WEEK IN PREVIEW:
OUTKAST RUMBLES WITH DAVE MATTHEWS FOR #1

On the cusp of the fourth quarter, there’s a major group of new titles fighting their way onto the chart this week, including battle royal for #1 between two albums likely to move over 450k each.

Yes, as the tallying continues, it looks like OutKast’s double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (Arista), is locked in mortal combat with Dave Matthews’ solo debut, Some Devil (RCA). The OutKast title, which appears to be ahead by a hair at this point, has been dogged by stock problems, but it’s still too early to say how this one will go.

But that ain’t all, folks. Following the battle for #1 and #2, the next-highest debut will go to Limp Bizkit’s Results May Vary (Flip/Interscope), which is a lock for #3, with sales figures pointing to just under 350k for the week.

Then there’s Obie Trice’s Cheers (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope) and R. Kelly’s The R in R&B: Collection Vol. 1 (Jive) each of which is expected to log a first-week total over 250k. Nickelback’s The Long Road (Roadrunner/IDJ), meanwhile, should come in at around 220k.

Murphy Lee’s Murphy’s Law (Universal) will likely move around 140k, while Fuel’s Natural Selection (Epic) should do about 80k. Rob Zombie’s CD/DVD greatest hits collection, Past, Present and Future (Geffen), should log about 70-80k.

That’s nine new albums invading the Top 10 this week. Take a picture.

As for releases hitting the street tomorrow, look for Martina McBride’s Martina to move between 150k and 200k in its first week, according to the earliest prognostications of our team of retail brains-in-a-jar. Dido’s Life for Rent (Arista) should see first-week sales between 75k and 100k, driven by airplay for single “White Flag.” And Sting’s Sacred Love (A&M) should come in at around 125k-150k.