ADELE, CHURCH DUKE IT
OUT FOR TOP SPOT

The XL/Columbia U.K. soul chanteuse is eyeing a 12th week at #1 for her Grammy front-running 21 album since its release back in February. The disc is already at 2.8 million in the U.S., with no end in sight.

Her only challenger is this week’s chart-topper, Capitol Nashville’s Eric Church, depending on how steep the drop is from his album Chief’s first-week total of 145k.

That’s based on one-day sales reports from those music retailers experiencing the true meaning of “dog days of summer.”

Among next week’s chart newcomers, look for the highest debut from Showdog Nashville veteran Trace Adkins’ Proud to be Here, which looks headed for sales between 40-45k.

Universal Republic singer/songwriter Mat Kearney, who has topped the iTunes sales charts the last few days with his latest, Young Love, has a projected total of 35-40k, the same as Nickelodeon/Columbia’s Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show cast album.

Veteran jam band O.A.R.’s Wind-up debut, King, is headed for a first-week total in the 25-30k range.

Geffen piano prodigy Greyson Chance, discovered by Ellen DeGeneres and co-managed by Guy Oseary and Troy Carter, is in line for a 15-20k debut for his label bow, Hold on ‘til the Night.

Album sales were up 3% vs. last week, up 11% vs. same week last year and now up a whopping 2% year to date.

And wait, there’s more. Track sales were down 3% vs. last week, up 13% vs. same week last year and up 11% year to date, while TEA (Track Equivalent Album) sales

were up 1% vs. last week, up 11% vs. same week last year and up 4% year to date.