OutKast regains top spot during a cool sales period

OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” tops the nation’s weekly album chart for the sixth time since the two-disc collection was released last September, even though it sold only 97,000 copies last week.

Though record sales are usually slow during January, few albums in recent years have topped the chart without breaking the 100,000 sales mark.

Only two albums reached No. 1 last year with sales below 110,000, and in both cases it happened at this time of year: the Dixie Chicks’ “Home” (104,000) and Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me” (108,000). Like “Speakerboxxx,” both albums had been in stores for months and were returning to the No. 1 spot.

OutKast’s album, which is widely considered the favorite in this year’s Grammy balloting for album of the year, entered the sales chart at No. 1 on Sept. 28 after selling 510,000 copies in its first week in the stores. Total sales for the hip-hop collection, which moved up from No. 3 on last week’s chart, are now approaching 3.5 million copies.

Sheryl Crow’s “Very Best Of” collection is second on this week’s chart after selling 73,000 copies last week.

Josh Groban, whose “Closer” topped the chart last week, fell to No. 5 this week.

Michael Jackson’s “Number Ones” hits package, which leaped from No. 39 to No. 15 last week, tumbled to No. 40 this week.