Mariah one-ups the King

Music purists probably wouldn’t equate Mariah Carey with legendary acts such as Elvis and the Beatles, but when it comes to chart-topping records, she’s now outstripped the King -- and she’s on pace to take down the Fab Four.

Carey’s latest single, “Touch My Body,” made music history this week as she surpassed Elvis Presley as the solo artist with the most No. 1 singles in the modern pop era.

The cut is her 18th No. 1 song and the first single from her “E=MC2” album, due April 15.

Carey bests a tally Presley has held for 40 years. He last topped the singles chart with “Suspicious Minds” in 1969.

Carey’s 2005 comeback, “The Emancipation of Mimi,” spawned two No. 1 hits, “We Belong Together” and “Don’t Forget About Us.” Should the new album meet with the same degree of success, she could tie or even best the Beatles’ 20 No. 1 singles, a record for any pop group.

Billboard’s associate director of charts, Silvio Pietroluongo, noted that “Touch My Body” would have hit No. 1 sooner if it had been made available digitally at an earlier date. Finally released online last week, “Touch My Body” had been the only single in the top 75 of Billboard’s Hot 100 that was not available at digital retailers.

“Touch My Body” sold 286,000 downloads in its debut week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “Touch My Body” rocketed to No. 1, up from No. 15 last week. Only Rihanna’s “Umbrella” last year sold more in its first week.

Despite the impressive digital number, Pietroluongo stresses that Carey’s milestone has nothing to do with the state of the industry in 2008. Sales of digital singles may be soaring and album sales in 2008 are trailing those of 2007 by about 15%, but most of Carey’s single successes came in the 1990s, when radio weighed more heavily on the Billboard Hot 100.

“This has more to do with longevity and popularity than anything else,” Pietroluongo said. “She’s only had four No. 1 singles this decade, so it can’t be portrayed as anything to do with the state of the music industry. Mariah has been popular for about 20 years.”

Presley scored the majority of his No. 1 singles in an era when the chart was based almost entirely on sales, Pietroluongo said.

But Carey isn’t the only diva to start challenging the King this week. Madonna, returning with her “Hard Candy” on April 29, has overtaken Presley as the artist with the most Top 10 singles in the modern pop era. Her “4 Minutes,” featuring Justin Timberlake, gives the artist her 37th Top 10 hit.

Madonna’s “4 Minutes” also experienced a boost from digital sales, having sold 217,000 copies in its first week of wide release at digital retailers (prior to last week, the cut had been available only through Verizon). The sales pushed “4 Minutes” to No. 3, up from No. 68.

And late last year, rapper Jay-Z tied another Presley record. His “American Gangster” was his 10th No. 1 album when it was released in November. Again, only the Beatles have had more chart-topping albums, with 19.

There’s some non-diva news on the charts. Reality TV proves again to be a healthy supplier of chart-toppers, as Day26 from MTV’s “Making the Band 4” debuts at No. 1.

The act’s self-titled debut sold 190,000 copies in its first week, displacing another “Making the Band”-built artist, Danity Kane, who led the chart last week. Danity Kane falls to No. 3 this week.

Meanwhile, rock act Panic at the Disco lands at No. 2, as its “Pretty. Odd.” opens with 139,000 copies. It’s the best sales week for the Fall Out Boy pals, who saw their debut, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” top out at No. 13.

Alt-rock survivors Counting Crows enter at No. 3 with a fifth studio album, “Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings,” which sold 106,000 copies. It’s the band’s highest-charting album since “Recovering the Satellites” bowed at No. 1 in 1996.

Jack White side-project the Raconteurs lands at No. 7 with “Consolers of the Lonely.” The album’s release had been announced only one week in advance, but it still sold 42,000 copies. Also, the first new album in more than 15 years from the B-52’s, “Funplex,” enters at No. 11 with 30,000 copies.

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todd.martens@latimes.com