Rhino Scores First #1 Album as JUNO Soundtrack Tops the Billboard Chart

"Anyone Else But You" Debuts as Ringtone and Video

01/30/08 -- Rhino kicks off its 30th anniversary year in January with its first #1 album on the Billboard Album chart: the JUNO soundtrack. As the indie comedy phenomenon continues to gather steam (JUNO garnered four Academy Award® nominations, including one for Best Picture), its quirky soundtrack continues to rack up sales -- with an additional vinyl release in the wings.

The Junoverse expands next month as a limited-edition orange vinyl version of the JUNO soundtrack arrives on February 18 (suggested retail price: $13.98). February also brings a JUNO ringtone, Ellen Page and costar Michael Cera's cover of The Moldy Peaches' "Anyone Else But You," available from all major carriers. The charming duet, which closes the film, has also been added as a video on MTV.

The JUNO soundtrack was initially rolled out to digital retailers in December as the film was opening in select cities. JUNO has steadily gained momentum in the marketplace thanks to strong word of mouth -- and an unusual degree of synergy between the movie and its soundtrack. The film's young star, Ellen Page, suggested using the music of The Moldy Peaches, and the 19-track JUNO soundtrack includes eight songs featuring that band's Kimya Dawson. The album debuted on the Billboard Top 10 -- largely on the strength of digital sales.

The success of the JUNO soundtrack in the digital realm also speaks to the growth of that market. While the majority of downloads took place through iTunes, Amazon MP3, Zune, and iMeem also contributed significantly to sales, giving the album prominent placement on their respective home pages. A massive online campaign at Rhino including targeted emails, banner ads, and a comprehensive search engine marketing plan also drove digital sales.

"It's fitting that the JUNO soundtrack should become Rhino's first-ever #1 album," notes Rhino President Scott Pascucci. "Like Rhino, the soundtrack is a combination of quirky and cool that people seem to love. And the music works so perfectly with this brilliant film."

JUNO is Fox Searchlight Pictures' highest grossing domestic release to date. Directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking) and written by Diablo Cody, the film stars Ellen Page in the title role as a whip-smart Minnesota teen faced with an unplanned pregnancy from an afternoon with the charmingly unassuming Bleeker (Michael Cera). She and best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) find Juno's unborn baby the perfect set of parents in Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), an affluent suburban couple longing to adopt their first child. Along with the total support of her parents (JK Simmons and Allison Janney), Juno conquers her problems head-on, displaying a youthful exuberance both smart and unexpected.

Source: Rhino Entertainment

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