Washington, DC - The Backstreet Boys were the best-selling recording act of 1999 according to the Recording Industry Association of America's Gold®, Platinum®, Multi-Platinum™ and Diamond® Awards. The quintet's second album, "Millennium" reached Diamond® award sales of 10 million, a level matched only by Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time." The Backsteet Boys also added to their yearly sales total with the continued success of their 1997 debut, "Backstreet Boys," which advanced from U.S. sales of nine million to 12 million.

With the notable exception of the Backstreet Boys and Ricky Martin, female artists dominated the year. Teen sensation Britney Spears was the year's top female with sales of 10 million. Top Country artist, Shania Twain roped in sales of nine million albums while the Dixie Chicks garnered eight million. Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and TLC each took in six million sales over the year.

"This has been another phenomenal year for the Backstreet Boys, proving that their sensational rookie year was no fluke," said Hilary Rosen, President and CEO of RIAA. "The success of women artists was just as impressive. It is especially significant since they dominated a wide range of genres from pop to country and hip-hop music."

1999 Year-End Highlights Shania Twain's "Come On Over," was 1999's top-selling country album. It sold nine million copies during the year, bringing its total to 16 million. Twain's album is now tied with Garth Brooks' "No Fences" as the best-selling country title of all-time. The Dixie Chicks sold a combined total of eight million units of their two albums, "Wide Open Spaces" and "Fly."

TLC's "Fanmail" and Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill" were the year's top hip-hop albums. TLC's album, which is certified at the five million mark, produced two Gold® singles - "No Scrubs" and "Unpretty." Hill's album, which won five Grammy Awards in February, sold four million copies in 1999-bringing its sales total to seven million. 2Pac's "Greatest Hits" was the year's top hard-core rap album at five times Platinum®.

Ricky Martin's first English language album, "Ricky Martin," was awarded sales of six million copies, making it the year's top-selling album by a male solo artist. The success of the album and the dance craze Platinum® single "Livin' La Vida Loca" spearheaded a Latin pop surge and put a spotlight on other Multi-Platinum™ artists of Hispanic heritage -- Santana, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez.

Santana made the year's most dramatic comeback. The group's "Supernatural" album sold five million this year, making it their all-time best seller. Santana has the current number one single with the Platinum®-seller, "Smooth." Another resurgent music veteran, Cher, made a triple-Platinum® comeback with her album, "Believe."

The year's top rock successes included Kid Rock's "Devil Without A Cause" and Limp Bizkit's "Significant Other," both of which are at the five million sales level. Metallica's "Garage, Inc." is at four million.

The top debut stories, aside from Britney Spears, were the quadruple-Platinum® success of Christina Aguilera's self-titled debut, and the triple-Platinum® success of Lou Bega's "A Little Bit Of Mambo" and Eminem's "Slim Shady." Top soundtracks for the year were "Tarzan" and "Wild Wild West" which took in two million sales each during the year. The classical album of the year is Andrea Bocelli's double-Platinum® "Sogno."

The Top 10 Certified Albums of 1999 Backstreet Boys, "Millenium," Jive Records, 10 million Britney Spears, "...Baby One More Time," Jive Records, 10 million Shania Twain, "Come On Over," Mercury Nashville, 9 million (currently at 16x platinum) Ricky Martin, "Ricky Martin," C2/Columbia Records, 6 million Dixie Chicks, "Wide Open Spaces," Sony Nashville, 5 million (currently at 8x platinum) Kid Rock, "Devil Without A Cause," Lava/Atlantic Records, 5 million Limp Bizkit, "Significant Other," Flip/Interscope Records, 5 million Santana, "Supernatural," Arista Records, 5 million 2Pac, "Greatest Hits," Interscope Records, 5 million TLC, "Fanmail," LaFace/Arista Records, 5 million

Other December Highlights Britney Spears is the youngest artist to receive a Diamond® Award with "...Baby One More Time," which hit the 10 million sales mark this month. Spears, the 18-year old pop sensation breaks the record previously held by Alanis Morissette, who was 21 when she released her Diamond® album, "Jagged Little Pill" in 1995.

The Backstreet Boys are the first act to reach Diamond® Award status with its first two U.S. album releases. Their current album "Millennium" is at 10 million and their previous album, "Backstreet Boys" is now at 12 million.

Mariah Carey lands her ninth consecutive triple-Platinum® album with "Rainbow." Carey is the first female artist in music history to reach triple-Platinum® with her first nine releases.

Metallica's "Metallica" is certified at 12 million, lengthening its lead a s the best-selling hard rock/heavy metal album of the 1990's. The band's 1988 album, "...And Justice For All" is at seven million.

Kenny G's "Faith: A Holiday Album" is double-Platinum®. It is the instrumentalist's follow-up to "Miracles: The Holiday Album," which is the best-selling Christmas album of all time with sales of eight million.

A complete list of 1999 year-end Gold®, Platinum® and Multi-Platinum™ awards is available upon request or may be accessed through the RIAA web site at www.riaa.com. The December 1999 month-end listing to date is attached. All certifications are calculated by Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman. RIAA awards are based on manufacturer's unit shipments and dollar value, net after returns.