Filling Santa's sack - a wrap up of the big releases

EMI:

EMI:

Garth Brooks - Double Live. Recorded on the rhinestone cowboy's world tour, with bonus video of Garth's Croke Park concert, available in Ireland only.

Robbie Williams - I've Been Expecting You. With his second album, the boy wonder establishes himself as the most successful ex-member of Take That.

BMG:

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M People - Best Of M People. Led by the smooth vocals of Heather Small, this band are in the big league with two shows at Dublin's RDS next Sunday and Monday.

Five - Five. Boy band whose name has nothing to do with the average age of their fans.

Virgin:

Meat Loaf - Greatest Hits. He went through some lean times, but in recent years he has beefed up his sales.

Spice Girls - live at Wembley Stadium (Video). The Spice Girls are still big business, and their new single, Goodbye, is odds-on favourite to become their third Christmas number one.

Sony Music:

George Michael - Ladies & Gentlemen, The Best Of George Michael. Getting arrested for performing a lewd act in a public toilet hasn't harmed business.

B*Witched - B*Witched. The hottest pop product from Ireland this Christmas - with two sisters of Boyzone's Shane Lynch in the group, it looks like a pop dynasty is forming.

Cathy Vard - Follow Your Heart. With her first solo effort, the Vard Sister makes a bid to become the new Enya.

Warners:

Alanis Morissette - Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. A serious sales fix for the Canadian.

REM - Up. Having given the band an $80 million dollar advance, Warners won't be happy with this downbeat, uncommercial effort, but the critics are ecstatic.

Various Artists - 14 Shades. The latest "Celtic" compilation, featuring well-known songs by The Pogues, Christy Moore, The Corrs, Mary Coughlan and An Emotional Fish.

Universal/MCA:

Reba McEntire - Moment & Memories. With a TV special airing on RTE, and a Point concert in January, this US country star is expected to shake a few trees this Christmas.

Polygram:

Lighthouse Family - Postcards From Heaven. The album has been out for a year, but its soft soul formula still gets the cash registers ringing.

Boyzone - Where We Belong. At the top of the charts seems to be where Ronan and the Boyz belong.

Kevin Courtney

Kevin Courtney

Kevin Courtney is an Irish Times journalist