Nielsen Issues Most Popular Lists for 2006

Nielsen Issues Most Popular Lists for 2006

NEW YORK, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Several Nielsen media tracking businesses today released a year-end look at the most popular media trends among Americans during 2006. This is the first time the Nielsen companies have released a compilation of "Top 10's" for the Nielsen brands. Going forward this information will be released publicly on a regular basis.

The Nielsen companies, owned by VNU, deliver the most comprehensive media and marketing measurement systems in the world. Media trends monitored by Nielsen include:

* Television
* Movies
* Videos
* Music
* Mobile
* Internet
* Books
* Advertising Trends

TELEVISION - from Nielsen Media Research

Top 10 TV Programs - Regularly Scheduled - 2006
% of Homes
in U.S.
Rank Programs Network (Rating)
1 AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY FOX 17.7
2 AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY FOX 17.2
3 DANCING WITH THE STARS ABC 12.7
4 CSI CBS 12.0
5 DANCING W/STARS RESULTS ABC 11.4
6 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC 11.1
7 CSI: MIAMI CBS 10.3
8 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 10.2
9 HOUSE FOX 10.0
10 DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON NBC 9.8
10 WITHOUT A TRACE CBS 9.8
Source: Nielsen Media Research

Note: Data from Dec 26, 2005 - Dec 17, 2006. Household Ratings include Live and Same Day timeshifted viewing.

Top 10 TV Programs - Single Telecasts - 2006

% of Homes
in U.S.
Rank Telecast Network Date Aired (Rating)
1 SUPER BOWL XL ABC 2/5/2006 41.6
2 SUPER BOWL POST GAME ABC 2/5/2006 29.0
3 ACADEMY AWARDS ABC 3/5/2006 23.1
4 ROSE BOWL ABC 1/4/2006 21.7
5 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 2/5/2006 21.0
6 FOX NFC CHAMPIONSHIP FOX 1/22/2006 20.8
7 AMERICAN IDOL-WED FOX 5/24/2006 20.5
8 AMERICAN IDOL-TUES FOX 1/24/2006 19.6
9 AMERICAN IDOL-TUES FOX 1/17/2006 19.3
10 AMERICAN IDOL-TUES FOX 3/21/2006 19.2
Source: Nielsen Media Research

Note: Data from Dec 26, 2005 - Dec 17, 2006. Household Ratings include Live and Same Day timeshifted viewing. Excludes telecasts under 5 minutes.

Top 10 "Timeshifted" Primetime TV Programs - 2006

% Increase
Rank Programs Network in Viewership
1 STUDIO 60 NBC 10.9
2 HEROES NBC 9.1
3 GILMORE GIRLS CW 7.9
4 AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL CW 7.7
5 30 ROCK NBC 7.5
5 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS NBC 7.5
7 NINE, THE ABC 6.7
7 SUPERNATURAL CW 6.7
9 KIDNAPPED NBC 6.6
9 ONE TREE HILL CW 6.6
9 SMALLVILLE CW 6.6
Source: Nielsen Media Research

Note: Data from Dec 26, 2005 - Dec 3, 2006. Percent Increase in viewership is based on difference between Live Household Ratings and Live+7.

MOVIES - from Nielsen EDI and Nielsen VideoScan

Top 10 Box Office - All Theatrical - 2006

Rank Title Cumulative Total US $ Open Date
1 Pirates of the
Caribbean: Dead $423,315,812 7/7/2006
2 Cars $244,082,982 6/9/2006
3 X-Men: The Last Stand $234,362,462 5/26/2006
4 The Da Vinci Code $217,536,138 5/19/2006
5 Superman Returns $200,081,192 6/28/2006
6 Ice Age: The Meltdown $195,330,621 3/31/2006
7 Over the Hedge $155,019,340 5/19/2006
8 Happy Feet $149,244,791 11/17/2006
9 Talladega Nights: The Ballad $148,213,377 8/4/2006
10 Casino Royale $137,501,384 11/17/2006
Source: Nielsen EDI
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 17, 2006, US and Canada Only

Top 10 Box Office - Animated Movies - 2006

Rank Title Cumulative Total US $ Open Date
1 Cars $244,082,982 6/9/2006
2 Ice Age: The Meltdown $195,330,621 3/31/2006
3 Over the Hedge $155,019,340 5/19/2006
4 Happy Feet $149,244,791 11/17/2006
5 Open Season $84,303,558 9/29/2006
6 Monster House $73,661,010 7/21/2006
7 Barnyard $72,637,803 8/4/2006
8 Flushed Away $61,607,497 11/3/2006
9 Curious George $58,360,760 2/10/2006
10 Hoodwinked $51,224,985 1/13/2006
Source: Nielsen EDI
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 17, 2006, US and Canada Only

