Keys tops U.S. pop chart as overall sales slide

NEW YORK (Billboard) - R&B singer Alicia Keys' "As I Am" led the U.S. pop album charts for a second consecutive week Wednesday, while the soundtrack to Oscar-nominated movie "Juno" rose one place to No. 2.

Keys sold just 61,000 copies in the week ended January 20, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. It's the lowest tally for a chart-topper since the "Dreamgirls" soundtrack moved about 60,000 copies in the week ended January 14, 2007.

Overall sales were woeful, at just 6.98 million units -- down 4% from last week, and 9% from the year-ago period.

The "Juno" disc sold 58,000 copies. The album earned four Academy Award nominations on Tuesday, including best picture and director. Mary J. Blige's "Growing Pains" rose one to No. 3 with 52,000. Radiohead's "In Rainbows" fell two to No. 4 with 46,000 copies. Both are former chart-toppers.

Raheem DeVaughn, who recently nabbed a Grammy nomination for best male R&B vocal performance, debuted at No. 5 with "Love Behind the Melody," which sold 45,000 copies. In its 65th week on the chart, best new artist Grammy nominee Taylor Swift's self-titled album slipped one to No. 6 with 34,000.

The concert set "Live From Philadelphia" from R&B singer/songwriter John Legend debuted at No. 7 with 33,000. The album was available only at retail giant Target and Target.com and comes on the heels of his charting best, "Once Again," which bowed at No. 3 in 2006.

The multi-artist "NOW 26" hits collection fell two to No. 8 with 30,000, and Chris Brown's "Exclusive" was also down two, to No. 9, with 29,000. Miley Cyrus' Disney double-disc "Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus" jumped five to No. 10 with 27,000.

Considerably further down the rankings, the Spice Girls' "Greatest Hits" outsold Ringo Starr's "Liverpool 8" by only a couple dozen copies at 7,000, so the albums started side-by-side at No. 93 and No. 94, respectively.

Reuters/Billboard