Rapper Juvenile, singer Blunt lead album chart

NEW YORK (Billboard) – New Orleans rapper Juvenile scored
the No. 1 spot on the U.S. albums chart for the first time in
his career Wednesday, while English singer/songwriter James
Blunt soared seven places to a new high of No. 2 with his debut
release, thanks to an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Juvenile, born Terius Gray, sold 174,000 copies of “Reality
Check,” in the week ended March 12, according to Nielsen
SoundScan data. His previous peak on the Billboard 200 was No.
2 with his 2001′s “Project English.” The new album marks his
seventh solo outing and first for Atlantic Records.

“Reality Check,” which features the guest talents of
Ludacris, Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe and addresses the impact of
Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed Juvenile’s home, bumped last
week’s champ, R&B singer Ne-Yo’s “In My Own Words,” to No. 5
with 113,000 units.

Blunt’s “Back to Bedlam,” another Atlantic release, sold
161,000 copies in its 23rd week on the chart. Atlantic said in
a statement the Juvenile/Blunt combo marks the first time in 25
years that the label has claimed the top two spots. Blunt’s
worldwide sales are approaching eight million units, it added.

The soundtrack to Disney’s television movie “High School
Musical” slipped one place to No. 3 with 138,000 units.

Hasidic artist Matisyahu’s “Youth” made history by
garnering the best first-week tally for a reggae album since
Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. The Epic Records
set debuted at No. 4 with 119,000 copies, beating the old
record of 107,000 units for Sean Paul’s 2005 set “The Trinity,”
which bowed at No. 7. Only Matisyahu, Sean Paul, Snow, Shaggy,
UB40, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and his father, Bob Marley, have
cracked the top 10 on the big chart.

David Gilmour’s Columbia set “On an Island” landed at No. 6
with 96,000 copies. The solo project is the first from the Pink
Floyd principal since 1984′s “About Face.”

Carrie Underwood’s Arista debut, “Some Hearts,” lingered in
the top 10 in its 17th week, climbing one place to No. 7 with
74,000 copies.

The Johnny Cash collection “The Legend of Johnny Cash”
(Legacy/Columbia Nashville/American/Island) slipped two places
to No. 8 with 70,000 units. The soundtrack to the Cash biopic
“Walk the Line” (Fox), however, jumped two places to No. 9 with
63,000 copies, boosted by the March 5 best-actress Oscar win
for Reese Witherspoon, who played Cash’s wife, June Carter.

Jack Johnson and Friends’ companion album to the movie
“Curious George” fell three places to No. 10 with 60,000 units.

Rap veteran Scarface’s “My Homies Part 2″ (Asylum) entered
the chart at No. 12 with 58,000 copies. Van Morrison’s country
effort, “Pay the Devil” (Lost Highway) bowed at No. 26 with
32,000 copies, the Irish rocker’s 36th effort to hit The
Billboard 200.

Alt-country chanteuse Neko Case’s “Fox Confessor Brings the
Flood” (Anti-/Epitaph) debuted at No. 54 with 18,000 copies,
giving the artist her best sales week yet.

Exposure from the Academy Awards ceremony resulted in big
jumps for the soundtracks to “Hustle & Flow” (143-73) and
“Brokeback Mountain” (148-83).

At 10.7 million units, overall CD sales were down by 2%
from the previous week and down 1% compared to the same week a
year ago. Sales for 2006 were down 3% compared to 2005 at 108.5
million units.

Reuters/Billboard