POP LP CHART : Michael’s ‘Faith’ Stays No. 1; Roth Is Rising

The only real action in the upper levels of the Billboard magazine pop chart is the rise of David Lee Roth’s “Skyscraper” from No. 22 to No. 10. Not much movement’s expected within the Top 20--and hardly any new entries--for the next week or two. Fast-rising albums: Megadeath’s “So Far, So Good . . . So What!” (No. 29), Keith Sweat’s “Make It Last Forever” (No. 36) and Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It To My Heart” (No. 38). Sales milestones in copies sold: George Michael’s “Faith” (3 million), the “Dirty Dancing” sound track (4 million) and Debbie Gibson’s “Out of the Blue” (1 million). Pop singles: Expose’s “Seasons Change” is the new No. 1 pop single; George Michael’s “Father Figure,” which zoomed from No. 12 to No. 4, looks like the next No. 1 single; the booming dance it, “Pump Up the Volume,” by M/A/R/R/S, is up to No. 13 and looks like a shoo-in for the Top 10.

* Rick Astley’s “Whenever You Need Somebody” shot up to No. 22 in just five weeks. It’s had a major boost from his single, “Never Gonna Give You Up,” which just entered the Top 10--at No. 8.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. Faith 1 1 14 George Michael (Columbia) 2. Dirty Dancing 3 3 23 Soundtrack (RCA) 3. Tiffany 2 2 22 Tiffany (MCA) 4. Kick 4 4 15 INXS (Atlantic) 5. Bad 5 5 22 Michael Jackson (Epic) * Whenever You Need Somebody 33 49 5 Rick Astley (RCA)