‘SMACK ATTACK

That’s what retailers all over this great land of ours are saying after the Universal Republic rockers took the top spot on this week’s HITS album chart for the second album in a row, racking up 220k in sales. That gives label topper Monte Lipman three #1 albums in the first months of 2005, including Prince and Jack Johnson’s Curious George soundtrack.

But the Beantown thrashers are only one of five newcomers to the Top 5, all selling more than 100k, including Warner Bros emo poster boys Taking Back Sunday (#2, 156k), Columbia’s Bruce Springsteen Pete Seeger tribute (#3, 145k), Geffen’s Avant (#4, 127k) and Def Jam/IDJ’s Rihanna (#5, 116k).

Hastings’ George Deahl was so pumped he began singing the National Anthem in Spanish: “Godsmack was huge for us, and so were Taking Back Sunday, Bruce Springsteen, Avant and Rihanna. Hot new releases mean increased in-store foot traffic, which helps titles across the board.. Is it time for summer vacation yet?”

With WB’s Goo Goo Dolls (#9) the other debut, the rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by three-time #1, Lyric Street’s Rascal Flatts (#6), Walt Disney Records’ High School Musical (#7), UTV’s Now 21 (#8) and Decca/Universal Classics’ Andrea Bocelli (#24-10), which was up a whopping 231%, thanks to his appearance on American Idol.

Other chart bows are registered by INO/Columbia’s gospel act MercyMe (#13), WB’s Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris (#17) and Vice Records’ Brit-hoppers The Streets (#39).

Aside from Bocelli, double-digit sales gainers include Epic’s Shakira (+14%, #14), Universal Motown’s Chamilionaire (+13%, #21), Universal’s Jack Johnson (+15%, #30) and Walt Disney Records’ Disneymania 4 (+12%, +35%).

Next week, look for Tool’s 10,000 Days on Volcano/ZLG to storm the charts, with estimates ranging from 500-600k and maybe even more, while J Records’ Pearl Jam will mark their comeback with a debut in excess of 200k. G-Unit/Interscope’s Mobb Deep and Atlantic’s Jewel will also bow. Other debuts will come from Island’s Thursday and Interscope’s Aussie metal outfit Wolfmother.

Added Deahl: “Tool looks huge. Not my tool, mind you, but the band.”