Duffy’s “Rockferry” (A&M/Universal) leads European Top 100 Albums for a third week, while the new Eurochart Hot 100 Singles survey shows Madonna’s “4 Minutes” (Warner Bros.), featuring Justin Timberlake, at the helm for a second week.
“Rockferry” is steady at No. 1 in Greece and in the ascendancy on the sales charts of Austria (3-2) and Poland (13-9). It holds at No. 2 in Switzerland and Norway, No. 3 in Holland and No. 4 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The debut set dips 1-2 in Sweden, 2-3 in Finland and Spain, 2-4 in France, 3-4 in Germany, 3-5 in Portugal and 7-8 in Italy.
“Back To Black” (Universal Island) is in the runner-up spot again for Amy Winehouse on the composite chart, despite falling 1-4 in Holland. The two-CD “Deluxe Edition” of the multi-platinum original is back up 12-10 in the United Kingdom.
The Kooks’ sophomore release “Konk” (Virgin), which opened last week at No. 4 overall, moves up to No. 3. It loses pole position in the United Kingdom, dipping 1-2 as second-week sales of 28,000 make for a running tally to last weekend of 94,000, according to the Official U.K. Charts Company. The album falls 2-3 in Ireland and 7-9 in Holland.
The highest new entry of the week on Top 100 Albums is “The Age of the Understatement” (Domino) by the Last Shadow Puppets, featuring Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of Liverpool band the Rascals. That’s after a No. 1 arrival in the United Kingdom on sales of 51,000 (according to OCC data), a No. 2 in Ireland and a 9-4 climb in the Belgian region of Flanders. The single of the same name rises 9-4 in Spain.
R.E.M.’s “Accelerate” (Warner Bros.) spends a fourth week in the pan-European top five, holding at No. 5, as it rests at No. 4 in Italy. It’s down 4-5 in Switzerland, 5-8 in Germany and 8-13 in the United Kingdom. Also steady on the Europe-wide survey is Leona Lewis’ “Spirit” (Syco Music/Sony BMG), at No. 6 again as it rises 7-5 in Greece.
The most surprising new name on the European album chart is that of Whitesnake, the veteran British rock act of which frontman David Coverdale is the sole original member. “Good To Be Bad” (SPV), the band’s first new album in 11 years, enters at No. 7, the same ranking it achieves in the United Kingdom on opening sales of 13,000, according to the OCC. It’s the German label’s best-ever U.K. chart position and Whitesnake’s best since “Come and Get It” reached No. 2 in 1981. The new set also arrives at No. 5 in Finland, No. 6 in Germany, and at No. 5 in a limited edition boxed version in Norway.
Three declining albums complete the pan-European top ten. Mariah Carey’s “E=MC2” (Def Jam/Universal) recedes 3-8 in its second chart week, as it moves down 3-5 in the United Kingdom. The Rolling Stones’ “Shine A Light” (Polydor/Universal) is down 7-9 despite a 6-4 climb in Greece and a second week at No. 10 in Spain, and Udo Lindenberg falls 8-10 with “Stark Wie Zwei” (Starwatch/Warner Bros.) even though the album is enjoying a fourth week atop the German chart.
The Madonna/Timberlake single spends a second week atop the U.K. chart, with weekly sales of 49,000, according to the OCC. That’s one of no fewer than seven No. 1 berths around Europe, also including rises of 3-1 in Holland and 2-1 in Denmark, and continuing reigns in Germany, Switzerland, Wallony and Finland. Duffy’s former Eurochart No. 1 “Mercy” holds at No. 2.
