WEEK IN PREVIEW: JADAKISS TO #1; SPIDER-MAN 2 RADIOACTIVE

As expected, the early tally of retail sales reports indicates that Ruff Ryders/Interscope’s Jadakiss will be this week’s #1 album. Barring last-minute surprises, Kiss of Death should log a first-week tally on the order of 250k.

That should put it comfortably ahead of last week’s #1, the Beastie Boys’ To the 5 Boroughs (Capitol), which should settle the usual 40-50% and see second-week sales of around 200k.

Showing increased strength since we last checked in, however, is the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack (Columbia/SMS), which gained momentum throughout the weekend and is currently on track to top 80k for the week. Dashboard Confessional’s “Vindicated,” the first single from the soundtrack, is currently raging on radio and MTV, while increasingly massive buzz on the movie from screenings and a major ad blitz leading up to this week’s opening have combined to set the project on fire.

Watch for Spider-Man 2 to possibly crack the Top 5 this week (before the movie opens) and show its “legs” in the following weeks as the movie devours the competition. Other tracks on the emo-leaning “music from and inspired by” set include Train’s “Ordinary,” Hoobastank’s “Did You,” Jet’s “Hold On,” Yellowcard’s “Gifts and Curses,” Maroon 5’s “Woman,” Taking Back Sunday’s “This Photograph Is Proof,” Midtown’s “Give It Up,” lostprophets’ “Lucky You,” Smile Empty Soul’s “Who I Am,” The Ataris’ “The Night That the Lights Went Out in NYC,” Ana’s “We Are” and Jimmy Gnecco’s “Someone to Die for” (featuring Brian May).

Also debuting on this week’s chart will be young songstress Jo Jo’s eponymous debut (Blackground) and Wilco’s A Ghost is Born (Nonesuch), which should do about 70k and over 50k, respectively.

Hitting the streets tomorrow are Lloyd Banks (G-Unit/Interscope), Brandy (Atlantic) and The Cure (Geffen). Early predictions on these have Banks at 350k, Brandy at 95k and The Cure at 60k.