JACKSON'S FIVE: In any other week, Fabolous' debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 would be pretty big news (and hey, it still is!), but this week, Michael Jackson remains the King of Pop Charts.

As his 2003 hit set "Number Ones" spends a fifth week as the U.S.' top selling album -- as reflected on our Top Comprehensive Albums chart (viewable at billboard.biz) -- it matches the longest No. 1 run for a male artist since Josh Groban's "Noel" also was tops for five weeks in late 2007 and early 2008.

Even better, it's Jackson's longest reign with the top album in the country since his 1987 "Bad" album spent six weeks as the U.S.' best-seller. His 1991 "Dangerous" set earned four weeks at No. 1, while 1995's "HIStory" was
No. 1 for two weeks and 2001's "Invincible" topped the tally for one week.

(As a reminder, the Billboard 200 houses current and new albums, generally those 18 months old or less. On the Top Comprehensive Albums chart, both old and new albums mingle together-hence why Jackson is No. 1 on the
Comprehensive list, but the aforementioned Fabolous debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with "Loso's Way.")

For Fabolous, "Way" is the rapper's first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He's notched four previous top 10 sets, going as high as No. 2 with his 2007 effort "From Nothin' To Somethin'." Fabolous' new album also doubles as a
soundtrack to a short movie of the same name. It's available on a DVD in a deluxe CD/DVD package or as a video download with the digital album. In turn, "Loso's Way" also debuts at No. 1 on the Top Soundtracks chart.

It's the second time this year that an artist has resided in the top slot with a soundtrack, as opposed to a multi-act compilation. Earlier this year, Jonas Brothers' "3D Concert Experience" debuted and peaked in the penthouse on the chart dated March 14.


ACTING UP: The transition from actor to singer is not as complicated as one might think, as two TV thespians occupy slots in the Billboard Hot 100's top 10 this week.

"Gossip Girl's" Leighton Meester notches her first Hot 100 top 10 as a featured vocalist on Cobra Starship's "Good Girls Go Bad," as the single rises 12-10. Meester joins another established actor in the upper tier:
"Degrassi: The Next Generation's" Drake at No. 2.


BLIGE BOWS... For the second week, the Hot 100's Hot Shot Debut belongs to Mary J. Blige. Her guest turn on T.I.'s No. 29-debuting "Remember Me" ties Blige's best-ever bow -- when her "Everything" also entered at No. 29 in 1997.

"Remember" also gives the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul her 20th top 40 Hot 100 hit -- the fourth-most among women since 1990. Only Mariah Carey (with 33), Madonna (30) and Janet Jackson (25) are ahead of Blige. MJB's first top 40 single came with her chart debut, "You Remind Me," which peaked at No. 29 exactly 17 years ago this chart week (Aug. 15, 1992).

...AND SEAN SOARS: Jay Sean secures his first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 single as "Down," featuring Lil Wayne, follows an impressive 63-32-6 progression. This week's 26-spot improvement is the biggest leap into the top 10 by an artist's chart debut single since "American Boy" by Estelle flew 53-9 in the Sept. 27, 2008, issue.

THE '***CENSORED***' IS BACK: Producer/DJ/artist David Guetta pounces onto the Billboard Hot 100 this week at No. 56 with "Sexy ***CENSORED***" (featuring Akon). It immediately becomes Guetta's highest charting single as an artist,
surpassing the peaks of his previous two hits: "When Love Takes Over" (featuring Kelly Rowland, No. 76 on Aug. 1) and "Love Is Gone" (with Chris Willis, No. 98 in 2008).

Of course, Guetta continues to reign as one of the two producers behind the Hot 100's No. 1 single -- for a sixth week! -- the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feelin'."

Guetta first reached a Billboard chart on Dec. 27, 2003, when his "Just a Little More Love" collaboration with Willis debuted on the Dance Club Songs chart at No. 37.


BITCHIN'!: For those counting -- we're sure there are many! -- "Sexy ***CENSORED***" is the 12th Hot 100 hit to use the word "***CENSORED***" in its title. We're not counting songs that were billed as "B***h" either (like Ludacris' "Move
B***h"). Just those titles with the full-on "***CENSORED***" in the title.

Here is a quick recap of the Hot 100's "bitchin'" history. (Clearly, 1997 was the year of the ***CENSORED***.)

Elton John, "The ***CENSORED*** Is Back" (1974)
Rod Stewart, "Ain't Love a ***CENSORED***" (1979)
Stevie Nicks, "Sometimes (It's a ***CENSORED***) (1991)
Apache, "Gangsta ***CENSORED***" (1993)
Meredith Brooks, "***CENSORED***" (1997)
The Prodigy, "Smack My ***CENSORED*** Up" (1997)
Insane Clown Posse, "Santa's a Fat ***CENSORED***" (1997)
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, "She's a ***CENSORED***" (1999)
Jet, "Cold Hard ***CENSORED***" (2004)
Ben Folds, "Bitches Ain't S**t" (2005)
Buckcherry, "Crazy ***CENSORED***" (2006)
David Guetta featuring Akon, "Sexy ***CENSORED***" (2009)

OK, we'll stop bitching about this now!


'PRETTY' LONG TIME: A decade after Maxwell earned his first No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, he gets his second chart-topper with "Pretty Wings," which flies 2-1 this week.

Maxwell last dominated the chart for eight weeks with "Fortunate" in 1998. His current leader marks a successful return for the singer who last appeared on the chart in 2002.

His spell between to No. 1s sets a record for the longest gap between chart-toppers since the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart began using Nielsen SoundScan data in December 1992.

The feat eclipses the last-longest gulf between No. 1s in the SoundScan-era, held by the late Aaliyah. She took seven years between "If Your Girl Only Knew" in 1996 and her posthumous reign in 2003 with "Miss You."


CHART BEAT BITS: The Pussycat Dolls' claw their way to a sixth straight No. 1 on the Dance/Club Play Songs chart this week with "Hush Hush." All six of the troop's Club singles have reached the top slot. The last act to take their first six entries to No. 1 was Rihanna -- who did it with her first seven between 2005 with 2007. Can the Dolls make it seven, too? Stay tuned.

Kristinia DeBarge's debut album opens at No. 23 on the Billboard 200, the best showing by a DeBarge family member since her father James and his siblings, known simply as DeBarge, peaked at No. 19 with "Rhythm of the Night" in 1985.

Michael Jackson's "The Stripped Mixes" enters R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at No. 29 to become his seventh hits package to chart this decade, and the third since his death. The album's arrival marks Jackson's highest entry since "Number Ones" debuted and peaked at No. 6 in 2003.

In the same week Paula Abdul announced her departure from her seat at the judge's table on "American Idol," we recall the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated almost exactly 21 years ago -- Aug. 13, 1988. That's when her debut
single "Knocked Out" peaked at No. 41. It was the beginning of a memorable career on the Hot 100 for Abdul, where her subsequent eight singles all raced to the top 10. All told, she notched six No. 1s. Her most recent Hot
100 hit was "I'm Just Here For the Music," which debuted and peaked at No. 87 on the chart dated May 23 of this year.

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