IT’S JUSTIN TIME FOR Q4

Between Timberlake and Timbaland, the ex-NSYNC member-turned-pop superstar can see the forest for the trees, almost 700k of ‘em, in fact, as his brand-new Jive/ZLG album, FutureSex/Love Sounds proves the man is “SexyBack” and headed for #1 on next week’s chart. Even the critics are grudgingly giving the man props… worth at least 95 additional sales.

That’s according to our usual gang of crack-addled retailers around the country, who e-mail us their information for nothing more than a free membership to our affiliated porn site.

Continuing to stoke the flame at Columbia Records, which is coming off two #1 albums in a row in Dylan and Beyonce, is shaggy-haired heartthrob troubadour and Jessica Simpson ex John Mayer, whose Continuum has been garnering raves from pointy-headed guitar types who hail his return to his signature sound after a foray into the blues. Sources say the album will go over 200k and could go as high as 220-230k.

Capitol Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Bob Seger returns for Face the Promise, his first new studio album since 1995’s It’s a Mystery, which looks to be in the 90k range.

The Mars Volta’s Amputechture, the latest from the At the Drive-in spin-off art-rockers on Universal Motown, looks headed for 70-75k, with Island Def Jam’s third Lionel Richie album, Coming Home, in the 50-55k area.

Other chart newcomers will include Geffen’s Papa Roach and Hollywood Records’ Grey’s Anatomy Vol. 2 (The Fray, Snow Patrol, KT Tunstall, Gomez, etc.) (both at 35-40k). Reprise/WB conceptual heavy metal band Mastadon and Roadrunner/IDJ’s Black Label Society, guitar maestro Zakk Wylde’s group, look to score in the 30-35k range, while Barenaked Ladies launch their own Desperation Records with Barenaked Ladies Are Me, which will make the Top 50, selling between 20-25k.

Overall, things were actually looking up a tad, the market up more than 1% for the week, and up slightly vs. same week last year, leaving us down between 5 and 6% year-to-date.