Usher still hottest thing, but look out for Lavigne

Usher has claimed the No. 1 spot on the nation’s pop album chart for the eighth week, but look for Avril Lavigne’s “Under My Skin” to take over next week.

Usher’s “Confessions” sold 214,000 copies last week to push its total to 3.6 million. That makes the R&B; collection the year’s biggest-selling new release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It has been No. 1 every week since its release in mid-March, except the week ending May 16, when Eminem-affiliated rap group D12’s sophomore CD, “D12 World,” pushed “Confessions” to No. 2.

Lavigne’s album, which is the follow-up to her hugely successful 2001 debut “Let Go,” got off to such a fast start in its first day in stores Tuesday that it could reach the 400,000 mark this week, according to retailers.

In a general housecleaning, six new releases entered this week’s Top 15. They were by Method Man (No. 2), New Found Glory (No. 3), Alanis Morissette (No. 5), Montgomery Gentry (No. 10), Morrissey (No. 11) and Lenny Kravitz (No. 14). George Michael’s first album in eight years finished No. 29 in its chart debut.

Of the albums falling from the Top 10, the biggest drop was experienced by Teena Marie’s “La Dona,” which fell from No. 6 to No. 26. Prince fell from No. 7 to No. 16 and Petey Pablo from No. 10 to No. 21.