By: Billboard
Published: Jul. 1, 2004 - New York, NY

After selling more than 245,000 copies last week, Kiss of Death will debut atop the next Billboard 200 albums chart, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (June 30). The singles "Why," featuring Anthony Hamilton, and "Time's Up," featuring Nate Dogg, helped the LOX leader best his previous first-week mark set by 2001's Kiss Tha Game Goodbye. That album placed at #5 and sold more than 203,000 copies during its first week in stores.

It's been three weeks since Usher last held the #1 slot, but Mr. Entertainment hasn't gone far. While giving the Beastie Boys and Velvet Revolver a chance to rule the roost on the last two charts, Usher's Confessions only slipped to #2, where it remains after selling more than 149,000 copies last week.

The success of her single, "Leave (Get Out)," suggests that JoJo is here to stay. The teen-pop singer's self-titled debut sold more than 94,000 copies for a #4 placement.

As "Spider-Man 2" gears up to rake in millions of dollars, the soundtrack is making a pretty penny on its own. With a pair of singles providing the thrust — Dashboard Confessional's "Vindicated" and Train's "Ordinary" — the decidedly rocking soundtrack lands at #7 with more than 82,000 copies sold.

Wilco's fifth album, A Ghost Is Born, trails the superhero-inspired soundtrack by a little more than 1,000 copies, though its #8 debut can't be attributed to the prominence of a hit single or video. With a growing, dedicated fanbase and a sea of praising press, Ghost trumped the first-week sales of its predecessor, 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, by more than 26,000 copies and five chart slots.

The Beastie Boys' former chart champ To the 5 Boroughs falls two to #3 after selling more than 142,000 copies in its second week on shelves. The rap trio's sixth album has broken the half-million mark in total sales.

The top 10 is rounded out by Prince's Musicology, moving up one spot to #5 on sales of 92,000 copies to break the 1 million mark; Gretchen Wilson's Here for the Party falling two spots to #6 (86,000 copies sold); Velvet Revolver's Contraband plummeting six to #9 (78,000); and Avril Lavigne's Under My Skin sliding five to #10 (75,000).

Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown makes a huge stride thanks to the hit single "Dare You to Move" and a re-release that includes bonus tracks and a DVD. After more than a year on the chart, the band's fourth album jumps 28 spots to #16.

Other notable debuts include Erick Sermon's Chilltown, New York at #61; "You Got Served" actor Young Rome's Food for Thought at #98; Orange County rockers' Lit's self-titled fourth album at #113; multicultural collective Ozomatli's Street Signs at #125; and the Crunk Classics compilation, featuring cuts from Three 6 Mafia, Paster Troy and Youngbloodz, at #164.



—Joe D'Angelo