WEEK IN PREVIEW: MUCH O’BLIGE, DUFF IS TOUGH

Think back to those halcyon days, when things were simpler, people didn’t have a care in the world and all the news was good. Yep, way back a week ago, was Labor Day. Sweet, sweet memories.

Oh, and the holiday meant no big new releases last week, so the pitched battle for the coveted #1 spot on the HITS Album Chart will be between last week’s #1 and #2, Mary J. Blige’s Love & Life and Buena Vista/Hollywood’s Hilary Duff’s Metamorphosis—whom the under-12 set usually refers to by her Lizzie McGuire character name. No matter what you call her, if Duff’s drop-off from 200k last week is significantly less than Blige’s dip from 282k last week, she could bring Hollywood its first non-soundtrack #1 ever.

The two notable releases debuting on the chart this week will be Virgin’s B.R.M.C., which should fall in the 20-30k range, and the Underworld OST, which could approach 20k.

Soon, this slow week will just be another memory, as the Q4 warm-up begins with Columbia’s John Mayer and Warner Bros.’ Seal streeting Tuesday. Will Mayer really top 300k its first week? Will September be rising sales or falling leaves? (That last joke comes straight from our retail genius.)