Pop Album Chart : Hammer Claws His Way to No. 2

Hammer strong-armed his way past Ice Cube into the No. 2 slot on the Billboard magazine pop album chart with “Too Legit to Quit,” but he still doesn’t have enough muscle to unseat the chart leader Garth Brooks. One problem is that Hammer’s single, “2 Legit 2 Quit,” hasn’t been the blockbuster every one expected. It’s just No. 36 after three weeks. Two new albums could shoot up the chart next week: Queensryche’s “Operation: Live Crime” (No. 38) and Richard Marx’s “Rush Street” (No. 40). On the pop singles chart, Michael Bolton’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” is the new No. 1 single. Michael Jackson’s single “Black or White”--a good bet to reach the top spot--entered at No. 35.

* The late Stevie Ray Vaughan is hotter than ever. His new album, “Sky Is Crying,” debuted at No. 10.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1.”Ropin’ the Wind” 1 1 9 Garth Brooks (Capitol) 2.”Too Legit to Quit” 3 ... 2 Hammer (Capitol) 3.”Death Certificate” 2 ... 2 Ice Cube (Priority) 4.”Nevermind” 9 17 7 Nirvana (Geffen) 5.”Use Your Illusion II” 4 2 8 Guns N’ Roses (Geffen) *”Sky Is Crying” ... ... .1 Stevie Ray Vaughan (Epic)