Good News: Usher lands the second-biggest opening of the year for his album "Here I Stand," which sold 433,000 copies last week.
Bad News: That number is less than half of the 1.1 million-copy opening of "Confessions" in 2004. Sure, the music business has declined, but part of that drop-off has to be related to the overall blandness of the album, no?
The soundtrack to that little indie film "Sex and the City" comes in at No. 2, moving 66,000 copies. (Um, the fact that 66,000 copies lands you at No. 2 falls under bad news too, I'm thinking.) But the poor sales market did help the great Al Green get his highest debut ever, as "Lay It Down" opened at No. 9 on sales of 34,000. Good news!
Rounding out the Top 5: Last week's No. 1 3 Doors Down's eponymous album is at No. 3, Bun B's "Il Trill" slides from No. 2 to No. 4, and Leona Lewis keeps getting, keeps-keeps getting love, as "Spirit" climbs back into the Top 5.
On Billboard's singles charts, Lil Wayne lands his fourth week at No. 1 with "Lollipop," which seems to be a sure thing for a fifth week, since sales of "Tha Carter III" next week will likely help it out. However, Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" hold on No. 2 seems shaky, as Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" zooms from 10-3, becoming the band's biggest single ever. (Who says those iPod commercials are losing their power?) Rihanna's "Take a Bow" holds at No. 4, while Katy Perry's ridiculous single "I Kissed a Girl" leaps from 21-5. Bad news! Please, America, don't pick that as the summer single. It makes "Who Let the Dogs Out?" sound deep.
PHOTO: Usher for LaFace Records