Limp Bizkit Keeps Lenny Kravitz at Bay

By ROBERT HILBURN

Nov. 2, 2000 12 AM PT

Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water” holds on to theNo. 1 spot on the nation’s album chart, outselling the top new arrival, Lenny Kravitz’s “Greatest Hits,” by more than 200,000 copies.

After selling 1.05 million copies in its first week in the stores, “Chocolate” sold an additional 392,000 copies during its second week. The Kravitz package sold almost 162,000.

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Nov. 4, 2000 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday November 4, 2000 Home Edition Calendar Part F Page 2 Entertainment Desk 1 inches; 21 words Type of Material: Correction
Album title--The new U2 album is “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” A wrong title was given in the Pop Albums column in Thursday’s Calendar Weekend.

The only other debuts in the Top 20 this week were the soundtrack to “Charlie’s Angels” and the debut album from Linkin Park, a hip-hop-influenced, hard-rock quintet from Southern California. The albums finished No. 15 and No. 16, respectively. Christina Aguilera’s “My Kind of Christmas” entered at No. 38.

Don’t expect Limp Bizkit to hold the No. 1 spot next week, when it will run up against several potent new releases.

Among them:

* U2’s “All the Things You Left Behind,” which has attracted rave reviews and should benefit from a TV promotional blitz by the Irish rock group. The group’s last album, 1997’s “Pop,” sold 350,000 copies in its first week.

* Jay-Z’s “The Dynasty Roc La Familia (2000- ).” The Brooklyn rapper’s last album, “Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter,” sold 460,000 the first week in the stores last December.

* OutKast’s “Stankonia,” which has also been getting glowing reviews and should build nicely on the 230,000 copies that the rap outfit’s last album, “Aquemini,” sold during its first week in the stores in 1998.

Based on Tuesday’s opening-day sales, Jay-Z will probably lead the newcomer pack with about 600,000 copies, according to one retail chain projection. OutKast is expected to follow closely, with U2 trailing at around the 450,000 mark.

Among high-profile albums that appear to be struggling in the marketplace: Radiohead’s “Kid A” (down from No. 14 to No. 21 in its fourth week); the Wallflowers’ “Breach” (No. 19 to No. 32 in its third week), and Everlast’s “Eat at Whitey’s” (No. 20 to No. 47 in its second week).

But unlike the film world, where slow starts are usually fatal, albums--especially those by veteran artists--can rebound dramatically on the strength of touring and/or a hit single.

Aguilera’s “Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)” tops the nation’s singles chart for the fifth straight week.