Kickin’ Up the List

Black-hatted singer John Michael Montgomery always gets picked on by critics for being bland, for being the latest country “hunk.” No matter--he’s still the hot “hat.” On The Times’ Southern California country chart, his new album, “Kickin’ It Up,” is tops. There were a number of surprises this week. The “Straight From Da Streets” compilation debuted on top of both the R&B; charts and pop album chart. It’s a regional hit, reaching only No. 129 on the national pop chart. Other surprises: singer Tori Amos’ album “Under the Pink” entered at No. 8 locally and No. 12 nationally, while Us3’s jazz-rap single “Cantaloop” is up to No. 16 locally and No. 10 nationally.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Straight From Da Streets, Various (129) -- 2 Doggystyle, Snoop Doggy Dogg (3) 4 3 Colour of My Love, Celine Dion (14) 3 4 Toni Braxton, Toni Braxton (7) 5 5 Music Box, Mariah Carey (2) 2 6 Jar of Flies, Alice in Chains (4) 1 7 August and. . .After, Counting Crows (10) 9 8 Under the Pink, Tori Amos (12) . . 9 Very Necessary, Salt-N-Pepa (6) 7 10 Lethal Injection, Ice Cube (28) 6

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 The Power of Love, Celine Dion (1) 2 2 So Much in Love, All-4-One (23) 1 3 Whatta Man, Salt-N-Pepa (2) 4 4 Getto Jam, Domino (3) 6 5 All for Love, Adams/Stewart/Sting (4) 5 6 The Sign, Ace of Base (5) 7 7 Breathe Again, Toni Braxton (8) 8 8 Gin & Juice, Snoop Doggy Dogg (12) . . 9 Understanding, Xscape (7) 10 10 Hero, Mariah Carey (13) 9

TOP 10 COUNTRY ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Kickin’ It Up, John M. Montgomery (1) 1 2 Songs of the Eagles, Various artists (2) 2 3 Greatest Hits Vol. 2, Reba McEntire (3) 3 4 In Pieces, Garth Brooks (4) 4 5 Lot About Livin’, Alan Jackson (5) 5 6 Tell Me Why, Wynonna Judd (15) 10 7 Come On. . ., Mary-Chapin Carpenter (8) 6 8 Easy Come Easy Go, George Strait (7) 8 9 I Still Believe in You, Vince Gill (6) 7 10 She’d Give Anything, Boy Howdy (19) . .

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week ending Feb. 6