NOW AND AGAIN AT #1…
PRINCE, SUM 41 BOW IN TOP 10

UTV/UMe’s Now 25 takes the top spot for the second consecutive week on HITS’ Album Sales Chart, with a total of 145k, enough to turn back New Line’s hard-charging Hairspray soundtrack, which leaps 44% with 101k in sales to finish #2.

Prince’s new album, Planet Earth, marking his return to Columbia, makes a #3 debut with 92k, one of two newcomers to the Top 10, along with Island/IDJ’s Canuck punks Sum 41, in at #7 with 45k in sales.

Hollywood’s Plain White T’s ride the success of the chart-topping “Hey There Delilah” single into the Top 10, with a whopping 47% increase good enough for #10.

Holdovers include Disney Records’ Hannah Montana 2 soundtrack (#4), Grand Hustle/Atlantic rapper T.I. (#5), A&M/Interscope’s Fergie (#6), WB’s Linkin Park (#8) and Universal Republic chanteuse Amy Winehouse (#9).

Top 50 newcomers include Disney’s Billy Ray Cyrus (#20), Epic hip-hop star Yung Berg’s EP (#36), Hollywood’s Evans Blue (#38) and Sony BMG Latin’s Marc Anthony with the soundtrack to El Cantante (#43).

In addition to big gainers Hairspray and Plain White Ts, Paul McCartney’s Hear Music album Memory Almost Full also experiences a surge, moving #38-32, +13%.

Next week’s charting releases should include Virgin’s Korn, Geffen’s Common, Epic’s Sean Kingston and Razor & Tie’s Kidz Bop series.

And if that doesn’t make you feel better, nothing will.