Eminem Still Has Country’s No. 1 Album

There’s at least one area of stability in Eminem’s life these days--his “Marshall Mathers LP” is the No. 1 album in the country for the seventh consecutive week.

In recent weeks, the Detroit rapper has been the target of weapons and assault charges and withering criticism for his graphic lyrics, and last week his personal life took a grim turn when his wife attempted suicide.

Eminem is now on the concert circuit with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and other rap stars, a high-profile tour that is helping sales of “Mathers,” his second major-label album. The disc sold 291,000 copies last week, and its total sales have surpassed 4.7 million copies.

The Ruff Ryders debut this week at No. 2 after selling 255,000 copies of “Ryde or Die Vol. 2.” The hip-hop collective again features DMX, Eve and the LOX’s Jadakiss and producer Swizz Beatz. And, with a nod to the lessening of regional rap rivalries, the New York outfit has the West Coast’s Snoop Dogg and Houston’s Scarface taking turns at the mic.

To make way for the Ryders, Britney Spears drops to No. 3 with her sophomore album “Oops! . . . I Did It Again,” which sold 224,000 copies. The album, anchored by the hit title track, has sold 3.8 million copies since its May release.

Spears and her camp have been busy with rumor control the past week after reports circulated that the teen queen is engaged to another former Mickey Mouse Club member, singer Justin Timberlake. Timberlake’s group, ‘N Sync, climbs two notches and finishes at No. 5 this week, selling 133,000 copies of “No Strings Attached.”

Rapper Lil’ Kim’s “Notorious K.I.M.” drops three spots to No. 7 in its second week on the charts. The disc sold 114,000 copies, a 50% decline from the total it posted in its debut week.

The only other debut in this week’s Top 100 is the collaboration between guitar hero Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes. Their “Live at the Greek,” recorded last year at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, opens at No. 64 after selling 22,000 copies.

On the singles chart, the new No. 1 is “Bent” by Matchbox Twenty, replacing Christina Aguilera’s “I Turn to You,” which lands at No. 3 this week. Vertical Horizon has the No. 2 song with “Everything You Want,” the title track to its breakthrough album.