NEW YORK (Top40 Charts) -
No Doubt just squeaked into the top 10 on next week's The Billboard 200, as the band's fifth album,
Rock Steady, debuts at No. 9 with 254,787 in first-week sales.
The band's last album, 2000's Return of Saturn debuted at No. 2 upon its release, but also on 200,000-plus units sold.
Other notable debuts include Mobb Deep's Infamy at No. 22; Joe's Better Days at No. 32; Method Man and Redman's soundtrack to How High at No. 43; Warren G's Return of the Regulator at No. 89; and up-and-comer Josh Groban's self-titled debut at No. 127.
Meanwhile, Creed's Weathered stays strong at No. 1 for its fourth straight week.
If sales figures are any indication, a lot of people will be getting Creed's new album as a holiday gift. The rock band's "Weathered'' CD is the best-selling disc for the week ending Sunday, according to industry figures released Wednesday. As the Christmas holiday approached, the disc sold 555,000 copies, an increase of almost 100,000 units from the previous week.
"Weathered'' has been at the top of the charts for four weeks in a row.
There was a little movement in the top five spots on the chart. The eighth volume of "Now That's What I Call Music!'' compilation series remained the country's second most popular disc, selling 404,000 copies, but Britney Spears moved up a notch, to No. 3, selling 299,000 copies of "Britney.'' Garth Brooks jumped from No. 6 to No. 4 with "Scarecrow,'' selling 282,000 copies. Mannheim Steamroller remained at No. 5, selling 275,000 copies of "Christmas Extraordinaire.''
The week's top-selling debut came from No Doubt, which sold 255,000 of "Rock Steady'' for the No. 9 spot. Spin magazine's Alan Light said the band was likely helped by the hit-making collaborations lead singer Gwen Stefani did this year with rapper Eve and techno artist Moby.
"Gwen certainly injected a lot of interest in the band that might have been dying down,'' he said. "Even with that, it's not a megaopening; 250,000 on a week like this is certainly respectable, but it's not through the ceiling.''
The second highest debut was rap duo Mobb Deep, whose "Infamy'' came in at No. 22 with 140,000 copies sold.
Here are the top 10 albums:
1. "Weathered,'' Creed, 555,000
2. "Now That's What I Call Music! Volume 8,'' Various Artists, 404,000
3. "Britney,'' Britney Spears, 299,000
4. "Scarecrow,'' Garth Brooks, 282,000
5. "Christmas Extraordinaire,'' Mannheim Steamroller, 275,000
6. "Now Christmas!'' Various Artists, 269,000
7. "Silver Side Up,'' Nickelback, 259,000
8. "A Day Without Rain,'' Enya, 257,000
9. "Rock Steady,'' No Doubt, 255,000
10. "Hybrid Theory,'' Linkin Park, 231,000
