andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Madonna’s greatest hits album, Celebration, has reached number one on the charts in the United Kingdom, reports Perez Hilton. This is the eleventh time the songstress has reached the top spot across the pond, tying her with Elvis and putting her right behind The Beatles for most number one albums.

The most successful female solo artist of all time has also entered the British record books for spending more weeks than any other female solo artist- 29 – at the top of the Official UK Album Chart and having the most number one singles for a female solo artist – 13. She has had the number one album and single simultaneously four times, a record for a female solo artist.

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How much is your music collection worth?

For one Pennsylvanian man, the answer is: $3 million.

That’s how much Paul Mawhinney’s collection of more than three million vinyl albums, singles and CDs — including an unreleased, untitled Rolling Stones album of early singles and first editions of Elvis Presley’s “Christmas Album” from 1957 — sold for on EBay.

As andPOP previously reported, the asking price was $3 million. The buyer from Ireland will shell out $3,002,150 to be exact, and has already deposited $300,000.

A bank has confirmed he has enough money for the rest of the payment, according to Mawhinney.

EBay spokeswoman Karen Bard says the sale is one of their highest ever recorded, though it falls a couple million short of a Gulfstream jet that sold for $4.9 million.

Mawhinney, 68, first started collecting decades ago and opened a store called Record Rama Sound Archives near Pittsburgh. Due to failing health, he decided to close the store after 40 years and sell his collection so he could spend more time with his wife, three children and five grandchildren.

On the 30th anniversary of his death, Elvis Presley is back atop the list of Forbes.com’s Top-Earning Dead Celebrities.

Presley earned an estimated $49 million in the past 12 months to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the list, a position he last held in 2005.

He was unseated temporarily last year by Kurt Cobain, who was at No. 1 after his widow Courtney Love sold his song catalogue for a reported $50 million US.

Although Presley died in 1977, his estate continues to earn millions from music royalties, DVDs, licensing deals and tourism at Graceland, the singer’s mansion in Memphis, Tenn. A show based on Presley’s music is also in the works.

Close behind Presley on the list was John Lennon, with earnings of $44 million.

His Apple recording company resolved its dispute with the Apple computer company earlier this year, paving the way for Lennon’s music, and all of the former Beatles’ solo music, to go online.

Lennon’s earnings were also boosted by Cirque du Soleil’s creation of the “Love” show, based on Beatles music.

Rounding out the rest of the list were Charles M. Schulz ($35 million), George Harrison ($22 million), Albert Einstein ($18 million), Andy Warhol ($15 million), Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) ($13 million), Tupac Shakur ($9 million), Marilyn Monroe ($7 million), Steve McQueen ($6 million), James Brown ($5 million), Bob Marley ($4 million) and James Dean ($3.5 million).

U.S. writer, actor and filmmaker Adam Muskiewicz is trying to put the rumours of whether Elvis Presley is really dead or not to rest.

Reuters is reporting that a $3 million reward is being offered for anyone that finds Presley alive. Muskiewicz and a friend set up a web site (elviswanted.com) in order to get publicity and the public involved in their new documentary exploring whether Elvis is still alive or not.

“The hoaxing of Elvis Presley’s death is the biggest myth in the history of pop culture. Does it have any merit? What are the facts behind it?” the site states.

“Right now, about 75 percent (of those interviewed) definitely think he’s dead,” Muskiewicz told Reuters. “About 25 percent think he’s alive.”

The 29th anniversary of Elvis’ death was on Aug. 16.

Elvis Costello

Audio- tracks off his upcoming album:
Almost Blue
Watching the Detectives
God Give Me Strength