POP ALBUM CHART : Sting’s ‘Soul’ Soaring

“The Soul Cages,” Sting’s first solo album in three years and his most ambitious collection since his Police days, shot up to No. 3 on the Billboard magazine pop chart in just three weeks. His hot single, “All This Time”--No. 13 on the pop chart--is boosting album sales. The other fast-rising album on the chart is Gloria Estefan’s “Into the Light,” which jumped from No. 48 to No. 12 in two weeks. Singer Chris Isaak’s “Heart Shaped World” (No. 18) continues its steady climb--maybe to the Top 10. After a quick rise to No. 18, David Lee Roth’s “A Little Ain’t Enough” is suddenly going in the other direction--slipping to No. 22. The new No. 1 pop single is Whitney Houston’s “All the Man That I Need.”

* Queen’s first album in two years and its debut on Disney’s Hollywood Records is off to a fast start, entering the chart at No. 53.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1.”To the Extreme” 1 1 23 Vanilla Ice (SBK) 2.”Mariah Carey” 2 2 35 Mariah Carey (Columbia) 3.”The Soul Cages” 10 30 3 Sting (A&M;) 4.”Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” 5 5 51 M.C. Hammer (Capitol) 5.”I’m Your Baby Tonight” 6 6 14 Whitney Houston (Arista) *”Innuendo” ... ... 1 Queen (Hollywood)