THE CHART

SONGS IN THE KEY OF Z

Once again, Jay-z had The Blueprint for success. First-week sales of 545,000 provided reassurance that fans will forgive him for associating with R. Kelly. At No. 3, a thin Missy Elliott was still hefty where it counts, with a 259,000-copy bow. Elliott’s numbers were up slightly from her previous opening figures, unlike No. 5 Pearl Jam, who found 166,000 Riot-ers, and No. 6 TLC, who made 143,000 sets of eyes bug out with 3D. 3 Doors Down had a 115,000-unit bow for their No. 8 sophomore CD, which will be hard-pressed to catch up with their five-times-platinum debut. An Elton hits set hit with 101,000, while Jim Johnston wrestled 86,000 comers into submission.

POP ALBUMS

LAST WEEKS WEEK ON CHART

1 — JAY-Z The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse, Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam 1 2 1 VARIOUS ARTISTS 8 Mile soundtrack, Shady/Interscope 3 3 — MISSY ELLIOTT Under Construction, Elektra 1 4 2 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Justified, Jive 2 5 — PEARL JAM Riot Act, Epic 1 6 — TLC 3D, Arista 1 7 4 CHRISTINA AGUILERA Stripped, RCA 3 8 — 3 DOORS DOWN Away From the Sun, Universal 1 9 7 EMINEM The Eminem Show, Aftermath/Interscope 26 10 5 SANTANA Shaman, Arista 4 11 11 AVRIL LAVIGNE Let Go, Arista 24 12 — ELTON JOHN Greatest Hits 1970-2002, UTV 1 13 — JIM JOHNSTON WWE Anthology, Koch 1 14 13 DIXIE CHICKS Home, Open Wide/Monument/Columbia 12 15 6 FAITH HILL Cry, Warner Bros. 5

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