With a successful yet controversial 70-date concert tour and <ahref=https://www.ticketnews.com/hannah-montana-sings-to-the-top-in-weekend-movie-grosses>3-D movie in the books, Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records are planning to release the new Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus “Best of Both Worlds Concert” CD+DVD for an exclusive period at Wal-Mart beginning March 11 — one month before its full retail rollout. The special CD+DVD package, featuring 14 live tracks from her recent concert tour, will retail at $13.88 in all Wal-Mart stores and on the company’s website.
Multi-talented Miley Cyrus has proved to be a marketing cash cow for Disney over the past couple of years. Her comedy TV series “Hannah Montana” is the No. 1 cable TV series for kids age 6-14, and last year, Cyrus’ triple platinum Hannah Montana soundtrack became the first ever TV soundtrack to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200. Cyrus also became the youngest artist to have two No. 1 hits in less than a year. In 2007, the 15-year old followed that record with a two-disc set, Hannah Montana 2 / Meet Miley Cyrus, which reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 200 and has since earned triple-platinum status.
But at the same time, the singer and her alter-ego, and by extension Disney and tour promoter AEG Live, became a flashpoint for some of the ills affecting the touring and ticketing industries, such as withheld tickets, exorbitant prices, the use of aggressive software to scoop up tickets and other problems. All of which prompted a blizzard of bad press for all involved and a spate of governmental investigations and proposed bills to clean up the practices.
By late January Cyrus completed a 70-date sold out concert tour and by mid-February had the No. 1 film in the country with the Walt Disney Pictures 3-D release, “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.”
The two-disc “Best of Both Worlds Concert” CD/DVD contains seven by the “Hannah Montana” character, including a duet of “We Got the Party” with the Jonas Brothers, and seven by Miley Cyrus. Also included is a bonus DVD featuring two live video performances from the “Best of Both Worlds” concert tour –“Rock Star” (Hannah Montana) and “Start All Over” (Miley Cyrus) — as well as behind-the-scenes footage from the sold-out concert tour.
“We have promised to bring our customers fantastic Hannah Montana merchandise at the most affordable prices throughout the year,” said Janet Bareis, marketing vice president for Wal-Mart, in a statement. “This new CD/DVD will also be accompanied by new and exclusive merchandise for spring, just in time for Easter and Spring Break.”