Creed Holds On to No. 1

Creed’s “Weathered” sold 555,000 copies last week as it continued to set the pace in the record industry’s holiday season sales race. The spiritually minded hard-rock album, which has been No. 1 since it entered the charts on Nov. 27, has now sold 2.3-million copies.

That total gives it a lead of almost 650,000 over the eighth volume in the “Now That’s What I Call Music!” hit compilation series, which has been second on the charts since Nov. 27 and sold 404,000 copies last week.

The other positions in this week’s top 10 are claimed, in order, by Britney Spears, Garth Brooks, Mannheim Steamroller, the “Now That’s What I Call Christmas” compilation, Nickelback, Enya, No Doubt and Linkin Park.

Sales appear sluggish for the two albums based on the concerts held after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “America: A Tribute to Heroes” dropped from No. 17 to No. 25 in its second week on the chart, while “The Concert for New York City” is No. 42 in its third week. The nation’s best-selling single is Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me.”