Daughtry claims second No. 1 on U.S. album chart

Daughtry lead singer Chris Daughtry (R) and other band members speak after winning the award for favorite rock/pop band, duo or group at the 2008 American Music Awards in Los Angeles November 23, 2008.

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Rock band Daughtry debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. pop chart Wednesday, ending a three-week stretch in which Michael Jackson claimed the top-selling album.

Daughtry's "Leave This Town" sold 269,000 units during the week ended July 19, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

It marks the Chris Daughtry-fronted band's second No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Its self-titled freshman set debuted at No. 2 with 304,000 units in 2006. It went to No. 1 in its ninth week, an incredible feat considering that most No. 1 albums get to No. 1 by debuting there.

Michael Jackson mania isn't over on the charts. His albums, which are not eligible for the Billboard 200 since they were released more than 18 months ago, loomed large on the Top Comprehensive Albums chart, which combines current and catalog releases. His 2003 "Number Ones" hits collection shifted 192,000 copies, good for No. 2 behind Daughtry.

All told, Jackson claimed six out of the top 10 on Top Comprehensive Albums, including "The Essential Michael Jackson" (125,000), "Thriller" (114,000), "Off the Wall" (68,000), "Bad" (61,000) and "Dangerous" (55,000).

Last week's Billboard 200 champ, Maxwell's "BLACKsummers'night," slipped to No. 2 with 103,000. The "Hannah Montana 3" soundtrack was also down one, to No. 3, with 73,000, as was the "Now 31" compilation at No. 4 with 69,000. The Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." held at No. 5 with 54,000.

White Stripes frontman Jack White's latest side project, the Dead Weather, saw its first album "Horehound" enter at No. 6 with 51,000. White is joined by Alison Mosshart (of the Kills), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age) and Jack Lawrence (of the Greenhornes and White's other project the Raconteurs). All told, this is the sixth top 10 album for White, counting his three top 10s with the White Stripes, two with the Raconteurs and the new Dead Weather set.

R&B singer Joe claimed his fourth top 10 album and second in less than a year as "Signature" arrived at No. 7 with 49,000 copies. Last October, "Joe Thomas, New Man" entered and peaked at No. 8 with 54,000.

Rapper Twista debuted at No. 8 with "Category F5," which sold 45,000 copies. Taylor Swift's "Fearless" rose one to No. 9 with 37,000, and Kings of Leon's "Only By the Night" jumped four to No. 10 with 33,000.

Overall album sales totaled 6.78 million units, down 6.8 percent compared to the sum last week and down 9.3% compared to the same sales week of 2008. Year-to-date album sales stand at 195.4 million, down 13.9 percent compared to the same total at this point last year.

(Editing by DeanGoodman at Reuters)