Country on top as total sales jump

IT looks as if everybody spent spring break in record stores. The national album chart for the week that ended on Easter Sunday reflects a sizable increase in sales, with seven albums selling in the six-figure range, including four at more than 250,000. Billboard reported Wednesday that total CD sales for the week were up 6% over the previous week.

Country music led the charge, with Rascal Flatts notching 345,000 sales of “Me and My Gang” to pass the 1 million mark and hang on to the No. 1 ranking it claimed last week. The trio was challenged by Toby Keith, whose “White Trash With Money” made its debut at No. 2 with sales of 330,000.

Volume 21 of the “Now That’s What I Call Music” hits compilation series sold 293,000 as it dropped one spot to No. 3, and the soundtrack to “High School Musical” stayed at No. 4 with sales of 256,000 -- a 41% increase over the previous week, enough to push the album’s total sales above 1.5 million.

It was an especially good week for Disney-owned labels. In addition to the Rascal Flatts and “High School Musical” showings, “Disneymania 4” went from No. 21 to No. 15, and Aly & AJ jumped from No. 65 to No. 36.

Daniel Powter, whose hit single “Bad Day” has benefited from exposure on “American Idol,” debuted at No. 9 on sales of 89,000, and LL Cool J entered at No. 6 with sales of 116,000.

Rounding out the Top 10 are T.I. (No. 5), Tim McGraw (No. 7), Pink (No. 8) and James Blunt (No. 10).