"NOW" AND HOW!!!

In an age when all traditional music industry norms and rules have gone the way of the eight-track and Mini-Disc, we’ve just witnessed an album sell 1.9 million copies in its first week, and then drop to #2 in the second week.

Oh, and the album that did the dethroning contains a song from the band it dethroned.

Yes, things are getting pretty nutty, folks.

"Virgin’s ‘Now 7’ continues to be one of the greatest franchises in music-industry history," said Fred Meyer's Brant Berry, whose knowledge of music-industry history extends all the way back to the bygone days of Napster. "Each volume outsells the last, and this particular version is extremely strong."

And while Brant marveled over how "Now" (brown cow) sent Jive’s NSYNC to the #2 spot, he really spewed about Arista’s Blu Cantrell, who bowed at a very impressive #9.

"It’s really the most interesting story of the week," gurgled Berry. "We firmly believe Arista is in the midst of breaking a new artist here, and we should be talking about this record for the rest of the year."

Brant then lulled himself to sleep by continuing to talk.

Other strong debuts this week: Dogg House/TVT’s Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz, at #7, Def Jam/IDJ’s "Rush Hour 2" soundtrack at #10, Outpost/Geffen’s Crystal Method at #21 and Interscope’s Bilal at #24.

Besides "Now" at #1 and NSYNC at #2, this week’s Top Five contains J’s Alicia Keys at #3, Flip/Elektra’s Staind at #4 and Shady/Interscope’s D12 at #5.

And how about Columbia’s Neil Diamond, whose sales actually GREW in week two, jumping 18-11?

Next week: Will Usher debut at the top? Will Brant Berry ever stop gurgling? All will be revealed next week.