JA RULES NEXT WEEK’S CHARTS

His Pain is retail’s gain, as this year’s fourth quarter race gets underway, not with a bang, but with a Ruler.

You don’t need a yardstick to figure out Murder Inc./IDJ rapper Ja Rule, hot off his hit duet with J.Lo, will debut at #1 on next week’s HITS album chart, knocking off three-time winner (and IDJ labelmate) Jay-Z.

Based on first-day reports from retailers around the country, Ja’s Pain Is Love will earn the top spot with around 300k in sales, give or take 25k.

Garbage’s Beautifulgarbage (Interscope), the band’s first album since ’98’s Version 2.0 , which sold 1.6 million OTC, and Elton John’s Songs From The West Coast (Universal), a reunion with longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, should each sell in the 50-60k range, with possible Top 20 bows.

Next Tuesday, look for new releases from Beat Club/Interscope redneck rapper Bubba Sparxxx, Columbia classical ingenue Charlotte Church and RCA buzz band The Strokes.