T.I. IS TOO TOUGH

The Grammy-winning hip-hop superstar’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. bows at #1 on the HITS Album Sales chart with an impressive summer total of 466k, more than enough to beat back last week’s champion, Disney’s Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley soundtrack, which boasts an impressive second-week figure of 187k.

RCA/RMG supergroup Velvet Revolver’s Libertad, the band’s sophomore album, is one of three newcomers to the Top 10, at #4, with 98k, while the second album from Columbia Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland debuts at #6, with 84k.

RCA/RMG’s Kelly Clarkson drops a notch to #3, with 116k, followed by Island’s Bon Jovi (#5), RCA/RMG’s Brad Paisley (#7), Universal Republic’s Amy Winehouse (#8), WB’s Linkin Park (#9) and WB’s White Stripes (#10).

That gives Clive Davis’ RCA Music Group three in the Top 10.

Other chart newcomers include WB’s Transformers soundtrack (#21), Victory’s Silverstein (#27) and Epic’s Sara Bareilles (#47), the L.A.-based singer/songwriter who has the #1-selling album at iTunes.

A&M/Interscope’s Fergie is the week’s big gainer, up 15% at #11, with Jive/ZLG’s R. Kelly (#15, +4%), Roadrunner’s Nickelback (#24, +1%), A&M’s The Police (#26, +2%), Disney’s Hannah Montana soundtrack (#31, +2%), Jive/ZLG’s Justin Timberlake (#33, +7%), Interscope’s Gwen Stefani (#36, +5%), Interscope’s Timbaland (#39, +3%), Curb’s Tim McGraw (#41, +1%) and Island/IDJ’s Fall Out Boy (#43, +2%).

Hitting retail this week and expected to debut on the album chart next week are Capitol’s Interpol, WB’s Smashing Pumpkins, Merge’s Spoon, Hollywood’s Aly & AJ and Victory’s Darkest Hour.