Comeback puts Carey at top of charts

Rapper 50 Cent’s six-week reign at the top of the nation’s album sales charts was ended Wednesday by the woman who was all but counted out years ago by many in the music business: Mariah Carey.

Carey, whose future as a bestseller was considered so dim three years ago that she was dumped by the EMI Group, tops the charts again after her new Island Def Jam CD, “The Emancipation of Mimi,” sold 404,000 copies in its first week in stores, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Antonio “L.A.” Reid, chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group, said that figure represented the biggest first-week sales total of Carey’s career.

Carey, whose early albums were on Columbia, was paid $30 million by EMI to buy out her $80-million contract after her “Glitter” soundtrack album sold poorly. The Universal Music Group, which owns Island Def Jam, then signed her to a three-album, $20-million deal.

50 Cent’s “The Massacre,” which has sold 3.1 million copies, fell to No. 3 after selling 140,000 copies last week. Alt-metal band Mudvayne claimed the second spot on the chart with its “Lost & Found” on sales of 152,000 copies in its first week.

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-- Robert Hilburn