USHER’S FIVE NO JIVE

LaFace/ZLG’s Usher remains at #1 for the fifth consecutive week, but his reign is about to end, as Shady/Interscope’s D12 and Eminem will take over the top spot next week.

Meanwhile, a trio of contenders bowed in the Top 10 this week, with Bad Boy/Universal’s Mario Winans (#2), Columbia/CRG’s Prince (#3) and Def Jam/IDJ’s Ghostface (#6) bum-rushing the chart.

Wherehouse Music/Trans World’s Violet Brown, after turning down an offer to join Michael Jackson’s legal team, said: "Usher, who stayed at #1 with us for another week, and Mario Winans, who debuted at #2, are both huge, huge, huge radio hits. But Prince is huge right now because of all of the publicity. I think it was brilliant the way he gave that album away at his concerts. And it’s a good album so the word of mouth has been incredible. D12 will be a runaway #1 next week. People always want to know what Eminem is going to say next."

The rest of the Top 10 included holdovers like Capitol’s Now 15 (#4), Island/IDJ’s Hoobastank (#5), Columbia/CRG’s Jessica Simpson (#7), Roc-A-Fella/IDJ’s Kanye West (#8), Geffen’s Guns N’ Roses (#9) and Wind-up’s Evanescence (#10) rounding out the leaders.

Other chart newcomers included Wind-up’s Drowning Pool (#18), Liquid 8’s Fear Factory (#21), 3CG’s Hanson (#27), Suburban Noize’s Kottonmouth Kings (#37), WB’s Prince Best of (#39), Spitfire’s Zakk Wylde (#41) and Warner Bros. Nashville’s John Michael Montgomery (#44).

Double-digit gains were registered by A&M/Interscope’s Black Eyed Peas (#30-25, +19%, helped along by their NBA promotional spot), Roadrunner/IDJ’s Nickelback (#33,+10%), S-Curve/EMI’s Joss Stone (#44-35, +29%, thanks to VH1's Gung Ho support for "Fell in Love With A Boy" and her live appearance on the VH1 Divas concert with Debbie Harry and Gladys Knight) and DreamWorks Nashville’s Toby Keith (#42, +11%).

Next week, it’s all about Detroit, as Eminem’s posse D12 make the chart their World, with Verve’s Diana Krall, Mrs. Elvis Costello, also set for a Top 10 debut.