Top 10 Box Office - Documentaries - 2006

Rank Title Cumulative Total US $ Open Date
1 An Inconvenient Truth $23,814,997 5/24/2006
2 Deep Sea 3-D $21,586,668 3/3/2006
3 Dave Chappelle's Block Party $11,718,595 3/3/2006
4 Roving Mars $5,342,643 1/27/2006
5 Wordplay $3,119,555 6/16/2006
6 Neil Young: Heart of Gold $1,828,069 2/10/2006
7 Who Killed The Electric Car $1,678,874 6/28/2006
8 Why We Fight $1,439,972 1/20/2006
9 The U.S. vs John Lennon $1,109,146 9/15/2006
10 Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Ma.. $1,044,254 6/21/2006
Source: Nielsen EDI
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 17, 2006, US and Canada Only

Top 10 DVD Sales - 2006

Retail
Release
Rank Title Distributor Date
1 Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire Warner Home Video 03-07-06
2 Chronicles of Narnia: The
Lion, The Witch, and
the Wardrobe Disney/Buena Vista Home Vid 04-04-06
3 Cars Disney/Buena Vista Home Vid 11-07-06
4 Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Man's Chest Disney/Buena Vista Home Vid 12-05-06
5 Wedding Crashers Warner Home Video 01-03-06
6 King Kong Universal Home Ent 03-28-06
7 Walk the Line 20th Century Fox Home Ent 02-28-06
8 Over the Hedge Paramount Home Video 10-17-06
9 Little Mermaid Disney/Buena Vista Home Vid 10-03-06
10 Chicken Little Disney/Buena Vista Home Vid 03-21-06
Source: Nielsen VideoScan

Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 10, 2006. Based on unit sales. Does not include sales from Wal-Mart. Most other sell-through retailers are included.

MUSIC - from Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BDS

Top 10 Albums - 2006

Rank Artist Album Units Sold
1 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL SOUNDTRACK 3,480,000
2 RASCAL FLATTS ME AND MY GANG 3,060,000
3 CARRIE UNDERWOOD SOME HEARTS 2,460,000
4 NICKELBACK ALL THE RIGHT REASONS 2,310,000
5 JAMES BLUNT BACK TO BEDLAM 2,060,000
6 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FUTURESEX/LOVE SOUNDS 1,950,000
7 DIXIE CHICKS TAKING THE LONG WAY 1,770,000
8 MARY J. BLIGE BREAKTHROUGH 1,750,000
9 VARIOUS ARTISTS NOW 21 1,640,000
10 BEYONCE B'DAY 1,600,000
Source: Nielsen SoundScan
Note: Data from Jan 2 - Dec 10 2006

Top 10 Most Digitally Downloaded Tracks - 2006

Rank Track Artist Units Sold
1 BAD DAY
(ALBUM VERSION) DANIEL POWTER 1,880,000
2 CRAZY
(ALBUM VERSION) GNARLS BARKLEY 1,525,000
3 TEMPERATURE
(ALBUM VERSION) SEAN PAUL 1,460,000
4 OVER MY HEAD
(CABLE CAR) FRAY 1,410,000
5 UNWRITTEN NATASHA BEDINGFIELD 1,320,000
6 HIPS DON'T LIE SHAKIRA (Featuring Wyclef) 1,290,000
7 DANI CALIFORNIA
(ALBUM VERSION) RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 1,200,000
8 SEXYBACK MAIN VERSION JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
FEATURING TI 1,190,000
9 MOVE ALONG ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS 1,180,000
10 LIPS OF AN ANGEL HINDER 1,120,000
Source: Nielsen SoundScan

Note: Data from Jan 2 - Dec 10 2006. A digital track may come from an album, a single or a standalone recording. Digital tracks are purchased and downloaded from providers in the U.S., including every major digital music retailer.

Top 10 Most Played Songs on the Radio - 2006

# of Times
Rank Songs Artist on Radio
1 Be Without You Mary J. Blige 395,995
2 Unwritten Natasha Bedingfield 336,276
3 Temperature Sean Paul 324,555
4 Me & U Cassie 312,073
5 Hips Don't Lie Shakira Feat. Wyclef Jean 308,903
6 Promiscuous Nelly Furtado Featuring Timbaland 292,264
7 Bad Day Daniel Powter 291,256
8 Check On It Beyonce Featuring Slim Thug 290,231
9 So Sick Ne-Yo 277,958
10 Over My Head
(Cable Car) Fray 276,601
Source: Nielsen BDS
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 18 2006

MOBILE - from Nielsen RingScan

Top 10 Mastertones - 2006

Rank Artist Title Units Sold
1 Akon Smack That 1,220,000
2 Justin Timberlake Sexy Back 1,130,000
3 Hinder Lips of an Angel 1,090,000
4 Ludacris Money Maker (Pharrell Chorus) 900,000
5 Jibbs Chain Hang Low 870,000
6 Justin Timberlake My Love 780,000
7 Beyonce Irreplaceable 690,000
8 Lil' Scrappy Money In The Bank 580,000
9 DJ Unk Walk It Out 580,000
10 Bow Wow Shortie Like Mine 570,000
Source: Nielsen RingScan

Note: Data only available from Sept 3 - Dec 10 2006. Mastertones are ringtones that play 20-30 seconds of the originally recorded song.

