Despite all the publicity that Janet Jackson and her team stirred for the launch of her brand new album, '20 Y.O.', ranging from a contest for the fans to design its cover, to many appearances in the press and to a visit to Oprah Winfrey, the diva stood no chance against the new look and, first and foremost, the new sound of rapper Ludacris.

His fifth material, 'Release Therapy' hit the Billboard like a storm, selling 309,000 copies in just a couple of days since it got out. The album edged Janet's '20 Y.O.', which managed to sell only 297,000 items in the first week. Justin Timberlake's 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' shared the same fate, as the rapper's hit album ended his reign at the top of the chart.

The 'SexyBack' singer saw his comeback album fall to the fifth place, after a few weeks spent on the number one position. While Justin's going down was not news to anyone (it was bound to happen sooner or later), Janet's under-performing in the chart is considered by many as a bad omen for the long expected material.

'Believe it or not, Janet is also facing a big problem at the radio. Right now, neither of the singles from "20 Y.O." has cracked pop formats, and "So Excited", her annoying new single featuring 35-year-old gangsta raptress Khia, is making only a little impact on R&B/hip-hop stations', a Fox columnist said. He then added that, while the album debuted only at number two, it is sure to see a more drastic fall off in the upcoming weeks.

Other performers who saw their albums displaced by the coming in full force of 'Release Therapy' were Clay Aiken with 'A Thousand Different Ways' (number 8) and Fergie with 'The Dutchess', that slipped to the ninth position.