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HITS Daily Double
Columbia’s singer/songwriter, full-time Tweeter and tabloid lothario will bow on top next week as his Battle Studies rustles up 275-300k in sales, almost twice as much as his nearest pursuer.

MAYER MAJOR AS Q4 BATTLE BEGINS IN EARNEST

Columbia Star in Lead with Norah, Casting Crowns, 50 Cent, Bocelli Up Next
Who says John Mayer can’t get stoned and have a #1 album on next Tuesday’s HITS Top 50 Album sales chart?

Not us.

The fourth quarter sprint to the end of the first decade of the 21st century (and what a decade it was) begins in earnest this week and, for battered music retailers, it couldn’t come a moment to soon.

Columbia’s singer/songwriter, full-time Tweeter and tabloid lothario will bow on top next week as his Battle Studies rustles up 275-300k in sales, almost twice as much as his nearest pursuer, according to one-day reports from those hearty few still selling shiny, round discs in their stores instead of flat screen TVs.

Blue Note chanteuse Norah JonesThe Fall is the next-highest debut at 150-160k, putting her in a four-way logjam with Aftermath/Interscope rapper 50 Cent’s Before I Self-Destruct, also in its first week, Provident/Reunion Christian act Casting Crowns and Decca’s Andrea Bocelli, all in the 140-150k range.

Island/IDJ teen phenom Justin Bieber appears to be poised to debut in the 110-120k neighborhood, a pleasant surprise which L.A. Reid and company have to be delighted with.

19/Jive/JLG American Idol winner Kris Allen’s debut should be between 85-90k, which will make for an interesting comparison when runner-up Adam Lambert’s album drops on Nov. 23.

DGC/Interscope rock gods Them Crooked Vultures, featuring Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Foo FightersDave Grohl and Led Zep’s John Paul Jones, are on target for a total of 70-75k for their bracing, neo-psychedelic blooze-metal mash-up.

J/RMG X Factor winner Leona Lewis’ sophomore album, Echo, should do between 60-65k.

Paul McCartney’s Hear Music/Concord live DVD/CD, Good Evening New York City, is in the 50-55k area, while Interscope act OneRepublic’s Waking Up will arise with 40-45k and Janet Jackson’s A&M greatest hits album looks on track for 35-40k.

The market was up 3% vs. last week, down 21% vs. same week last year and still down 13% year to date. Is it 2010 yet?