INTERNET - from Nielsen//NetRatings and Nielsen BuzzMetrics

Top 10 Web Brands - 2006

Rank Brand Total Web Page Views (000) Rounded to Billion
1 Yahoo! 354,460,178 354.5
2 MySpace 250,658,985 250.7
3 Google 147,678,643 147.7
4 eBay 143,350,272 143.4
5 MSN/Windows Live 141,217,768 141.2
6 AOL 73,064,337 73.1
7 Craigslist 27,064,482 27.1
8 Nickelodeon Kids
and Family Network 24,702,952 24.7
9 Comcast 23,490,249 23.5
10 Microsoft 23,224,640 23.2
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings
Note: Data from January 1 - Nov 30, 2006; U.S. Home and Work

Top 10 Cited Wikipedia Entries - 2006

Messages
Rank Term URL (Index)
1 Web 2.0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 206
2 Steve Irvin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin 161
3 Mark Foley
Scandal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Foley_scandal 142
4 Blog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog 147
5 Ajax http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX 133
6 World War II http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II 143
7 Snakes on
a Plane http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_on_a_plane 126
8 Meme http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme 132
9 Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki 129
10 RSS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format) 122
Source: Nielsen BuzzMetrics
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 10, 2006

BOOKS - from Nielsen BookScan

Top 10 Book Sales - Adult Fiction Hardcover - 2006

Publication Units
Rank Title Author Date Sold
1 FOR ONE MORE DAY ALBOM, MITCH 9/1/2006 813,000
2 BEACH ROAD PATTERSON, JAMES 5/1/2006 459,000
3 CELL KING, STEPHEN 1/1/2006 421,000
4 THE 5TH HORSEMAN PATTERSON, JAMES 2/1/2006 394,000
5 TWELVE SHARP EVANOVICH, JANET 6/1/2006 386,000
6 CROSS PATTERSON, JAMES 11/1/2006 371,000
7 THE DA VINCI CODE BROWN, DAN 3/1/2003 360,000
8 DEAR JOHN SPARKS, NICHOLAS 10/1/2006 359,000
9 JUDGE & JURY PATTERSON, JAMES 7/1/2006 330,000
10 TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE CLARK, MARY HIGGINS 4/1/2006 270,000
Source: Nielsen BookScan
Note: Sales from Jan 1 - Dec 10, 2006

Top 10 Book Sales - Adult Non Fiction Hardcover - 2006

Publication Units
Rank Title Author Date Sold
1 MARLEY & ME GROGAN, JOHN 11/1/2005 1,307,000
2 THE INNOCENT MAN GRISHAM, JOHN 10/1/2006 618,000
3 YOU: ON A DIET ROIZEN, MICHAEL F. 10/1/2006 579,000
4 CESAR'S WAY MILLAN, CESAR 4/1/2006 507,000
5 STATE OF DENIAL WOODWARD, BOB 10/1/2006 465,000
6 FREAKONOMICS LEVITT, STEVEN D. 5/1/2005 423,000
7 THE AUDACITY OF HOPE OBAMA, BARACK 10/1/2006 402,000
8 THE WORLD IS FLAT FRIEDMAN, THOMAS L. 4/1/2006 400,000
9 I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK EPHRON, NORA 8/1/2006 367,000
10 CULTURE WARRIOR O'REILLY, BILL 9/1/2006 358,000
Source: Nielsen BookScan
Note: Sales from Jan 1 - Dec 10, 2006

Top 10 Audio Book Sales - Includes Adult and Juvenile - 2006

Publication Units
Rank Title Author Date Sold
1 YOUR BEST LIFE NOW OSTEEN, JOEL 10/1/2004 44,000
2 COMPLETE SPANISH:
THE BASICS LIVING LANGUAGE 7/1/2005 43,000
3 MARLEY & ME GROGAN, JOHN 11/1/2005 35,000
4 THE DA VINCI CODE
(UNABRIDGED) BROWN, DAN 3/1/2006 35,000
5 INSPIRATION DYER, WAYNE W. 2/1/2006 26,000
6 BEACH ROAD PATTERSON, JAMES 5/1/2006 25,000
7 THE DA VINCI CODE
(ABRIDGED) BROWN, DAN 3/1/2006 25,000
8 THE WORLD IS FLAT FRIEDMAN, THOMAS L. 4/1/2006 25,000
9 JUDGE & JURY PATTERSON, JAMES 7/1/2006 25,000
10 LEARN IN YOUR CAR
SPANISH LEVEL 1 RAYMOND, HENRY N 3/1/2003 24,000
Source: Nielsen BookScan
Note: Sales from Jan 1 - Dec 10, 2006

