Spears’ Influence Here for ‘Now’

The “Now” hit brigade is No. 1 again.

“Now That’s What I Call Music Vol. 4,” which features recent hits from Britney Spears and other acts, sold 258,000 copies during its second week in stores to remain the nation’s top-selling album. The collection sold 321,000 copies in its debut week and became the first non-soundtrack, various-artist collection to grab No. 1 with a survey of previously released hits, according to Billboard chart historians.

Spears claims the No. 2 spot with her own album, “Oops! . . . I Did It Again,” which sold 243,000 copies and has now topped 4.5 million in total sales since its debut in May. Spears and ‘N Sync--the pop group that holds the No. 5 spot this week with “No Strings Attached”--have been getting major exposure in unusual places lately. Both are featured on a heavily advertised CD that will be sold through McDonald’s restaurants beginning Friday, and ‘N Sync is coming off a high-profile HBO concert special from Madison Square Garden in New York.

Before “Now” hit, Eminem had the top album for eight weeks--but this week he isn’t even the top rapper. Instead it’s Nelly, whose album “Country Grammar” sits at No. 3 thanks to radio hits such as “Ride Wit Me.” The disc sold 223,000 to top Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP,” which finishes at No. 4 with 210,000 sold.

Three current favorites of rock radio--Papa Roach, Creed and 3 Doors Down--account, respectively, for slots No. 6 through No. 8. The soundtrack to “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps” is at No. 9, while “Riding With the King,” the duet album from Eric Clapton and B.B. King, climbs a notch to round out the Top 10.

“Horrorscope” by Eve 6 is the only album debut among the Top 40 this week, at No. 34.