High Schoolers And Kidz Take Over Billboard Chart

Arctic Monkeys may have been flush with the British success of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not — which became the fastest-selling debut album in U.K. history after moving more than 360,000 copies in a single week back in

January — but while the album notched the Arctics a very respectable U.S. opening at #24, the band couldn't match the success of two tween-targeting pop collections: the soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical" and the ninth installment in the successful "Kidz Bop" series.

According to the latest SoundScan figures, "High School Musical" sold close to 101,000 copies to reach Billboard albums chart's coveted apex, the culmination of a steady rise through the top 200 since its release seven weeks ago. The soundtrack debuted at #143 back in mid-January, selling about 6,500 copies. The following week, the album climbed to #58 with 16,000 in sales. Next came the #10 spot, followed by two back-to-back weeks spent at #13. On last week's chart, "High School Musical" came in at #6 with more than 97,000 units scanned. To date, the album has sold nearly 404,000 copies.

Following at #2 this week is Kidz Bop 9, the newest collection of covers supplied by the Kidz Bop Kids. The album, which sold 98,000 copies during its opening week in stores, features children's renditions of Weezer's "Beverly Hills," Gwen Stefani's "Cool," Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends," Nickelback's "Photograph," Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc.," Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" and Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together."Falling one spot to #3 this week is Sing-a-Longs & Lullabies for the Film "Curious George" from Jack Johnson & Friends. The disc moved more than 89,000 units during its third week in stores. Mary J. Blige's The Breakthrough hangs tough at #4, with sales topping 76,000, followed by James Blunt's Back to Bedlam, which climbs three spots to #5 with over 70,000 scans. Barry Manilow's The Greatest Songs of the Fifties falls three spots to #6, selling more than 66,000 units while Andrea Bocelli's Amore slips two chart positions to #7, with just over 65,000 sales.

Eminem's Curtain Call: The Hits retrospective finishes at #8 this week with 64,000 copies sold; the disc rises two spots this week, and also passes the 2-million-sold mark. Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts tumbles two spots to #9, with more than 61,000 units scanned, bagged, and carried out of record stores. Last week's #1, Jaheim's Ghetto Classics, suffered the common second-week sales slump, selling 59,000 copies — a 61 percent dip — to finish at #10. And for the first time since its release 10 weeks ago, Jamie Foxx's Unpredictable slips from the Top 10, coming in at #12 with sales of 46,000 and change.

The Kidz Bop Kids and the Arctic Monkeys earned the week's two biggest debuts, (the latter landed at #24 with first-week sales of nearly 34,000), leading a number of noteworthy releases that managed to penetrate Billboard's top 200. Coming in at #26 is the soundtrack to the film "Madea's Family Reunion," which features contributions from Brian McKnight, LL Cool J, Chaka Khan and Al Green, among others. Dance queen Cascada's Everytime We Touch bows at #67 with sales of more than 17,000, and Scarface Presents the Product: One Hunid from Scarface's Underground Railroad Movement opens at #78 with 15,000 scans.

The third installment in the Fired Up series, featuring cuts from Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, claims the #84 spot with more than 14,000 discs sold. F.T.F.O., the latest from Insane Clown Posse member Shaggy 2 Dope, debuts at #88 with nearly 14,000 scans. The Dilated Peoples' 20/20 claims the #97 slot with 12,000 copies sold, and rockers Evans Blue check in at #106 with sales of 11,000 for their debut, The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume. Kinks frontman Ray Davies' Other People's Lives comes in at #121 with 9,000 copies sold, and the Derek Trucks Band's Songlines opens at #163 with 7,000-plus scans.