ADVERTISING - from Nielsen Monitor-Plus and Nielsen Product Placement

Top 10 Advertisers - by U.S. Spending on Traditional Media - 2006

05 vs 06
Rank Advertisers Ad $ Spent % Change
1 Procter & Gamble Co. $2,903,645,851 2.91
2 General Motors Corp. $1,953,993,498 -15.72
3 AT&T Inc. $1,440,567,658 46.75
4 Ford Motor Co. $1,429,333,335 13.19
5 Daimlerchrysler AG $1,299,331,574 -5.63
6 Time Warner Inc. $1,165,728,375 -11.74
7 Verizon Communications Inc. $1,131,024,907 19.96
8 Toyota Motor Corp. $1,087,515,526 14.50
9 Altria Group Inc. $1,038,685,970 -0.69
10 Walt Disney Co. $1,028,170,671 1.33
Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus

Note: Data from Jan 1-Oct 31, 2006. Based on spending estimates in the following media: Network TV, Cable TV,

Spot TV, Syndicated TV, Hispanic TV, Nat'l/Local Magazine, Network/Spot Radio, Outdoor, FSI (CPGs only), Nat'l/Local Newspapers (display ads only), Nat'l/Local Sunday Supplements.

Top 10 Advertisers by U.S. Spending - ONLINE - 2006

Rank Company Ad $ Spent Online
1 GUS Plc $ 659,121,200
2 Vonage Holdings Corp $ 294,882,000
3 Netflix, Inc. $ 242,549,800
4 NexTag, Inc. $ 232,199,900
5 Verizon Communications, Inc. $ 183,073,200
6 United Online, Inc. $ 178,519,800
7 Monster Worldwide, Inc. $ 108,445,000
8 Time Warner Inc. $ 105,595,200
9 InterActiveCorp $ 101,679,500
10 Apollo Group, Inc. $ 91,067,100
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance
Note: Data from Jan 1-Nov 30, 2006.

Top 10 Brands: Product Placement, Broadcast Network TV - 2006

Total # of
Rank Brand Occurrences
1 COCA-COLA SOFT DRINKS 3346
2 CHEF REVIVAL APPAREL 1592
3 NIKE APPAREL 1245
4 24 HOUR FITNESS FITNESS CTRS-CLUBS 858
5 CHICAGO BEARS FTBL TM 600
6 CINGULAR WIRELESS TELEPH SVCS-WIRELESS 532
7 STARTER APPAREL 494
8 DELL COMPUTER SYS 494
9 SLS ELECTRONIC EQUIP SPEAKERS 489
10 NIKE SPRT FTWR 471
Source: Nielsen Product Placement
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 12, 2006

Top 10 Programs: Product Placement, Broadcast Network TV - 2006

Total # of
Rank TV Program Network Occurrences
1 AMERICAN IDOL FOX 4086
2 AMAZING RACE CBS 2790
3 EXTREME MAKEOVER HOME EDITION ABC 2701
4 THE BIGGEST LOSER NBC 2405
5 AMERICAS NEXT TOP MODEL UPN/CW 2309
6 HELLS KITCHEN FOX 1909
7 THE APPRENTICE NBC 1831
8 KING OF QUEENS CBS 1742
9 ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA CBS 1609
10 BIG BROTHER 7 CBS 1591
Source: Nielsen Product Placement
Note: Data from Jan 1 - Dec 12, 2006

Additional Media Contacts

Nielsen Media Research: Brandi Preston, 646.654.8391
Nielsen EDI: Michael Marcell, 323.860.4670
Nielsen VideoScan: David Hoffman, 323.817.1526
Nielsen SoundScan/BDS/RingScan: Anna Loynes, 213.639.6167
Nielsen//NetRatings: Suzy Bausch, 408.941.2965
Nielsen BuzzMetrics: Sandra Parrelli, 646.654.7772
Nielsen BookScan: Cara Milo, 914.684.5505
Nielsen Monitor-Plus and Product Placement: Laura Czaja, 646.654.8681

About VNU

VNU is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research and Nielsen Entertainment), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Computing, Intermediair) and trade shows. The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. VNU employs 42,000 people.

For more information, please visit the VNU website at: www.vnu.com

Source: Nielsen; VNU

CONTACT: Gary Holmes, +1-646-654-8975, or Karen Gyimesi,
+1-646-654-8631

Web site: http://www.nielsenmedia.com/
http://www.vnu.com/

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