DUFF LOVE!!

Having conquered the worlds of TV, movies and soundtracks with her alter ego, Buena Vista/Hollywood teenpop star Hilary Duff has added the music biz to her list of accomplishments as Metamorphosis lands at #1 this week. That should look good on the old college resume, especially considering that the Lizzie McGuire movie soundtrack is still #14. In your faces, Olsen twins!

Wherehouse Music’s Bob Bell swore he would never go on another Disney ride as long as he lived, but still paid props to the House of Mouse: "Hollywood and Disney did a spectacular job of setting this up and turning Hilary into a true multi-media superstar. I think the record will be around for a long time. It should fare particularly well during the holidays, and even beyond."

Duff leapfrogged over last week’s chart-topper, Geffen’s Hip-Hop Soul diva Mary J. Blige (#2), followed by Arista Nashville’s Alan Jackson (#3), Columbia/CRG’s Beyonce (#4, up a whopping 30%) and Star Trak/Arista’s rap duo Neptunes (#5).

The rest of the Top 10 was distinguished by a pair of Capitol titles in the resurgent Coldplay (#13-7, up 33%) and persistent DTP rapper Chingy (#11-8, up 14%), who goes from "Right Thurr" to the "Holidae In," with the second smash from his freshman effort. Wind-up gothers Evanescence (#6, +14%), Bad Boy/Universal’s Bad Boys II soundtrack (#9) and Shady/Aftermath/Interscope gangsta 50 Cent (#10) rounded out the leaders.

Other major upward movements were registered by a pair of VMA performers in Epic punk-popsters Good Charlotte (#21-16) and RCA dirrty dancer Christina Aguilera (#31-24). Two R&B/rap dazzlers, Murder Inc./IDJ’s Ashanti (#39-23, +22%) and A&M/Interscope’s Mya (#49-41, +11%) registered double-digit sales increases.

Debuts were registered by Virgin’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (#37) and Octone/J Records’ Maroon 5 (#46).

Next week, look for Aware/Columbia’s John Mayer, who appears a lock for #1, and Warner Bros.’ Seal, returning after an almost five-year absence.