WEAKEND SALES: MADONNA WILL ROLL IN BATTLE OF DIVAS

Hard Candy is sweet indeed.

Madonna’s final studio album for Warner Bros. before embarking on her deal with promoter Live Nation will debut at #1 on next week’s HITS Album Sales chart with a total of between 270-290k.

She’s easily the topper in a three-way battle of the dueling divas which also includes Mariah Carey’s previously #1 Island/IDJ album E=MC2 at 85-90k and J/Syco Music newcomer Leona Lewis’ Spirit at 80k.

Hard Candy is actually one of six newcomers in the Top 10, which would ordinarily be good news. Unfortunately, it takes a little under 30k in sales to get there.

Columbia R&B star Lyfe Jennings will bow in the Top 5 with between 70-75k for his third album Lyfe Change, as will The Roots’ Def Jam album, Rising Down, with a first-week number that appears to be between 65-70k.

Def Leppard’s Universal album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge is up next with 50-55k, boosted perhaps by their appearance on Dancing with the Stars this week.

Island trip-hop pioneers Portishead are back with Third, their first studio album in 10 years, showing surprising strength at 45-50k, good for a Top 10 debut.

SBMG/Commercial Music Group’s Now 27 keeps going along at 28-30k, followed by Big Machine/Universal Republic country star Taylor Swift (26-30k).

Reprise’s Tom Petty reunion of his early Florida band Mudcrutch rides some critical kudos and a series of intimate performances at the Troubadour to a bow inside the Top 10 at 26-28k, where it will duke it out with Rhino’s Juno soundtrack.