Rod Stewart rocks with fourth No. 1 album

NEW YORK (Billboard) -

Rod Stewart earned his fourth No. 1 album on the U.S. pop albums chart Wednesday week with "Still the Same ... Great American Rock Classics of Our Time."

The J Records effort sold 184,000 copies in the week ended October 15, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and follows his hugely successful four-volume "Great American Songbook" series, the third volume of which topped the chart in 2004.

After becoming the 700th No. 1 album on The Billboard 200 last week, Evanescence's "The Open Door" slipped to No. 2 with 164,000 copies.

Rapper Lloyd Banks' second set, "Rotten Apples," bowed at No. 3 with 143,000 units. His 2004 debut, "The Hunger for More," debuted at No. 1.

Jimmy Buffett took his country-tinged set "Take the Weather With You" (RCA) to No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart with 121,000 units. His 2004 release, "License To Chill," debuted at No. 1 in 2004 with 239,000.

Tony Bennett's "Duets: An American Classic" (Columbia) fell to No. 5.

Overall CD sales were down 3.5% from last week's count and down 2.3% compared to the same week a year ago at 10.09 million units. Sales for 2006 are down 5% compared to 2005 at 413.7 million units.

Reuters/Billboard