ARCADE’S ON FIRE, RELIENT K
HEAVEN-SENT IN BATTLE FOR #1

With first-day sales reports filtering in from the precincts, Merge’s critical darlings Arcade Fire are going head-to-head with their Christian brethren, Capitol’s Relient K for #1 on next week’s HITS Top 50.

There are a number of variables here, as Relient K’s strength in Christian bookstores and a #2 standing at iTunes could just see it nudge 100k, no small feat in today’s marketplace.

Meanwhile, Arcade Fire’s much lauded Neon Bible, #1 at iTunes, is also flirting with 100k, though it will more likely end up in the 85-90k range.

That would put both believers and heathens in competition with this week’s chart-topper, RCA/RMG’s Daughtry, for king of the sales hill.

The rest of the debuts belong to Bad Boy/Atlantic’s post-humous Notorious B.I.G. CD (70-80k), MCA Nashville’s Gary Allan greatest hits album (60-65k), Virgin’s Korn Unplugged (60k) and Seven Brothers Records/Asylum’s Sevendust (40-50k).

Next week, look for albums from a pair of southern R&B artists in Zone 4/Interscope's Mobile, AL, rapper Rich Kid and Universal Motown's Atlanta soul stirrer Lloyd to dominate the retail landscape when they hit stores next Tuesday.

The market was down 7.5% vs. last week, down 23% vs. same week last year and now down 16% year-to-date. You can return to scouring the Help Wanted ads at monster.com now..