HAIL TO THE CHIEF

Capitol Nashville’s Eric Church takes back #1 from Adele this week with Chief, his third album, and first to debut on top.

Don’t feel sorry for the British pop diva, whose XL/Columbia album adds another 84k to its total, now over 2.8 million and counting in the U.S., with no end in sight, as it’s up 10% over last week.

Universal Republic’s Kelly Rowland is the week’s other big newcomer, bowing at #3, with 76k for the ex-Destiny’s Child member’s latest, Here I Am.

Her former bandmate, Columbia’s Beyonce, and Broken Bow’s perennial seller Jason Aldean (#5), round out the Top 5.

Universal Republic’s Amy Winehouse moves #14-6 with 37k in posthumous sales for Back to Black, while her first album, Frank, re-enters at #33, with 12k.

Razor & Tie’s Kidz Bop 20 (#7), Warner Bros. Nashville’s Blake Shelton (#8) and Shady/Interscope’s Bad Meets Evil (#10) sandwich newcomer Joss Stone’s indie debut, LP1, for her own Stone’d/Surfdog label (#9).

Other Top 50 new entries include Epitaph’s Falling in Reverse (#15), featuring ex-Escape the Fate lead singer Ronnie Radke, eOne’s Wu-Tang Clan (#40) and indie Christian music act Hillsong (#41). BNA’s Kenny Chesney album, Hemingway’s Whiskey, re-enters at #50.

Amy Winehouse is the week’s biggest double-digit gainer, up a whopping 68% over last week, followed by Interscope Idol winner Scotty McCreery (#27-21, +12%) and StarTime/Columbia’s Foster the People (#31-27, +11%). Adele’s 21 (+10%) and 19 (#32-29, +9%) each show gains.

This week’s new releases are topped by Showdog Nashville’s Trace Adkins, followed by Wind-up’s veteran jam band O.A.R., Universal Republic’s Mat Kearney, Columbia’s Victorious Cast Nickelodeon soundtrack and Interscope’s piano prodigy and Ellen DeGeneres discovery Greyson Chance, co-managed by Guy Oseary and Troy Carter.