Jay-Z Rules, Britney Goes Down, Down, Down

Good news for Jay-Z: the celebrated rapper and producer just scored his 10th No. 1 album on The Billboard 200, as his latest studio effort, "American Gangster" (Def Jam) debuted at number 1 this week after selling no less than 425,000 copies in the United States (according to Nielsen SoundScan). This means that the rapper scored a tie with "the King" Elvis Presley, both of them coming in second for the most No. 1 albums on the chart. The only other band ever to score more No.1 albums were the Beatles (with 19). Great news for Jay-Z.

Since 1998, all eight of Jay-Z's solo studio albums have hit No. 1, in addition to his "Collision Course" project with Linkin Park and his "Unfinished Business" collaboration with R. Kelly. After finishing at No. 1 the week before, the Eagles album suggestively called "Long Road Out of Eden" (Eagles Recording Co.) went down No. 2 with 359,000 (Billboard registered that as a 49% sales decrease). Garth Brooks' "The Ultimate Hits" (Pearl) debuted at No. 3 (selling 352,000 units).

At No.4 comes "the teenage R&B heartthrob" Chris Brown, whose second album, "Exclusive," sold 294,000 units. His previous (debut) album was released two years ago, in 2005, and opened at No. 2 with 154,000 units sold. "Exclusive" features the Hot 100 chart-topping single "Kiss Kiss" featuring the currently house-arrested rapper T-Pain.

Carrie Underwood's second album "Carnival Ride" also registered a fall 3-5 with 121,000 (-29%), while Josh Groban's holiday album, "Noel" (143/Reprise), went up 8-6 with a 52% sales increase to 116,000 units (as registered by Billboard).

And finally, the album I was looking forward to seeing at number 1 this week (kidding, of course), Britney Spears' "Blackout" literally bomber form number 2 last week to a not very flattering number 7, with 87,000 copies sold. Billboard registered a 2-7 slip with a 70% sales decrease in the second week after its release, which leaves our chaotic and lypo-addicted Britney in the top 10 but without much hope for another spectacular climb (kind of like the one that helped her album make it to number 2 last week and which was obviously more connected to the drama in her personal life than with her music prowess). So, congratulations to Jay-Z, and to Britney - well, no matter what happens, there's always Cheetos to help her take her mind off things.