No Competition for Pearl Jam’s ‘Vs.’

Pearl Jam jumped onto the pop album chart at No. 1, outdistancing all challengers by a ridiculous margin. Look for it to hold its lead for at least the next few weeks. Eazy-E’s lofty entry, at No. 5 with “It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa,” was unexpected since he supposedly had lost much of his clout in the gangsta rap community since his posse--including Dr. Dre--deserted him a few years ago. Hard-rocking Rush may have enough hard-core fans to keep its album, which debuted at No. 2, in the Top 10 for a few weeks. Garth Brooks’ “In Pieces” slipped to No. 9 and is in danger of dropping out of the Top 10 after only eight weeks in release--which amounts to a slump for him. Speaking of slumps, Boyz II Men is in a deep one. The group’s “Christmas Interpretations” album can’t even crack the Top 100--remaining at No. 103 after three weeks on the chart.

* Erik Sermon, formerly of EPMD and rated as one of the best rappers, has a hot solo album that entered the chart at No. 16.

Source: Billboard/Soundscan

Pop Album Chart

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Last Weeks on the Week Ago Chart 1. “Vs.,” Pearl Jam ... ... 1 2. “Counterparts,” Rush ... ... 1 3. “Bat Out of Hell II,” Meatloaf 1 2 6 4. “In Utero,” Nirvana 3 3 5 5. “It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa,” Eazy-E ... ... 1 6. “Common Thread,” various artists 10 ... 2 7. “Music Box,” Mariah Carey 5 4 8 8. “River of Dreams,” Billy Joel 4 7 11 9. “In Pieces,” Garth Brooks 2 1 8 10. “janet.,” Janet Jackson 6 6 23 * “No Pressure,” Erik Sermon ... ... 1