CIARA’S EVOLUTION TO #1

LaFace/ZLG R&B diva Ciara climbs to the top spot on this week’s HITS album chart with her sophomore album, which busts in at #1, toping 340k in first-week sales.

That was more than enough to beat back Shady/Aftermath/Interscope rap icon Eminem’s mixtape album, Presents the Re-Up, which re-ups at #2, logging in 293k in sales.

Interscope labelmate Gwen Stefani winds it up at #3 for her second solo effort, The Sweet Escape, gathering 252k followers for her sound of music.

The rest of this week’s Top 10 features holdovers like Disney’s Hannah Montana soundtrack (#4), Sony Label Group’s Now 23 (#5), Columbia’s Il Divo, boasting two albums in the Top 10 at #6 and #10, RCA/RMG’s Daughtry (#7), Apple/Capitol’s the Beatles (#8) and Arista/RMG’s Sarah McLachlan (#9).

Thanks to their Oprah Winfrey shot, Il Divo’s Siempre is up 149% at #6 while the popopera stars’ Christmas Collection climbs #39-10 and 205%.

The other top newcomer on the chart is Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax’s Dreamgirls album, sure to be a heavy seller for the holidays once the movie opens wide Christmas Day. Combining the regular release and the deluxe edition lands it at #15 in its first week, with a tick over 104k in sales.

Other Top 50 debuts are registered by BME/Reprise’s Lil’ Scrappy (#24) and Warner Bros.’ Brian McKnight (#33).

Other 50%-plus gainers include Arista/RMG’s Carrie Underwood (#15-11, 50%), Columbia’s James Taylor (#19-17, +55%), A&M/Interscope’s Fergie (#26-20, +64%), Jive/ZLG’s Justin Timberlake (#24-23, +52%) and Epic’s The Fray (#43-35, +73%).

Next week, it’s all about reigning Idol ruler Taylor Hicks’ RCA/RMG bow, followed by Def Jam/IDJ’s Young Jeezy, Geffen’s Mary J. Blige greatest hits plus four new tracks, Def Jam/IDJ’s Ghostface Killah and RCA/RMG’s Tyrese as his rap persona Black Ty.