Christian music sales skyrocket

Sales of Christian music shot up 33 percent in the wake of the terror attacks of Sept. 11. By Dec. 31, the industry is expected to pull in over $30 million more than last year.

While sales for CDs in general have dropped 4 percent, Christian music sales have increased 9 percent.

Because of rising sales figures and high-chart rankings, many retail stores have cleared more space on their shelves for Christian music.

“Just over the last month or so, Target dramatically increased the space given to Christian music in their stores,” said Richard Pelusa of Chordant Distribution Group, as reported by the Associated Press.

“The American public is very open now to communication and messages and ideas that are encouraging and have values, versus art for art’s sake.”

Radio host shot, killed in London

DJ Village, disc jockey for the BBC’s Radio 1, was shot and killed during a gang fight Tuesday in London. Horrace Pinnock (DJ Village), 24, was a reggae DJ for the station.

The incident is the latest in a rash of gang-related scuffles in London. Dance aficionado Neutrino was shot earlier this year and hip-hop DJ Tim Westwood was injured in 1999.

One school bans Harry Potter books

A Seventh-day Adventist elementary school in Australia has banned the popular Harry Potter books, claiming the stories promote witchcraft and that adults in the books are “held up to ridicule,” according to principal Jean Mack.

– Information gathered by Bethany Kohoutek from the Associated Press and billboard.com