Nearly two years later, Lewis looks more like a true prophet than a tireless promoter. Twain's Come On Over may still trail Jackson's Eighties epic by fifteen million copies sold, but the country crossover smash album has been certified platinum eleven times and has racked up American sales worth over $100 million. More amazingly, it has sold with a stunning consistency at a time when hit albums today are lucky to spend ten weeks in the Top 10. To date, the eighty-eight-week-old Come On Over has quietly logged forty-four weeks inside that high-rent district. Its lowest chart position on the Billboard 200? No. 17 back in April of 1998.

Twain has accomplished her stratospheric sales status without the benefit of posting truly blockbuster weekly sales numbers. Her biggest tally to date was back in December of 1997, when Come On Over sold 316,000 copies in one week, according to SoundScan. By comparison, stars such as Ricky Martin, Limp Bizkit and the Backstreet Boys have all posted 600,000-weeks this year. Twain's commercial secret? Slow and steady; she has sold more than 100,000 copies of Come On Over in a week thirty-three times, a truly unheard of accomplishment today.

Twain has built her success the old-fashioned way, with a string of non-stop hit singles, glossy videos (along with plenty of prime-time television performances), and a sold-out American tour which continues to boost and expand her fan base. "On the same record, and without even trying, she's been able to come out with so many different images that she hits a different audience every time she comes through on tour," says Phoenix promoter Danny Zelisko.

He's referring to the fact when Come On Over was released Twain was considered a country singer, earning a No. 1 Nashville single with "Love Gets Me Every Time." She quickly morphed into a pop balladeer with hits "You're Still the One" and "From This Moment On." Then she went back to country for another No. 1 single, "Honey, I'm Home," and has since returned to the pop arena with "That Don't Impress Me Much," and her just-released eighth (yes, eighth) Come On Over single, "You've Got a Way."

Despite the commercial juggernaut, Come On Over has one prize missing from its resume: the celebrated album has never gone to No. 1. It came close during its debut week in November of 1997, when the record logged in at No. 2, trailing Mase's Harlem World by a mere 3,200 copies. Seventeen months later, riding the wave of her Top 5 pop single, "You're Still the One," the album climbed back up to No. 3. But now, after eighty-eight weeks in stores it seems unlikely Come On Over will be able to mount another serious run at the top spot. Since the album was first released, Twain has watched thirty different albums fly by on their way to No. 1. Most of them, though, have been quickly forgotten while Come On Over remains camped out in the Top 10.

By: Eric Boehlert