Chesney’s newest debuts in top spot

Kenny Chesney, the red-hot country star, makes a slight musical shift in his latest album, “Be as You Are,” but he still had no trouble entering the national pop chart at No. 1 on Wednesday after selling 311,000 copies in its first week in stores.

The reigning Country Music Assn. entertainer of the year, Chesney has sold millions of albums with frequently disarming pledges of romantic devotion, but this time he has a quieter, philosophical tone.

In reviewing the album for The Times, Randy Lewis wrote that Chesney takes a long look at a single subject: “the lure of the carefree life lounging on a Caribbean beach.” Indeed, Lewis added, Chesney seems to be “throwing his hat in the ring as the heir apparent to Jimmy Buffett’s good-times-all-the-time crown.”

Chesney shares the chart spotlight this week with Bright Eyes, the group name that singer-songwriter Conor Oberst has adopted.

Bright Eyes’ two new, acclaimed albums, “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning” and “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn,” entered the charts at No. 10 and No. 15 respectively, with combined sales of 102,000.

Geoff Mayfield, director of charts for Billboard magazine, said this was believed to be the first time two albums from a small, independent label -- in this case the Omaha-based Saddle Creek -- have broken into the Top 20 the same week.

The only other new release to enter the Top 10 was country singer LeAnn Rimes’ “This Woman,” which finished No. 3 after selling 101,000 copies in its first week in the stores.

The Game, the Compton rapper who is Dr. Dre’s protege, holds the No. 2 spot on the chart after his major-label debut, “The Documentary,” sold 265,000 copies in its second week in the stores. The Game’s CD had entered the charts at No. 1 after selling 587,000 copies in its first week on the market.

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By the Numbers: Southland CD rankings

Here are the 10 bestselling CDs in Southern California last week, along with their national ranking.

*--* TITLE, ARTIST NAT’L RANK LAST WEEK

1 “The Documentary,” Game 2 1

2 “Be as You Are,” Kenny Chesney 1 --

3 “American Idiot,” Green Day 4 2

4 “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning,” Bright Eyes 10 --

5 “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn,” Bright Eyes 15 --

6 “This Woman,” LeAnn Rimes 3 --

7 “Get Lifted,” John Legend 6 6

8 “Love.Angel.Music.Baby,” Gwen Stefani 26 3

9 “Hot Fuss,” Killers 22 4

10 “Breakaway,” Kelly Clarkson 8 5

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Source: Nielsen/SoundScan Inc.