Pop Album Chart : Garth’s Still Top but Rock Also Rules

Country superstar Garth Brooks’ greatest hits package may have been the nation’s biggest selling album last week, but rock ‘n’ roll--new and old--also proved to be a strong holiday season lure in the shops. Not only did rock groups--from newcomers Pearl Jam to old-timers the Beatles--capture six of the top 10 places on the sales chart, but seven more rock acts--including Tom Petty, the Cranberries, R.E.M. and Aerosmith--also finished in the Top 20. On the down side, Frank Sinatra’s “Duets II� is showing little of the sales sizzle of the original “Duets� package. The album dropped to No. 22 in just its sixth week in the stores. Of the albums in the Top 30, Melissa Etheridge’s “Yes I Am� has enjoyed the longest stay on the charts--66 weeks. Other longtime Top 30 residents: Ace of Base’s “The Sign� (54 weeks), Green Day’s “Dookie� (45 weeks) and Sheryl Crow’s “Tuesday Night Music Club� (43 weeks).

For the week ending Dec. 31

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Last Weeks on the Week Ago Chart 1. “The Hits,� Garth Brooks 3 ... 2 2. “Miracles: The Holiday Album,� Kenny G 1 2 8 3. “Vitalogy,� Pearl Jam 2 1 4 4. “II,� Boyz II Men 6 5 17 5. “Hell Freezes Over,� the Eagles 4 6 7 6. “Merry Christmas,� Mariah Carey 5 4 8 7. “Dookie,� Green Day 8 7 46 8. “MTV Unplugged in New York,� Nirvana 10 8 8 9. “Smash,� Offspring 9 10 32 10. “Live at the BBC,� the Beatles 7 3 3