The popsters' No Strings Attached sold 191,000 copies for the week ended May 7, down 57,000 from the previous week but good enough for its seventh straight stint in the number one slot.
In what's becoming a pattern, JC, Justin, Lance, Joey and Chris fended off yet another strong debut that, in another 'N Sync-less week, might otherwise have taken the top spot. This week's challenger: 504 Boyz's Goodfellas, the newest offering from the No Limit crew, which landed at number two with 139,000 copies. Goodfellas, the Boyz's No Limit debut, was powered by cameos from Master P, C Murder and Silkk the Shocker. (Next week, Hanson's This Time Around will likely vie for the also-ran post.)
Sisqó's Unleash the Dragon flip-flopped positions with Joe's My Name Is Joe this week. Dragon unleashed sales of 124,000 to move up one to number three, while Joe slipped down one to number four with 120,000 units. Toni Braxton's The Heat, which was last week's number two debut, fell to number five this week with 118,000 copies.
Santana's Supernatural, which had its own marathon at number one, remained steady at number six. Also remaining strong after many months was Creed's Human Clay. The album moved up one to number seven with 88,000 units sold in its 32nd week.
Cypress Hill's double disc Skull & Bones dropped from number five to number eight in its second week. The group, which will be joining Limp Bizkit on a Napster-sponsored tour this summer, sold 87,000 copies of their new album, down 52,000 copies from their debut week.
Reentering the top 10 in the 10 hole was Jay-Z's former number one, Vol. 3...The Life & Times of S. Carter. The album moved up three spots this week, selling 75,000 copies. Dr. Dre, however, dropped from the top 10, as 2001 slid three spots to number 12 with 73,000 in sales.
The week also saw numerous new albums with nominal first-week showings. Billy Joel's 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert entered the charts at number 40 with 31,000 copies. The 25-song live release was recorded at Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve and Day. Mary Mary's Thankful made a number-62 bow with 23,000 in sales, while Boston's kings of plaid, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, hit number 74, as Pay Attention moved 17,000 copies. Country star Collin Raye made a number-81 debut with his ninth album, Tracks, selling 15,000 copies, while Gene and Dean Ween sold 11,000 copies of White Pepper for a 121st-place finish.
Debuts further down the chart included Chad Brock's Yes! at 125 (10,000 copies) , Aimee Mann's Bachelor No. 2 at 134 (9,000 copies) and Hoku, the 18-year-old daughter of Hawaiian crooner Don Ho, at 151 with her self-titled album selling 8,000, just a shade more than the Gladiator Soundtrack at 153.
And, way down at 163: Kathie Lee Gifford's Born for You. Maybe she gave up her day gig a bit too early.