Madonna Sells Well, but She’s Not Titanic

The “Titanic” soundtrack was the nation’s best-selling album for the ninth week in a row, but Madonna’s “Ray of Light” shined brightly in the runner-up position.

The singer’s new album sold nearly 371,000 copies during its first week in stores, an impressive sum that would have easily placed it at No. 1 if not for the runaway success of the mostly instrumental score from the blockbuster movie.

“Titanic” sold 478,000 copies, according to SoundScan, to push its total sales to nearly 5.2 million.

Meanwhile, Scarface’s “My Homies” enters the chart at No. 4.

The nation’s top-selling single was Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” which tops the chart for the second week in a row.

What’s Hot

Here are some recent releases that are generating critical or commercial attention:

Ani DiFranco’s “Little Plastic Castle” (Righteous Babe). On her 10th album, the independent singer-songwriter from Buffalo, N.Y., continues to hone her deceptively casual talent for drilling through a morass of conflicting emotions.

Celine Dion’s “Let’s Talk About Love” (550 Music/Epic). Dion’s voice is a technical marvel, but her delivery lacks the personality and intuitive sense of drama that are a diva’s stock in trade.

Madonna’s “Ray of Light” (Warner Bros.). From the sparkling, electronically based arrangements to the lyrics, this ambitious new album is Madonna’s most thoughtful and personal work since 1989’s “Like a Prayer.”

Pearl Jam’s “Yield” (Epic). On the Seattle band’s fifth album, Eddie Vedder’s vocals continue to express a variety of emotions as the group’s music grows in all the important ways.

What’s New

Eric Clapton’s “Pilgrim” (Reprise).

What’s Coming

Tuesday: Van Halen’s “Van Halen III” (Warner Bros.).