Lady A Leads the Way

LADY YAY: With all its much-publicized problems, EMI not only has the year’s best-selling album in Lady Antebellum (2.2m), but also a potentially even bigger one in Katy Perry, whose “California Gurls” smash racked up another 300k this week and has just passed 1m, with a second single being launched before the album streets. This impressive performance under trying circumstances can be partly attributed to the leadership and marketing expertise of Greg Thompson, whose 2008 hiring may well have been the smartest executive move made during the Guy Hands era. The veteran was brought in by Jason Flom and then-consultant Roger Ames. (6/10p)