Young Jeezy needs more ‘Motivation’

EVEN with a second-week sales drop of nearly 50%, the 19th volume of the “Now That’s What I Call Music!” hits compilation series easily fended off the debut of rapper Young Jeezy’s “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101” to hold onto the No. 1 slot on the national album chart.

The latest “Now” album sold 236,000 copies last week, down from 436,000 its first week in stores, compared to 172,000 copies of the solo debut from Jeezy, a member of Atlanta rap crew Boyz N Da Hood. Jeezy’s album entered at No. 2 on Wednesday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Other new entries into the Top 10 are comedian Dane Cook’s “Retaliation,” debuting at No. 4 on sales of 86,000; pop singer-songwriter Jason Mraz’s “Mr. A-Z” at No. 5 (81,000); and R&B; singer-songwriter-producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds’ first studio album in four years, “Grown & Sexy,” entering at No. 10 (59,000).

Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill -- Acoustic” made its chart debut following a six-week period when it was sold exclusively in Starbucks stores. In its first week of general retail release, it sold 21,000 copies, placing it at No. 50 on the chart.

The music industry’s sales slump continued, as overall sales were down 10% from the same week last year and remain off 8% for the year compared to 2004.