Vanilla Ice Doesn’t Melt

Rapper Vanilla Ice’s “To the Extreme” looks like it will hang on to the top spot of the Billboard magazine pop album chart for at least another week. In the next few weeks, his strongest competition will come from Paul Simon, whose “Rhythm of the Saints” inched up to No. 4. The Traveling Wilbury’s “Vol. 3” traveled up to No. 12 in just two weeks. The Cure’s album of remixes, “Mixed Up,” is nearly as hot, reaching No. 14 in that same short span. Buoyed by her hit single, “From a Distance”--No. 7 on the pop chart--Bette Midler’s album, “Some People’s Lives,” cracked the Top 10, at No. 8. This could be the biggest solo album of her career.

* Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight” debuted at No. 22 and could vault into the Top 10 next week. Her single of the title song is No. 3 on the pop chart and could go to No. 1 next week.

POP ALBUM CHART

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1.”To the Extreme” 1 1 10 Vanilla Ice (SBK) 2.”Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” 2 2 38 M.C. Hammer (Capitol) 3.”Mariah Carey” 3 4 22 Mariah Carey (Columbia) 4.”Rhythm of the Saints” 5 11 4 Paul Simon (Warner Bros.) 5.”The Razors Edge” 4 3 8 AC/DC (Atco) *”I’m Your Baby Tonight” ... ... 1 Whitney Houston (Arista)