URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON CHARTS

All kidding aside, Capitol Nashville country star Keith “Don’t Call Me Mr. Kidman” Urban’s Defying Gravity does just that, with the New Zealand cowboy chalking up between 160-175k in first-week sales, though it's unclear whether that will be good enough for #1 on next Tuesday’s HITS Album chart.

The total is compiled from one-day reports from those retailers whose stores are still open out there in this recession-racked land of ours.

NPG’s main man for all seasons Prince is up next, with his three-CD $11.98 Target exclusive (alongside online sales at his newly launched website) resulting in a total between 130-140k, good for #2.

Diana Krall’s reportedly very intimate new Verve Music Group effort, Quiet Nights, is next with 95-105k, which seems a fair reward for revealing what goes on behind closed doors with hubbie Elvis Costello.

Jive/JLG rappers UGK follow with UGK for Life, the first effort since the death of Bun B’s fellow founding member Pimp C in Hollywood back in December 2007. The album looks headed for the 65-75k range.

Atlantic’s Flo Rida is next with his sophomore album, R.O.O.T.S., which includes the hit single, “Right Round,” which memorably samples the Dead or Alive song, on target for 40-50k, a testament to the power of an iTunes smash to cannibalize album sales.

Curb’s Rodney Atkins (35-40k) and Columbia’s Bow Wow (30-35k) are up next, followed by Columbia’s Chris Botti (25-30k), J/RMG’s Gavin DeGraw, Verity/JLG’s Donnie McClurkin and Victory’s Silverstein (20-25k), Rhino’s Queensryche (15-20k), Interscope’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs (15-18k in its first week of physical release) and Almost/Columbia’s Peter Bjorn & John (12-15k).

The market was up 10% vs. last week, down 12% vs. same week last year and still down 14% year to date. You may now return to crying over your hopelessly decimated NCAA brackets.