SLIM AND ONE!

Does the music business Recovery start here? Eminem returns to claim the sales throne as his new Shady/Aftermath/Interscope album debuts with a year-best 754k in first-week sales, the largest total since AC/DC’s Black Ice bowed with 784k back in Oct. 2008 for Columbia as a Wal-Mart exclusive.

That’s enough for Marshall Mathers to turn back last week’s chart-topper, Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown rapper Drake, who slips to #2 with 156k after last week’s 463k debut. Hey, who said hip-hop was dead anyway?

Hollywood’s Miley Cyrus is the week’s other top newcomer, with Can’t Be Tamed entering at #3, scoring 107k in sales, giving Jim Urie’s UMGD the top three albums on the Top 50. Epic’s Ozzy Osbourne returns to the chart at #4, while Capitol/EMI’s Now 34 rounds out the Top 5.

Def Jam/IDJ’s The Roots take time out from backing Jimmy Fallon on his late-night show to debut at #6 with How I Got Over. Paul Shaffer and Max Weinberg, eat your hearts out.

Brushfire/Universal Republic’s Jack Johnson (#7), Island/IDJ’s Justin Bieber (#8), Chop Shop/Atlantic’s Twilight Saga: Eclipse (#9) and Arista/RMG’s Sarah McLachlan (#10) complete the leader board.

Other new entries include Kedar Entertainment’s Keith Sweat (#13), JW/Big Machine/Universal Republic’s Jaron & the Long Road to Love (#15), Downtown’s Cyndi Lauper (#24), Concord’s Macy Gray (#35), Jive/RED’s Sia (#37) and Evilive/The End’s Danzig (#39).

The only title holding its own without a week-to-week drop is J/RMG diva Alicia Keys’ Element of Freedom, steady at #33 and even in sales.

Hitting retail stores this week are Island/IDJ’s The-Dream, Photo Finish/RRP’s 3OH3!, Concord’s Kenny G, Downtown’s Scissor Sisters and Vanguard’s Indigo Girls. Next Tuesday, Def Jam/IDJ’s Big Boi, Universal Republic’s Enrique Iglesias, Interscope’s Kelis, Astralwerks/EMI’s Kylie Minogue, Neptunes’ N.E.R.D. and Def Jam/IDJ’s Rick Ross all go on sale.