R. Kelly’s bright spot: No. 1

IT’S all about the numbers this week for embattled R&B; star R. Kelly, who grabs the No. 1 slot on the nation’s album sales chart with “Double Up,” his sixth collection to reach the top spot.

The two-CD set, which sold 386,000 copies in its first week in stores, charts the extremes of Kelly’s impulses, from the comparatively chaste hit single “I’m a Flirt” to the crudely outrageous sci-fi allegory “Sex Planet” to his ballad in homage to the survivors of the Virginia Tech massacre, “Rise Up.” Kelly is still awaiting trial on child pornography charges.

Last week’s top seller, Maroon 5’s “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,” drops to No. 2 with sales of 172,000 copies in its second week in stores. Rising country singer Jason Aldean enters the overall pop album chart at No. 4 -- and tops the country listing -- with “Relentless.” It sold 98,000 copies.

Also breaking into the Top 10 is Amy Winehouse, the British R&B; chanteuse whose “Back to Black” album jumped five slots to land at No. 6. Her album sold 50,000 copies, many credited to a promotion at Best Buy stores, where it was priced at $7.99.

Next week will see the results of Tuesday’s caffeinated rollout of Paul McCartney’s album “Memory Almost Full” at 10,000 Starbucks locations as well as digitally at iTunes and all the other usual outlets. It’s the inaugural release on the Hear Music label that Starbucks and Concord Music Group launched.

randy.lewis@latimes.com