DMX Makes It Four Straight No. 1 Debuts

DMX's "The Great Depression" (Ruff Ryders/Def Jam) becomes the rapper's fourth consecutive No. 1 debut on The Billboard 200, storming the chart after selling a mighty 440,000 units, according to SoundScan. The DMX set is one of three top-10 debuts this week, including a career high entry for modern rock act Incubus. DMX also gains control of the top slot on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

"The Great Depression" falls short of topping the first-week numbers posted by DMX's last, "And Then There Was X," which moved 698,000 units in December 1999. To date, the set has sold 4.5 million units. If there was any doubt that DMX would debut at the top of The Billboard 200 for a fourth time, suspicions were quelled last week when street-date violations propelled "The Great Depression" to No. 65 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally. His current single, "Who We Be," is No. 18 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Incubus' "Morning View" (Immortal/Epic) sold 266,000 units to blast onto The Billboard at No. 2, instantly becoming the band's biggest week to date. Its last set, 1999's "Make Yourself," opened with 46,000 units, but went on to sell 1.9 million after the band scored a popular single with "Drive," and built a strong following during last year's Ozzfest. The group's current single, "I Wish You Were Here," is No. 2 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks tally.

The Dave Matthews Band arrives at No. 6 on The Billboard 200 with its fourth live album and second release this year, "Live in Chicago 12.19.98" (RCA). The two-disc set lacks any of the unreleased material from the abandoned Steve Lillywhite-produced sessions, which fans have been eagerly swapping on the Internet. In February, the group released the Glenn Ballard-produced "Everyday," which is currently No. 106 on The Billboard 200 and has sold more than 2.7 million units since its release.

Reba McEntire's "Greatest Hits Volume III -- I'm a Survivor" (MCA Nashville) sneaks into the top-20 on The Billboard 200 at No. 18, and debuts atop Billboard's Top Country Albums tally, once again sending the venerable Mercury soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" down to No. 2. Tim McGraw has the new No. 1 single on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart with "Angry All the Time," pushing Alan Jackson's "Where I Come From" to No. 3.

Two veteran rock acts of the mid-'90s have respectable, if modest, debuts on The Billboard 200. Bush's "Golden State" (Atlantic) lands at No. 22, while the Cranberries' "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee" (MCA) opens at No. 46. Both groups had 1999 efforts that arrived in the top-15. Other noteworthy entries include "Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits" (Death Row/Doggystyle/Priority/Capitol) collection at No. 28, Enigma's "LSD: Love Sensuality Devotion -- The Greatest Hits" (Virgin) at No. 29, and the sophomore effort from Southern California rappers Dilated Peoples, "Expansion Team," at No. 36.

Look for a slew of big debuts next week, led by Michael Jackson's long-awaited "Invincible" (Epic), which is expected to top 300,000 units. New titles from Enrique Iglesias and Lenny Kravitz, plus a greatest-hits collection from the Backstreet Boys, are likely to be close behind.

The patriotic-themed Columbia Records set "God Bless America," last week's top debut and No. 1 album, experienced an 18% sales decline and slips to No. 4 on The Billboard 200, even after selling an impressive 150,000 units in its second week. Meanwhile, Enya's "A Day Without Rain" (Reprise) is proving to be quite the consistent album, declining only 4% from last week to drop one slot to No. 4.

Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair" once again controls The Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks tally. This marks the second consecutive week that the cut has been No. 1 on both charts. Her "No More Drama" (MCA) album is No. 19 on The Billboard 200.

The Hot 100's fastest-growing track at retail this week is Usher's "U Got It Bad," which skips 8-6. The single has been performing slightly better in urban markets, and settles in at No. 2 this week on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Usher's "8701" (Arista) album is No. 9 on The Billboard 200.

The Hot 100's top debut is the Calling's "Wherever You Will Go" at No. 71. Other noteworthy debuts include Angie Stone's "Brotha" at No. 90, Busta Rhymes "Break Ya Neck" at No. 92, and Ludacris' "Roll Out (My Business)" at No. 95.

Petey Pablo continues to dominate Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart, where his "Raise Up" is entering its ninth consecutive week at No. 1. The track, from the Nov. 6 Jive release "Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry," is also No. 9 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

On Billboard's rock airplay charts, Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" continues to hold its ground. The cut is in its ninth week on top of the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and eighth in front of the Modern Rock Tracks tally, The group's Roadrunner album, "Silver Side Up," is No. 7 on The Billboard 200.