"NOW 7" AND NSYNC 1-2 WITH USHER BY A NOSE
Because we know that change is scary and disturbing, we’d like to begin by telling you that your #1 and #2 from last week are the same this week. Still clinging to the top slot is Virgin’s "Now 7," with Jive’s NSYNC settling in nicely at #2. So you can go back to sleep now. Thank you.
The big excitement is happening in the shadow of those two retail behemoths, as Arista’s Usher and DreamWorks’ Isley Brothers (yes, those Isley Brothers) really put the "show" back into "win, place &" with their chart debuts. In the end, it was a near photo finish, with Usher taking the #3 slot by mere hundreds from the #4 Isleys.
Keeping things interesting on the lower half of the Top 10 are another pair of debuts, with Ruff Ryder/Interscope’s Jadakiss and Jive’s Aaron Carter nabbing the #6 and #7 slots.
"Usher, Isley Brothers and Jadakiss all had big debuts with us this week," said the generic quote generator manned by Valley Media’s Jerry Suarez. "And although it’s clear that ‘Now 7’ and NSYNC will continue to dominate the top of the charts nationally, each of these Urban titles performed solidly. However, Aaron Carter is proving once again just how powerful Radio Disney and Nickelodeon are. With precious little airplay from any other format, Carter is right at the top of our chart this week."
What a coincidence that Jerry happened to mention all the titles we’re writing about.
Alien Ant Farm clocks in at #11 as DreamWorks goes for Top 40 adds. Epic’s Jennifer Lopez rides a hot remix to #13. And Parlophone/Virgin continue to prove that the 600-lb. Gorillaz can sleep anywhere they want, which this week happens to be at #16, as the cartoon band continues its animated ascent up the charts.
