THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR J.LO

Hey, there's no one we like to see more of than Jennifer Lopez, so we've been thoroughly enjoying Epic Records' massive worldwide promotional/ marketing campaign for her sophomore album, "J.Lo," which hit the street on Tuesday with first-week sales looking to top 250k. That total would land her at or near the top of this week's albums chart, as "Save The Last Dance," Shaggy and The Beatles make it an interesting four-way competition.

This week, the power of multimedia campaigns from Sony's music label and movie studio have her seemingly everywhere. Her new movie, "The Wedding Planner," co-starring Matthew McConaughey, arrives tomorrow, and record company officials are feverishly working with their film counterparts to help Lopez achieve the unprecedented coup of having the #1 album and movie in the same week.

And that's only the beginning: Just wait until she's called as a defense witness at Puffy's trial. It's almost enough to make you tune in ot Court TV.

Epic Records Group President Polly Anthony is pulling out all the stops, including this quote: "The album significantly raises the stakes in her musical career. Whether you are talking about radio, the dance floor or CD players everywhere, this is going to be one of the hottest, most-listened-to releases of the year."

• The label is committed to breaking the record around the world, with 2.5 million albums being shipped, half of them in the U.S. Her debut album, "On The 6," sold 110k copies its first week, going on to sell more than 5 million.
• The first single, "Love Don't Cost A Thing," which has already been heard by more than 90 million listeners, is Top Five at Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythm radio. It's also #1 in eight countries and the Most Played track in Europe. "Programmers embraced the single immediately, and their listeners embraced it just as quickly," says Epic Records Group Executive VP Promotion Hilary Shaev, who thought of that right off the Battier.
• Lopez appeared on "Live With Regis" and Jay Leno this week, with upcoming appearances slated for "TRL at the Super Bowl" on CBS-TV this Sunday before the big game and Letterman next Wednesday (1/31). She will guest-host and sing on "SNL" Feb. 10. The video for "Love Don't Cost A Thing" is the #1 Most Played Video at MTV.
• Cover stories are appearing in Rolling Stone, Allure, Seventeen, Marie Claire and In Style.
• Major value-added retail promotions are taking place at Trans World, Wal-Mart, Tower, Wherehouse and major Urban indies. Lopez did an in-store at Virgin Megastore in L.A. yesterday that drew a huge crowd and massive TV coverage.
• New media is also in the mix. Lopez did an online chat on MSN Monday, which linked to an online listening party at JenniferLopez.com, where the album was streamed in Windows Media, with security courtesy of Reciprocal. The cd also contains embedded links, which allow buyers to access exclusive web-based bonus features via ConnecteD technology.
• Epic Exec. VP Worldwide Marketing Steve Barnett stopped ogling the outtakes from the photo shoot to credit manager Benny Medina with contributing to the setup and to call the superstar "a real triple threat. She is proof you can do it all and do it well. Unlike you losers, who offer proof anybody can launch a lame website."