LETOYA’S ALBUM IS #1 IN THE COUNTRY

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

LeToya is making moves honey. Congrats! I’m happy for her…

Pharrell or LeToya? Which artist could dethrone Now That’s What I Call Music! 22, ending the compilation’s two-week reign atop Billboard’s albums chart?…

LeToya, the debut solo LP from LeToya Luckett, an original member of Destiny’s Child who co-wrote and performed the group’s gold-certified singles “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Say My Name,” outsold Now by 14,000 copies to finish the week with close to 165,000 scans — and a chart-topping opening.

According to the latest SoundScan totals, Pharrell fell shy of second place by a mere 9,000 copies. The #2 position belongs to the 22nd installment in the Now franchise — an album featuring tracks by Rihanna, Chamillionaire, Chris Brown, Nick Lachey and Kelly Clarkson — which moved 151,000 units its third week out.

LeToya and Pharrell’s debut outings are joined in the top five by one other new release: Tom Petty’s Highway Companion. The third solo album from the Heartbreakers frontman bows at #4 after selling more than 112,000 copies its first week in stores. Petty’s disc steps in just in front of Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere, down one to #5 with 54,000 scans. READ MORE