Van Halen Zooms to Top in Two Weeks

Even though the pop market is fully in the throes of metalmania, who figured Van Halen would get to the top of the Billboard magazine pop chart this fast? It took just two weeks for the band’s “OU812” to power its way to No. 1. The Top 10 has two other newcomers--Sade’s “Stronger Than Pride” (No. 8) and Run- D.M.C.’s “Tougher than Leather” (No. 10). Two new R & B acts have been charging up the pop charts--Al B. Sure with “In Effect Mode” (No. 28) and D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince with “He’s the D.J., I’m the Rapper” (No. 33).

* New young singer Tracy Chapman is confounding everyone with the success of her album of pithy, folkish ballads. Her eponymous debut album climbed to No. 20 on the pop album chart this week. And in an era dominated by dance music and heavy metal, this kind of album usually doesn’t get out of the basement of the Top 100.

POP LP CHART

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. OU812 5 -- 2 Van Halen (Warner Bros.) 2. Faith 1 1 32 George Michael (Columbia) 3. Hysteria 3 4 45 Def Leppard (PolyGram) 4. Open Up and Say Ahhh 2 3 6 Poison (Capitol) 5. Dirty Dancing 4 2 41 Sound track (RCA) * Tracy Chapman 27 29 9 Tracy Chapman (Elektra)