'Late Night Special'
The hip-hop quartet Pretty Ricky took the No. 1 slot in the nation's album sales as two discs topped sales of 100,000 each for the first time this year.
"Late Night Special" (Atlantic), the sophomore effort from the sex-obsessed rappers, sold 132,000 copies in the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Right behind them was Shins' "Wincing the Night Away" (Sub Pop), the Albuquerque, N.M., band's first album since its appearance on the "Garden State" soundtrack dramatically increased its audience. Disc, its first since 2003's "Chutes Too Narrow," sold 118,000, a record week for the band and the Seattle label, which has never had a top-40 release.
"Grammy Nominees 2007," the Sony BMG-issued compilation of tracks up for awards on Feb. 11, came in at No. 4 on sales of 77,000, an improvement from last year's debut at No. 14.
John Mellencamp, whose airplay has come primarily from a Chevrolet commercial, opened at No. 5 as "Freedom's Road" (UMe/Universal Republic) sold 56,000. Mellencamp's first album of new material in more than five years scored the highest debut chart position in his 31-year career.
Other bows include Saliva's fourth album, "Blood Stained Love Story" (Island), selling 31,000 at No. 19, a career high for the Memphis hard rockers.
Also the first Virgin album from the Good, the Bad & the Queen -- a band featuring Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, the Clash's Paul Simonon, Fela's drummer Tony Allen and Verve guitarist Simon Tong -- sold 15,000 copies to open at No. 48.
Robin Thicke's "Evolution of Robin" (Interscope) enjoyed a significant bounce after being featured on MTV's Discover and Download program. Disc sold 45,000 copies and leaped to No. 8 from 16. Regina Spektor's "Begin to Hope" (Warner Bros.) posted a nearly 50% gain, selling 29,000 copies and rising 14 slots to No. 20.
A major shakeup will come on next week's chart when first-week sales figures are tallied for Norah Jones, Katharine McPhee, Lily Allen and Harry Connick Jr.
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