Jaheim has what’s new and what’s No. 1

R&B; singer Jaheim’s third album brings one new entry to the top of a national sales chart otherwise looking pretty much the same as it ever was. “Ghetto Classics,” on which Jaheim worked with superstar producer-songwriter Scott Storch and rappers Jadakiss and Styles P, sold 152,000 copies its first week in stores to give Jaheim his first No. 1 debut. It is the only new album to break into the Top 40 of the national sales chart this week.

The Jack Johnson-driven soundtrack for “Curious George” slipped to No. 2 with second-week sales of 117,000 copies, while Barry Manilow’s “Greatest Songs of the Fifties” held onto the No. 3 spot after selling 116,000 copies in its third week of release.

Working against the trend in a generally down sales week, albums from Carrie Underwood and James Blunt and the “High School Musical” soundtrack jumped back into the Top 10 with increases of 8% to 32% over their previous week’s figures.

Only two other albums debuted in the Top 50. Sergio Mendes’ “Timeless,” produced by Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am, which sold 28,000 copies, landing it at No. 44, right behind Matchbook Romance’s new “Voices.”

Next week the focus will be on Britain’s Arctic Monkeys, whose debut album hit U.S. stores Tuesday. “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not,” which became the fastest-selling debut album in British chart history, has been generating rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic.