MICHAEL STILL REIGNS AS KING

The dog days of August commence this weekend, and it doesn’t look like there’s any relief in sight to the retail doldrums.

Based on one-day sales reports from those still keeping their doors open, Michael Jackson’s Number Ones will once more top the HITS Top 50, with the best-selling album in the country probably racking up another 120k or so, even if it does drop another 25%, though it’s a little early for estimates.

Of course, on that other chart, Def Jam/IDJ’s Fabolous will be tops, the week’s highest debut for Loso’s Way, which should nail the runner-up spot with between 95-100k in sales.

Atlantic’s High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale is up next with 28-32k, followed by Soda Pop/Island/IDJ’s Kristinia DeBarge with 15-18k.

August is pretty barren for new releases until the end of the month, when the industry looks to Whitney Houston’s hotly anticipated I Look to You, out on the 31, just in time for Grammy eligibility, to boost sales heading into the Q4 final stretch. From our mouths to Clive’s ears.

The market was down 8% vs. last week, down 21% vs. same week last year and still down 14% year to date.

Will someone give Dr. Murray his platinum record… to put up on his jail cell wall?