BPI Entertainment News Wire
May 26, 2005, Thursday 10:40 AM Eastern Time

‘Mezmerize’ leads rush of new blood on album chart

By CHRIS MORRIS, The Hollywood Reporter

System of a Down’s “Mezmerize” makes an entrancing No. 1 debut on the
Billboard 200 this week, leading five new albums into the top 10.

The Armenian-American hard-rock quartet’s American/Columbia album
bows with a loud 453,000 units sold in its first week, according to
figures from Nielsen SoundScan for the week ended May 22.

Country megastar Toby Keith’s “Honkytonk University” (DreamWorks
Nashville) arrives at No. 2, racking up a strong postgraduate tally
of 283,000 copies sold in its initial frame.

Mariah Carey’s “The Emancipation of Mimi” (Island) kept the pop diva
on the comeback trail; the album holds its No. 3 position with a
173,000-unit week. Last week’s No. 1 album, Dave Matthews Band’s
“Stand Up” (RCA), slips to No. 4, rolling up 158,000 units for the
week.

Motown singer-songwriter Kem makes a striking debut at No. 5 with his
aptly titled sophomore set “Album II.” The release tracked 140,000
copies in its first stanza — not too shabby considering that Kem’s
first collection, “Kemistry,” peaked at No. 90 in 2003.

With Wednesday night’s face-off between “American Idol” finalists
Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice looming, the hit Fox series’ latest
album spinoff, “Season 4: The Showstoppers,” debuted at No. 6. The
RCA set drew 83,000 “Idol” addicts in its first week.

“The Massacre” (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope) still is drawing chart
blood for rapper 50 Cent. The long-running hit drops to No. 7 from
No. 4, ringing up sales of 81,000. “Hollaback Girl” Gwen Stefani’s
“Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” (Interscope) sees a dip to No. 8 from No.
7; the No Doubt thrush delivered sales of 80,000. Pop-rock outfit
Weezer’s “Make Believe” (Geffen) slides to No. 9 from No. 2 in its
second week, tallying 76,000 units.

Def Leppard’s retrospective “Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection”
(Bludgeon Riffola/Island/UMe) bangs heads with a No. 10 bow, with a
76,000-unit week.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress