Em Debuts At No. 1

NEW YORK (Top 40 Charts) - With just three new songs on the soundtrack, the soundtrack to Eminem's first film, 8 Mile, still debuted at No. 1 on The US Albums with 702,226 in first week sales, as expected by industry observers.

The soundtrack, which features just one song actually from the film, includes Em's latest hit, "Lose Yourself," as well as "Love Me," "8 Mile," and "Rabbit Run." Other contributors include 50 Cent, Macy Gray, D12, Jay-Z, Obie Trice, Xzibit, Nas, Boomkat, Rakim, Young Zee, and Gangstarr.

Christina Aguilera, one-time foe to Eminem, was robbed of the top spot by the rapper. Her new album, Stripped, bows at No. 2 with 330,470 in sales.
Nirvana was close behind at No. 3 with their greatest hits album, Nirvana, which features the one new song, "You Know You're Right." The album, including such grunge classics as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Heart-Shaped Box," comes in with 234,331 in sales.

Also making the coveted top 10 are country act Rascal Flatts' Melt at No. 5 and Tori Amos' Scarlet's Walk at No. 7. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, meanwhile, miss the top 10 by two spots with Thug World Order.
Three other acts make the top 20: Lil' Jon & East Side Boyz's Kings of Crunk (No. 15), Backstreet Boys' member Nick Carter's Now or Never (No. 17), and Tank's One Man (No. 20).

Other notable debuts include:
Shaggy, Lucky Day, No. 24
Stevie Wonder, The Definitive Collection, No. 35
Too Short, What's My Favorite Word, No. 38
Sigur Ros, No. 51 and
Los Tigres Del Norte, La Reina Del Sur, No. 54.
And, with the news of the killing of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay last week, the group's Greatest Hits, re-entered the chart at No. 117.