‘X’ Chases ‘Hammer’

The hottest new album on the chart is “X,” by the Australian rock band INXS. In three weeks, “X” raced up to No. 5 on the Billboard magazine pop album chart. Will this be the album that finally knocks M.C. Hammer’s “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” out of the top spot it’s been hogging for about five months? It doesn’t look like George Michael’s album, which has cooled off even though it moved up two notches to No. 2, will have the clout to unseat Hammer. Rapper Too Short’s Triple-X rated “Short Dog’s in the House” is still on the rise, jumping five notches to No. 23.

* The death of bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan has made him a hot commodity. The album he recorded with brother Jimmie, which rocketed to No. 14 in just two weeks, could be the biggest of Stevie Ray’s career. His previous albums never moved this quickly.

POP ALBUM CHART

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” 1 1 33 M.C. Hammer (Capitol) 2. “Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1” 4 5 4 George Michael (Columbia) 3. “Mariah Carey” 3 3 17 Mariah Carey (Columbia) 4. “Wilson Phillips” 2 2 28 Wilson Phillips (SBK) 5. “X” 13 46 3 INXS (Atlantic) * “Family Style” 36 ... 2 Vaughan Brothers (Epic)