It’s straight to the top for Jay-Z’s ‘Kingdom’

JAY-Z reclaims his throne this week as his “Kingdom Come� debuts at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with 680,000 copies sold in its first week, the third-highest one-week sales total of 2006.

While Jay-Z’s return from “retirement� fell short of the totals posted this year by Rascal Flatts and Justin Timberlake, Hova’s still in rarified company. Billboard reports that he now has nine No. 1 albums, tying him with the Rolling Stones for third place behind the Beatles (19) and Elvis Presley (10).

The worshiping of “American Idol� contestants continues as Chris Daughtry makes his debut at No. 2 on the national charts fronting a band that takes his last name. The CD “Daughtry� sold 304,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

“Love,� the George Martin project that reimagines the Beatles’ music, debuts at No. 4 this week, selling 272,000 copies. The sonic collage created by the Fab Four’s longtime producer and his son, Giles, is the soundtrack to a Cirque du Soleil show.

Last week, rapper the Game had his debut at the top of the charts a few days after getting arrested. Perhaps that’s the new West Coast version of an album-release party. Snoop Dogg debuts at No. 5 this week with his “Tha Blue Carpet Treatment� (it sold 264,000 copies) but was arrested Tuesday in Burbank on weapon and drug charges.

2Pac was gunned down a decade ago but his recording career lives on. His sixth posthumous release, “Pac’s Life,� enters the chart at No. 9 (160,000 copies).

Tasty coincidence of the week: Fergie’s “Dutchess� falls to No. 25 this week, one spot ahead of the soundtrack to “Cheetah Girls II�; the former features the single “Fergalicious,� the latter has the Radio Disney anthem “Cheetahlicious.�

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