ADELE KEEPS ROLLING

After a week at #2, Adele returns to #1 on the HITS Album chart, as her XL/Columbia release 21 adds another 98k to her total, now over 750k and counting.

That’s just enough to top the upwardly mobile Geffen punk-rock rabble rousers from Chicago, Rise Against, with Endgame churning up some 88k to debut at #2. A tip of the hat goes to manager Missy Worth for a job well done.

Last week’s chart-topping Lupe Fiasco album, Lasers, on Atlantic, dips to #3 with 46k, followed by Columbia’s Glee Vol. 5 at #4 and Glassnote’s still-strong Mumford & Sons at #5.

Interscope’s Travis Barker sees his solo effort, Give the Drummer Some, bow as the week’s other Top 10 newcomer at #9.

Island/IDJ’s Justin Bieber Never Say Never—The Remixes companion album (#6), Capitol/EMI’s Now 37 (#7), RCA/RMG’s Avril Lavigne (#8) and J Records/RMG’s Marsha Ambrosius (#10) round out the sales leaders.

Other Top 50 newcomers include Columbia’s Miranda Cosgrove (#29), Jive/JLG’s Miguel and Rounder’s Steve Martin (#49).

Curb’s Tim McGraw (#45), Island/IDJ’s Bon Jovi Greatest Hits (#46) and Columbia’s Big Time Rush (#47) all re-enter.

Fresh off an American Idol appearance, Interscope’s Black Eyed Peas are the week’s biggest double-digit gainer (#39-25, +34%), followed by LaFace/JLG’s P!nk (#16-11, +13%).

Other gainers include Atlantic’s Zac Brown Band (#22, +7%), Universal Republic Nashville’s The Band Perry (#44-38, +5%), Interscope’s Lady Gaga (#41-37, +3%), BNA’s Kenny Chesney (#46-41, +3%), Mercury Nashville’s Sugarland (#48-42, +3%) and Big Machine’s Rascal Flatts (#20, +1%).

Hitting retail this week are Jive/JLG’s Chris Brown, J/RMG’s Jennifer Hudson, Gospocentric/JLG’s Kirk Franklin and RCA/RMG’s The Strokes. In two weeks (3/29), look for Britney Spears’ eagerly awaited Jive/JLG album Femme Fatale along with Priority/EMI’s Snoop Dogg, Island/IDJ’s Sum 41, Atlantic’s Wiz Khalifa, the physical version of TBD’s Radiohead and Columbia’s Mary Mary.

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