Prince Makes His Mark

Prince’s new album, “X,” also known as “Androgynous,” made a grand entrance at No. 4 on The Times’ Southern California pop album chart and did even better on the R&B; chart, premiering on top.

Garth Brooks’ “The Chase” isn’t as dominant in this area as it is in the rest of the country, having been supplanted at No. 1 by Eric Clapton’s “Unplugged.”

The reign of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” on the pop singles chart seems endless. But whenever it’s dethroned, don’t look to Madonna’s “Erotica,” which has slipped to No. 9 without having cracked the Top 5.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Unplugged, Eric Clapton (3) 4 2 Automatic for the People, R.E.M. (2) 2 3 The Chase, Garth Brooks (1) 1 4 “Androgynous,” Prince (5) -- 5 Us, Peter Gabriel (8) 3 6 Timeless, Michael Bolton (6) 5 7 Ten, Pearl Jam (7) 6 8 Dirt, Alice in Chains (10) 8 9 What’s the 411, Mary J. Blige (9) 9 10 Some Gave All, Billy Ray Cyrus (4) 7

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 End of the Road, Boyz II Men (1) 1 2 Back to the Hotel, N2Deep (8) 3 3 Jump Around, House of Pain (2) 2 4 I’d Die Without You, PM Dawn (5) 7 5 People Everyday, Arrested Devel., (9) 5 6 Sometimes Love . . ., Patty Smyth (3) 6 7 What About Your Friends, TLC (12) 4 8 Rhythm Is a Dancer, Snap (10) 9 9 Erotica, Madonna (7) 8 10 If I Ever Fall in Love, Shai (21) --

TOP 10 R&B; ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 “Androgynous,” Prince (1) -- 2 What’s the 411, Mary J. Blige (2) 1 3 Guerillas in tha Mist, Da Lench Mob (9) 2 4 3 Years . . ., Arrested Development (6) 4 5 Funky Divas, En Vogue (7) 3 6 Boomerang, soundtrack (3) 5 7 Bobby, Bobby Brown (4) 7 8 Ooooooohhh--On the TLC Tip, TLC (8) 8 9 Totally Krossed Out, Kris Kross (5) 6 10 Back to the Hotel, N2Deep (14) --

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week ending Oct. 18