Prince can't dethrone "Now 25" on album chart

By Katie Hasty

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The "Now 25" hits compilation led the U.S. pop chart for a second week Wednesday, while Prince's latest album opened disappointingly at No. 3.

"Now 25," featuring recordings from the likes of Justin Timberlake and Carrie Underwood, sold 149,000 copies in the week ended July 29, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The soundtrack to "Hairspray" continued to zip up the Billboard 200, moving two places to No. 2 with 101,000. The movie was No. 4 at the box office last weekend.

Prince's "Planet Earth" arrived at No. 3 with 96,000 copies. Last year's "3121" bowed at No. 1 with 183,000, while 2004's "Musicology" reached No. 3 with 191,000.

Teen singer/actress Miley Cyrus' Disney double-disc set "Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus" fell two places to No. 4 with 92,000 copies. Rapper T.I.'s "T.I. vs. T.I.P." was also down two, to No. 5, with 64,000. Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie's solo debut, "The Dutchess," held tight at No. 6 with 53,000.

Canadian pop-punk outfit Sum 41's latest album, "Underclass Hero," bowed at No. 7 with 45,000 copies. The group's most recent effort, 2004's "Chuck," started at No. 10, but with 66,000 copies.

The top 10 was rounded out by Linkin Park's "Minutes to Midnight" (42,000 copies, down one place), Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" (40,000, down one), and Plain White T's' "Every Second Counts" (39,000, up 11). The pop-punk band has led the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks with its single "Hey There Delilah."

Helped by the success of his chart-topping daughter Miley, Billy Ray Cyrus was back in the top tier of the chart with "Home at Last" at No. 20. It's the first time the country singer has been in the top 20 since 1993's "It Won't Be the Last" peaked at No. 3.

Other big debuts included "Sexy Lady" singer Yung Berg's "Almost Famous (The Sexy Lady EP)" (No. 32), Marc Anthony's "El Cantante" soundtrack (No. 33), Tegan & Sara's "The Con" (No. 34) and Barlow Girl's "How Can We Be Silent" (No. 40).

Sales this week were down 1.8% compared with last week's sum at 7.97 million units and down 12.7% compared with the same week last year. Year-to-date sales are down 14.3% at 262.97 million.

Reuters/Billboard