Pop Album Chart : J.M. Montgomery’s ‘Kickin’ It Up’

Country singer John Michael Montgomery has been the target of some nasty critical cracks--like being dubbed Billy Ray Cyrus II, the country hunk, flash-in-the-pan, etc. So with “Kickin’ It Up” reaching the top of the pop album chart in just two weeks, he must be kickin’ up his heels with joy--and thumbing his nose at all those detractors. Even after the album entered at No. 3 last week, many were predicting it would sink quickly out of the Top 10. That loud noise you hear is those detractors eating crow. NKOTB, alias New Kids on the Block, must be singing the blues about its new album, “Face the Music.” After debuting at No. 37 last week, it dropped to No. 75. One theory is that they distanced themselves so much from their old teen-idol image that their hard-core fans don’t know they have a new album. Another theory is that judging from the scathing reviews, it’s simply a bad album fans don’t care about. Celine Dion’s “The Power of Love” is still the No. 1 pop single.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Last Weeks on the Week Ago Chart 1. “Kickin’ It Up,” John Michael Montgomery 3 ... 2 2. “Music Box,” Mariah Carey 2 1 23 3. “Doggystyle,” Snoop Doggy Dogg 4 2 11 4. “Jar of Flies,” Alice in Chains 1 ... 2 5. “12 Play,” R. Kelly 9 12 13 6. “Very Necessary,” Salt-N-Pepa 7 10 17 7. “Toni Braxton,” Toni Braxton 10 11 30 8. “Diary of a Mad Band,” Jodeci 6 3 7 9. “Greatest Hits,” Tom Petty 5 5 12 10. “August and Everything After,” Counting Crows 15 13 8 * “Under the Pink,” Tori Amos ... ... 1

* Singer Tori Amos’ cult following seems to have grown considerably. With her new album entering the chart at No. 12, she’s on the brink of becoming a full-fledged, mainstream pop star.

Source: Billboard/Soundscan