‘Titanic’ Still in Top Spot; Silkk, DiFranco Make Impressive Debuts

The blockbuster “Titanic” soundtrack was the nation’s top-selling album for the seventh consecutive week, scanning nearly 563,000 copies during the seven-day period that ended Sunday to push its total U.S. sales to 4.2 million.

But the most surprising number of the week was turned in by New Orleans rapper Silkk the Shocker, whose album “Charge It 2 Da Game” debuted at No. 3 after selling about 248,000 copies. The collection was executive produced by the rapper’s brother, Master P, whose album “Ghetto D” topped the chart last summer. Silkk, Master P and a third brother, C-Murder, make up Tru, which released a Top 10 album of its own last year.

Also making an impressive debut was independent singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco’s “Little Plastic Castle,” which enters the chart at No. 22 after selling almost 50,000 copies, more than double the first-week number sold by her last album, 1997’s two-disc live collection “Living in Clip.”

Meanwhile, Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” was the nation’s best-selling single for the second week in a row and continued to drive sales of her No. 2 album “Let’s Talk About Love.”

What’s Hot

Here are some recent releases that are generating critical or commercial attention:

Peter Case’s “Full Service No Waiting” (Vanguard). In spare, acoustic arrangements, Case spins a mesmerizing song cycle of regret and longing in perhaps the strongest album of his solo career.

Ani DiFranco’s “Little Plastic Castle” (Righteous Babe). On her 10th album, the independent singer-songwriter from Buffalo, N.Y., continues to hone her deceptively casual talent for drilling through a morass of conflicting emotions.

Celine Dion’s “Let’s Talk About Love” (550 Music/Epic). Dion’s voice is a technical marvel, but her delivery lacks the personality and intuitive sense of drama that are a diva’s stock in trade.

Pearl Jam’s “Yield” (Epic). On the Seattle band’s fifth album, Eddie Vedder’s vocals continue to express a variety of emotions as the group’s music grows in all the important ways.

What’s Coming

Tuesday: Madonna’s “Ray of Light” (Warner Bros.).

March 10: Eric Clapton’s “Pilgrim” (Reprise).