POP ALBUM CHART : Hammer Still No. 1

M.C Hammer’s “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” continues to rule the Billboard pop album chart, with no contenders likely to unseat it at least for another two weeks--unless New Kids’ “Step By Step” (No. 3) rallies. So far, Anita Baker’s “Compositions” hasn’t been too jazzy for her pop fans. In fact they’ve embraced it in a big way. The album jumped from No. 35 to No. 12 in its second week on the chart. Harry Connick Junior’s pop-jazz “We Are in Love” (No. 43) is shooting up the chart, promising to outdo his successful “When Harry Met Sally” soundtrack. The Time’s reunion album, “Pandemonium,” entered the chart at No. 48. “She Ain’t Worth It” by Glenn Medeiros and Bobby Brown is still the No. 1 pop single.

* Critics love to trash this band of glam-rockers but fans, as usual, ignore the critical tirades. Poison’s “Flesh and Blood” debuted at No. 33 and should zoom into the Top Five in the next two weeks.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” 1 1 21 M.C. Hammer (Capitol) 2. “I’m Breathless” 2 3 8 Madonna (Sire) 3. “Step By Step” 3 2 7 New Kids on the Block (Columbia) 4. “Wilson Phillips” 4 4 16 Wilson Phillips (SBK) 5. “Pretty Woman” 5 6 17 Soundtrack (EMI) * “Flesh and Blood” ... ... 1 Poison (Capitol)