WEEK IN PREVIEW:
"NOW" AND THEM

Will "Now Volume 7" retain the sales chart throne for a second consecutive week, after deposing NSYNC a mere seven days after the teen-popsters’ 1.9 million unit bow? Will those nutty boys hang on to #2, or will debuts from Arista’s Usher, DreamWorks’ Isley Brothers and Ruff Ryders/Interscope’s Jadakiss make a late run? And what about that precocious little chick magnet, Aaron Carter? How high will his new Jive project debut this week?

Too many questions to answer when the sales chart is finally tallied Tuesday afternoon? Do you think not? Were those two more questions? Here’s yet another: Is the resurgent rock movement resurging even more this week, with additional gains for the constantly gaining Linkin Park, Sum 41, Alien Ant Farm and Drowning Pool? All will be answered soon.

Lest things get too intelligent, let’s check in with our friends at Top 40, who indicate the ailing Mariah Carey will get a medicinal shot of radio love thanks to a huge week for her new ballad. There’ll also be more incredible close-out action for J’s Alicia Keys from the few programmers who haven’t already jumped on this no-brainer. Meanwhile, Epic’s Macy Gray will have another solid week as multiple listens are making this react solidly. As for the rockers, both Interscope’s U2 and Virgin’s Gorillaz feels lots of Top 40 love. Oh, and don’t forget Warner Bros’ newcomer Lindsay Pagano, who will have a nice first week out of the box.

Our Post Modern Mensa types say Epic’s Incubus will feel the heat (forever sensitive to the needs of their core audience, they’ll act all pissed off and angry about it.). Meanwhile, our guys in Jamz are screaming about the week Motown’s Brian McKnight will have at that format.

U.S. President George W. Bush remains on his one-month vacation. No one has noticed.