The Bizkit's second outing, Significant Other, sold 335,000 copies in its second week according to industry sources. Frontman Fred Durst was ecstatic about the widespread acceptance of the rock-rap album, which will likely sell as many copies in the first month as their debut album, Three Dollar Bill Y'All$, sold in 16 months (1.6 million units).
"Our fans love real music for real life," Durst said. "We are so grateful that we have touched so many people...but you ain't seen nothing yet."
Those wacky Backstreet Boys won't leave the block, with Millennium holding at No. 2 on sales of 265,000 for the week ended July 4.
If you think he's big now, consider that Latin star Ricky Martin is just starting to make his big crossover move, with his first English-language album selling 213,000 to hold the No. 3 position. Expect the self-titled disc to be in the Top 10 for a long time. He will start an arena tour of the States October 21 in Miami and should sell out major venues like New York's Madison Square Gardens and Los Angeles' new Staples Center.
Martin also has several rocking post-"Livin' La Vida Loca" singles in the pipeline, including a duet with Madonna. "I grew up listening to Boston, Cheap Trick, Journey and David Bowie," said the ex-Menudo member from Puerto Rico. "When I was a kid, my brothers and I were all into rock, rock, rock."
The middle of the music chart's Top 10 echoed the action in the nation's theaters: the Will Smith-led Wild Wild West soundtrack held on to No. 4 with sales of 186,000, despite horrific reviews for its cinematic counterpart; the Tarzan soundtrack (No. 5) aped the success of its celluloid sister act, as did Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, which spied the No. 7 slot (right behind ex-Disney channel heartthrob Britney Spears).
Lilith Fair queen Sarah McLachlan's live album Mirrorball spun into the No. 8 groove and Wu-Tang Clan co-founder GZA/Genius dug deep with Beneath the Surface--the week's highest debut at No. 9 with sales of 116,000.
With Shania Twain's Come on Over moving up to No. 10, no other debuts cracked the Top 10, not even the long-anticipated Alice In Chains' Nothing Safe: Best of the Box, which features greatest hits and a new song from an upcoming boxed set. The album entered at No. 20. The last studio album from the band was back in 1995.
Eighties rock continues its mild resurgence as the compilation Monster Ballads bowed at No. 29. "Weird Al" Yankovic's Running with Scissors premiered at No. 35, while Lyle Lovett's live LP only reached No. 94 and Luscious Jackson's latest, Electric Honey, could only muster a No. 102 entrance.