Eagles perch on top of charts

'Long Road Out of Eden' sells 711,000 units

By PHIL GALLO

The Eagles have the top-selling album in the country, moving 711,000 copies of “Long Road Out of Eden” (ERC),which was available exclusively in the U.S. at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and the band’s website.

A rule change Tuesday by Billboard magazine, which prints Nielsen SoundScan data and is also owned by Nielsen Co., allowed the Eagles to take the No. 1 slot on the top 200 and the Comprehensive Sales chart. Previously, if an album were exclusive to one retailer, it would not be eligible for the top 200, which is widely reported and therefore, the official chart. Radiohead, for example, has not reported sales of its digital release “In Rainbows” and therefore has not appeared on any chart.

“Eden,” meanwhile, posted the second highest sales week of the year.

Wal-Mart released the Eagles sales figures on Tuesday, pushing Britney Spears’ “Blackout” (Jive) down to No. 2 on sales of 290,000. It ends Spears streak of No. 1s; her previous four studio efforts have all topped the chart. Spears is now the only female artist to land her first five albums in the top two.

Josh Turner’s “Everything Is Fine” (MCA Nashville) sold 84,000 in its first week to open at No. 5.

The Backstreet Boys’ “Unbreakable” (Jive) secured the No. 7 slot, selling 81,000, just a few sales behind the second-week take of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ “Raising Sand.” A sign of how the music industry has changed, the group’s last album, “Never Gone,” sold 291,000 in its debut sesh in 2005.

The hits collection, “The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere” (Decca), was the only other top 20 debut, selling 68,000 to open in the nine slot.

Other top 50 debuts were: Puscifer’s “V Is for Vagina” (Puscifer Entertainment) selling 27,000 (No. 25); Playaz Circle’s “Supply & Demand” (Disturbing Tha Peace/Jive) moving 26,000 (No. 27); Baby Bash’s “Cyclone” (Arista) blowing out 26,000 (No. 30); Will Downing’s “After Tonight” (Peak/Concord) rolling with 21,000 (No. 37); and Project Pat’s “Walkin Bank Roll” (Koch) sold 17,000 (No. 47).

The multiple-artist soundtrack featuring covers of Bob Dylan tunes, “I’m Not There” (Columbia), sold 9,000 copies to open at No. 95.

Last week’s No. 1, Carrie Underwood’s “Carnival Ride,” dropped to No. 3 on sales of 170,000. Her sales decrease of 68% has been typical for chart-toppers with first-week sales of more than 300,000.

A deluxe edition of the Jonas Brothers’ self-titled Hollywood Records release nearly doubled its previous weeks tally, selling 33,000 copies and rising 24 slots to No. 20.