Singer Maxwell Continues Streak of #1's as 'Pretty Wings' Tops the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

Singer Maxwell continues his streak of #1's as "Pretty Wings," the first single from his widely received fourth studio album, BLACKsummers'night, reaches the top spot on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. This gives the artist his first #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in ten years.

BLACKsummers'night, Maxwell's long-awaited fourth studio album, entered the Billboard Top 200 at #1 following its release on July 7 and garnered the artist his best career sales week. BLACKsummers'night, has achieved RIAA Gold status, having sold more than 500,000 copies in only four weeks since its release.

  --  #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 chart with BLACKsummers'night
      (Maxwell's second consecutive #1 album debut and best career sales
      week)


  --  #1 for three weeks on all R&B Album sales charts, BLACKsummers'night


  --  #1 on the iTunes R&B Album chart, BLACKsummers'night


  --  #1 on the iTunes R&B Singles chart, "Pretty Wings"


  --  #1 for four weeks on Top Single Sales chart, "Pretty Wings"


  --  #1 Song on the full R&B Panel, "Pretty Wings".  Replacing Drake's run
      at the top of the chart.


  --  #1 on America's Urban Adult for the sixth week, "Pretty Wings"

While "Pretty Wings" enters its seventh week at #1, "Bad Habits," the lead track and second single from BLACKsummers'night, is rapidly approaching a top five position on the chart.

Maxwell began redefining classic soul music for a new generation with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in April 1996. Fueled in part by the RIAA gold single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," the Grammy-nominated Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was certified platinum in March 1997, less than a year after its release, and achieved double platinum status, in recognition of sales of more than 2 million copies in the U.S. alone, in 2002. Maxwell followed up with his MTV Unplugged EP, released in July 1997 and certified gold in September 1999. His second full-length album, Embrya, was released in June 1998 and certified platinum in May 1999. Another Maxwell single, the hit "Fortunate," was certified gold in June 1999. Maxwell's third album, Now (2001) debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart; selling 300,000 copies its maiden week and eventually also reaching double platinum status. To date, Maxwell has achieved 10 gold and platinum certifications from the RIAA for his albums and singles.

  musze.com
  myspace.com/maxwell
  twitter.com/_maxwell_

  columbiarecords.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: Columbia Records

CONTACT: Yvette Noel-Schure, Columbia Records, +1-212-833-4483, Fax:
+1-212-833-8536, yvette.noel-schure@sonymusic.com; or Rebecca Shapiro, Shore
Fire Media, +1-718-522-7171 x16, rshapiro@shorefire.com

Web Site: http://www.columbiarecords.com/