060130/LEGACYLOGO )

As downloads of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" reached record numbers, demand for the band's CD catalog began accelerating. By Thursday, June 14, sales for Journey's "Greatest Hits" album had increased 104% at Best Buy; 98% at Borders; 97% at Target; and 40% at Circuit City.

During a typical week, "Don't Stop Believin'," a perennial favorite, averages roughly 1,000 downloads per day on iTunes. On Sunday, June 10 (immediately post-finale), that number jumped to 2,491. On Monday, June 11, that figure hit 6,531. By Wednesday, June 13, the song was #1 on the iTunes Music Rock Chart and #18 on the iTunes Music Top 100 chart, a phenomenally strong showing for a track that's turning 26 this year.

Following its original release in 1981, "Don't Stop Believin'," the second single from Journey's groundbreaking chart-topping "Escape" album, peaked at #8 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and at #9 on the Pop Singles chart. Propelled by what the All Music Guide has called "one of the best opening keyboard riffs in rock," "Don't Stop Believin'" quickly established itself as one of Journey's signature songs while defining the possibilities of the classic rock power ballad.

Like the rest of the Journey catalog, "Don't Stop Believin'" continues to connect with the hearts and lives of pop music lovers. The song has been a perennial favorite with producers and directors of both movies and television. It was featured memorably in "Monster," starring Charlize Theron, and last made its way into the iTunes Top 10 most downloaded list in 2005 following same-week appearances on both Fox's "Family Guy" and MTV's "Laguna Beach."

"Don't Stop Believin'" hit a grand slam in 2005 when it became the unofficial theme song for the Chicago White Sox, World Series Champions. Journey frontman Steve Perry performed the song at the World Series Championship celebration in Chicago.

www.legacyrecordings.com

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060130/LEGACYLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: Legacy Recordings

CONTACT: Tom Cording, VP of Media Relations, Legacy Recordings,
+1-212-833-4448, Tom.Cording@sonybmg.com

Web site: http://www.legacyrecordings.com/