CLAYMATES OUT IN FORCE TO CHALLENGE JUSTIN

Clay Aiken’s J Records album, A Thousand Different Ways, is hoping to find at least 199k more in its opening week, based on one-day sales reports from our crack-addled retail contacts around the U.S. of A.

That would place him #2 to Justin Timberlake’s Jive/ZLG chart-topper, depending on how large that album’s second week drop-off is. How’s that for hedging our bets?

A&M/Interscope Black-Eyed Peas chanteuse Fergie’s The Dutchess will go head-to-head or should we say head-to-hat with Sony BMG Nashville country superstar Kenny Chesney’s live album, with both in the 130-150k range. Atlantic reggaeton rapper Lupe Fiasco is taking advantage of a long build-up for Food and Liquor with around 100k, followed by Capitol rapper Chingy, shy of 100k, Verve’s Diana Krall and Hollywood Records’ Jesse McCartney (both in the 50k range), Interscope’s Elton John (40-50k) and Geffen’s New Found Glory (40-50k).

Thanks to Timberlake and Mayer, overall sales were up more than 5.5% vs. last week, up almost a percent vs. same week last year and now down over 5% year-to-date.