 The album was released in Europe in mid-February 2000 and the US on 7 March.It had been released worldwide by the end of March, except in Sweden where a shipment of 20,000 copies was delayed for at least four weeks due to a legal dispute with a local band there that also used the name "M2M".In December 1999 Warner Music Group, which owns Atlantic Records, stated they expected to sell at least five to six million copies of "Shades of Purple".