3 DOORS DOWN ARE UP ON CHART

The veteran Universal Republic pop-rock outfit debut at #1 on this week’s HITS Album Sales chart with 147k in sales, easily outdistancing Rap-A-Lot/Asylum rapper Bun B’s II Trill, the solo album from the remaining living member of Port Arthur, TX, group UGK after the death of his partner Pimp C last year, at #2 with 91k.

Mercury Nashville Dancing with the Stars alum Julianne Hough’s self-titled debut bows at #3 with 68k in sales.

Top 10 holdovers include Reprise/Rhino’s Frank Sinatra compilation, Nothing But the Best (#4), Atlantic alternagods Death Cab for Cutie, last week’s chart-topper (#5), Leona Lewis’ still-strong J Records debut Spirit (#6), Island/IDJ thrush Mariah Carey’s E=MC2 (#7), Mercury red-hot newcomer Duffy’s Rockferry (#8), WB Material Girl Madonna’s Hard Candy (#9) and Columbia icon Neil Diamond’s Rick Rubin-produced Home Before Dark (#10).

Hollywood post-teen idol Jesse McCartney’s Departure leads the list of Top 50 newcomers at #14, followed by Burgundy/SBMG disco diva Donna Summer’s Crayons (#17), her first new album in a decade, WB’s moonlighting Green Day spinoff Foxboro Hot Tubs’ Stop Drop & Roll (#22), Concord’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull soundtrack (#28) and Disney’s Disneymania 6 (#32).

Capitol Nashville’s Lady Antebellum (#44), Epic’s Sara Bareilles (#49) and Jive/ZLG’s Chris Brown (#50) all re-enter the charts this week.

Last week’s ACM awards boosted several albums, including Arista/RMG’s Carrie Underwood (#28-16, +60%), Pearl Records’ Garth Brooks (#49-35, +3-%) and BNA/SBMG Nashville’s Kenny Chesney (#40-31, +27%).

Other double-digit gainers include RCA/RMG’s Daughtry (#33-20, +36%), 19/Jive/ZLG’s Jordin Sparks (#23-18, +19%), Def Jam/IDJ’s Rick Ross (#26-21, +16%) and Epic’s Natasha Bedingfield (#34-29, +11%).

Next week, look for LaFace/ZLG superstar Usher’s Here I Stand to easily debut at #1, with Blue Note’s Al Green album also hitting retail today.