Pop Album Chart : Garth’s Still Top but Rock Also Rules

Country superstar Garth Brooks’ greatest hits package may have been the nation’s biggest selling album last week, but rock ‘n’ roll--new and old--also proved to be a strong holiday season lure in the shops. Not only did rock groups--from newcomers Pearl Jam to old-timers the Beatles--capture six of the top 10 places on the sales chart, but seven more rock acts--including Tom Petty, the Cranberries, R.E.M. and Aerosmith--also finished in the Top 20. On the down side, Frank Sinatra’s “Duets II” is showing little of the sales sizzle of the original “Duets” package. The album dropped to No. 22 in just its sixth week in the stores. Of the albums in the Top 30, Melissa Etheridge’s “Yes I Am” has enjoyed the longest stay on the charts--66 weeks. Other longtime Top 30 residents: Ace of Base’s “The Sign” (54 weeks), Green Day’s “Dookie” (45 weeks) and Sheryl Crow’s “Tuesday Night Music Club” (43 weeks).

For the week ending Dec. 31

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Last Weeks on the Week Ago Chart 1. “The Hits,” Garth Brooks 3 ... 2 2. “Miracles: The Holiday Album,” Kenny G 1 2 8 3. “Vitalogy,” Pearl Jam 2 1 4 4. “II,” Boyz II Men 6 5 17 5. “Hell Freezes Over,” the Eagles 4 6 7 6. “Merry Christmas,” Mariah Carey 5 4 8 7. “Dookie,” Green Day 8 7 46 8. “MTV Unplugged in New York,” Nirvana 10 8 8 9. “Smash,” Offspring 9 10 32 10. “Live at the BBC,” the Beatles 7 3 3