The Material Mom's Ray of Light burst into stores March 3, moving a brisk 371,000 copies. Big numbers, even for Madonna.
Her electronica-tinged effort, in fact, is her best-selling bow of the SoundScan era. Ray outshines 1996's Evita (first week sales, 92,000), 1995's Something to Remember (113,000) and 1994's Bedtime Stories (145,000).
Madonna's earlier chart-toppers, including Like a Virgin, were released before the Industry adopted SoundScan--a precise means of tracking album sales--in 1991.
But it was Titanic that berthed at No. 1, selling 478,000 copies--its ninth consecutive week on top.
After 16 weeks on the charts, Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love is losing its voice a bit, slipping to No. 3 with 224,000 units.
Rapper Scarface, meanwhile, is cutting them up. My Homies debuted at No. 4, moving 179,000 units.
Despite slipping one place to No. 5, Savage Garden's self-titled debut continues to grow, selling 7,000 more units than last week, up to 107,000. After 47 weeks on the charts, this record is starting to bear juicy fruit.
Silkk the Shocker's Charge It 2 Da Game slid three slots to No. 6, moving 104,000 units compared to last week's 141,000. K-Ci & JoJo's Love Always is finding a lot of love in stores, moving up to No. 7, and 100,000 units.
The Backstreet Boys self-titled release backed down to No. 8, with 98,000 units sold. At No. 9, the only-in-the-'80s soundtrack to The Wedding Singer is a sleeper hit, with another 93,000 copies sold.
Usher was ushered down to No. 10, selling 91,000.
Falling out of top 10: Pearl Jam and Mathcbox 20. The week's biggest chart hop belonged to Garth Brooks' Sevens, which leapt 10 slots this week from No. 22 to 12.