The Hot Sound

It’s rare that two albums by hot alternative-rock bands like Soundgarden and Nine Inch Nails come out at the same time. But it’s allowing alternative to dominate The Times’ Southern California pop album chart. Still, pop princesses Celine Dion and Toni Braxton are so popular either might reclaim the top spot. Raunch is ruling the pop singles chart right now, with R. Kelly’s sexy “Bump ‘n’ Grind” muscling out Dion’s wholesome “The Power of Love.”

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Superunknown, Soundgarden (1) . . 2 The Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails (2) . . 3 Toni Braxton, Toni Braxton (5) 1 4 The Colour of My Love, Celine Dion (8) 2 5 Reality Bites, soundtrack (15) 4 6 12 Play, R. Kelly (4) 3 7 The Cross of Changes, Enigma (10) 5 8 August and. . .After, Counting Crows (7) 6 9 The Sign, Ace of Base (3) 8 10 The Bodyguard, soundtrack (11) 7

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Bump ‘n’ Grind, R. Kelly (1) 5 2 The Power of Love, Celine Dion (3) 1 3 So Much in Love, All-4-One (6) 2 4 The Sign, Ace of Base (2) 4 5 Whatta Man, Salt-N-Pepa (4) 3 6 Mmm Mmm. . ., Crash Test Dummies (10) 8 7 Something. . ., Conscious Daughters (42) 13 8 Gin and Juice, Snoop Doggy Dogg (7) 6 9 Born to Roll, Masta Ace Inc., (38) . . 10 Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia), Us3 (9) 7

TOP 10 HARD ROCK ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Superunknown, Soundgarden (1) . . 2 The Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails (2) . . 3 Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins (4) 1 4 Jar of Flies, Alice in Chains (3) 2 5 Vs., Pearl Jam (6) 4 6 Get a Grip, Aerosmith (5) 5 7 Core, Stone Temple Pilots (7) 3 8 Rage. . ., Rage Against the Machine (11) 7 9 In Utero, Nirvana (9) 6 10 Undertow, Tool (15) 9

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week ending March 13