Common Scores First No. 1 On Billboard 200

[slam32]

For the first time in his 14-year career, Common tops The Billboard 200 with "Finding Forever." The Geffen set, which features production from Kanye West and a guest appearance by Lily Allen, moved 155,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Common's 2005 effort, "Be," debuted and peaked at No. 2 but had a better sales tally with 185,000.

Korn's "Untitled" (Virgin) climbs aboard at No. 2 this week, making it the rock troupe's seventh consecutive top 10 album. Sales of 123,000 units were fueled in part by the single "Evolution," which is No. 6 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. The group's top tier streak dates back to 1996, when "Life Is Peachy" debuted at No. 3.

The "NOW 25" hits compilation falls to No. 3 after a two week reign at No. 1, moving 123,000 with a 17% sales slide. The New Line soundtrack to "Hairspray" slips 2-4 with a 19% sales decrease to 82,000. Miley Cyrus' Disney double-disc set "Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus" descends 4-5 with 82,000 (-12%).

Powered by the chart-topping hit "Beautiful Girls," 17-year-old Sean Kingston enters The Billboard 200 at No. 6 with his self-titled Beluga Heights/Epic Records debut. The newcomer's single pole-vaulted 23-1 on the Hot 100 last week after a strong performance at digital retail.

"Kidz Bop 12," the latest in the successful Razor & Tie series, debuts at No. 7 with 71,000. It's the sixth consecutive title in the main "Kidz Bop" line to debut in the top 10 of the big chart.

T.I.'s "T.I. vs. T.I.P." (Grand Hustle/Atlantic) falls 5-8 this week with 55,000 (-14%), while Fergie's "The Dutchess" (will.i.am/A&M/Interscope) dips 6-9 with 53,000, a 1% sales increase. Linkin Park's "Minutes to Midnight" (Machine Shop/Warner Bros.) closes out the top tier, sliding 8-10 with 44,000 (+4%).

Other big debuts this week include Virgin rock troupe the Starting Line's "Direction" at No. 30 with 20,000, "American Idol" finalist Mandisa's debut "True Beauty" (Sparrow/EMI) at No. 43 with 17,000, Roadrunner metal act DevilDriver's "Last Kind Words" at No. 48 with 14,000 and rapper Keith Murray's fifth solo set "Rap-Murr-Phobia" (Def Squad/Koch) at No. 52 with 13,000.

Sales this week are up 3.8% compared to last week's sum at 8.27 million units and down 9.6% compared to the same week last year. There have been 271.25 million album sales to date for the year, down 14.2% compared to last year's sum.

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slam32

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