AND THEN THERE’S

U2’s “Pop,” which was pointed to by many retailers as the most awaited release of the spring, rests at No. 15 on the list with first-half sales of about 1.2 million copies.

“Even though it’s done very well for us,” says Tower’s Goman, “it’s not doing as well as I think it should. I expected it to be up in the Top 10 for a long time.”

Still, “Pop” has fared a lot better than Aerosmith’s “Nine Lives,” another highly anticipated spring release that is struggling to reach the million mark.

“The Aerosmith record has underperformed, to put it diplomatically,” says one retailer who spoke anonymously. “I think everybody expected it to be bigger.”

Other albums by former platinum or multi-platinum acts that have performed below early hopes: Paul McCartney’s “Flaming Pie,” which has dropped to No. 38 on the current chart after five weeks; the Bee Gees’ “Still Waters,”No. 47 after eight weeks; the Foo Fighters’ “The Colour and the Shape,” No. 53 after six weeks; Depeche Mode’s “Ultra,” No. 85 after 11 weeks; the Offspring’s “Ixnay on the Hombre,” No. 97 after 21 weeks; Alison Krauss & Union Station’s “So Long So Wrong,” No. 177 after 14 weeks; and Michael Jackson’s “Blood on the Dance Floor . . . ,” No. 135 after six weeks.