WEEK IN PREVIEW:
PEOPLE ELECT MAYER #1!

Gosh darnit, it shore is swell to see one o’ them new-guard younguns come on in and shake things up once in a while. As we have been known to say, lo these many years ago: Wheeeeeeeeeeee-Dogggggggggies!!!!!!!!

Such reckless exclamations are warranted this week thanks to Aware/Columbia’s John Mayer, whose new album, Heavier Things, appears headed for a first-week total of 280k-300k and a certain #1 on this week’s album chart, as the tallying of retail reports continues

Mayer’s single, “Bigger Than My Body,” has had the benefit of major radio airplay, no doubt helping to spur album sales along.

Warner Bros.' Seal also has a new album debuting on this week’s chart. After a long absence, he’s back with Seal IV, which looks like it will come in with a total of about 50k-60k for the week. Also look for Jive’s E-40 to debut with sales of about 50k for his Breaking News, and RCA Nashville’s Clay Walker to do about 45k with his A Few Questions.

Meanwhile, several titles expected to chart in the Top 10, if not the Top 5, are hitting the street this week: At this early date, predictors are predicting that DMX’s Grand Champ (Def Jam/IDJ) will sell around 250k first-week, while A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step (Virgin) should log 200k. Also, Erykah Badu’s Worldwide Underground (Motown) is expected to sell upwards of 150k, and Bubba Sparxxx’ new album on Beat Club/Interscope should move around 80k.

There. Is that enough previewing for you? Get outta here, ya knuckleheads.