BOYS KEEPS SWINGING!

Look at that Bad Boys go. P. Diddy’s gotta be feeling good about his new home, as Bad Boy/Universal’s initial foray into the marketplace, the soundtrack to the hit movie Bad Boys II, kept its hold on #1 for the second week in a row, even as the flick dropped to third place in box office receipts in its second week in theaters. The star-studded soundtrack edged out UTV’s debuting Now 13, as the novelty of the once-torrid series seems to have worn off a bit.

Now 13 led a quintet of debut albums that landed in the Top 10, the other four being Interscope siren Mya (#4), Capitol PoMo avatars Jane’s Addiction (#5), Volcano/Jive’s 311 (#7) and Arista Nashville’s Brad Paisley (#8).

Virgin Entertainment Group’s Jerry Suarez was so moved by the cha-chinging of cash registers that he paused to wipe away a tear of joy before noting: "It was nice to see so many titles with solid sales debuting in one week. The top of the chart looks better than it has in a while. Of course, the Now compilation is going to see some big numbers nationally, but Jane’s Addiction was our #1 title, with a strong new Mya release debuting in our Top Five. 311 had a nice week, as well. The Bad Boys II soundtrack continues to feed off of a huge single and big box office."

The five newcomers join Columbia/CRG’s Beyoncé (#3) and Murder Inc./IDJ’s Ashanti (#6), who continue to battle for Hot-Weather-Diva honors, along with DTP/Capitol hip-hop contender Chingy (#9), whose debut album, Jackpot, seems to be well named. Wind-up rockers Evanescence round out the Top 10.

Three more rock bands debuted in the second 10: Island/IDJ’s buzzing Thrice (#16), Kiss’ live symphonic opus, on Sanctuary (#18), and RCA wild men Eve 6 (#19).

Another Arista Nashville act, Brooks & Dunn, posted solid numbers in week two, finishing #12.

All the new blood combined to push two albums that seemed like they’d taken up permanent residence in the Top 10—Shady/Aftermath/Interscope’s 50 Cent (#11) and Blue Note’s Norah Jones (#13)—into the teens, for this week, at least.

If you’re keeping score, UMG notched three of the Top Five and four of the Top 10, while BMG had three Top 10 entries. Capitol was the lone label with two Top 10 finishers.

Next week, the only release with a real shot to bow in the Top 10 is Elektra/EEG’s LSG, but we could be wrong—we usually are.