ASHLEE’S AUTO-MATIC

The more things change, the more they stay the same at the pinnacle of the charts.

Geffen’s Ashlee Simpson remains on the top of the heap, as Autobiography has sold 1.2 million in the four weeks it’s been out. UTV/UME’s Now 16 continues in the #2 slot.

Def Jam/IDJ’s Shyne tops the list of Top 5 newcomers as the imprisoned rapper nails the #3 slot, ahead of Jive/ZLG’s Mobb Deep (#4) and Wind-up’s Stapp-less Creed, Alter Bridge (#5).

Tower Records’ Kevin Hawkins denied he was romantically involved with the Governor of New Jersey before admitting: "Ashlee Simpson is proving to be quite a phenomenon. But there were some other very notable releases this week. Shyne had a very strong debut, as did Mobb Deep. And Alter Bridge showed that there is definitely life after Creed."

With purdy words like that, the man should go straight into politics.

The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by LaFace/ZLG R&B perennial Usher (#6), RCA Nashville Parrothead God Jimmy Buffett (#7), Arista/RMG’s sk8board rocker Avril Lavigne (#8), Octone/J/RMG’s resurgent Maroon 5 (#9) and Warner Bros. Nashville country iconoclasts Big & Rich (#10).

Other chart debuts are registered by Capitol crossover freshman Houston (#13), Reprise Crunksters Trillville/Lil Scrappy (#47) and indie Fat Wreck Chords’ punk Rock Against Bush Vol. 2 compilation (#48).

Double-digit increases are registered by Walt Disney Records’ Princess Diaries 2 soundtrack (#43-28, +18%, with the movie opening in theaters last week), Epic’s Los Lonely Boys (#13, +13%), Columbia/CRG’s Lil Flip (#49-42, +11%) and Octone/J/RMG’s Maroon 5 (#9, +10%).

Next week, look for TVT’s 213 rap supergroup, Island/IDJ’s Saliva and E.V.L.A./Atlantic/Atl G’s Ryan Cabrera, aka Ashlee’s boyfriend, to top the list of the week’s new releases.