Springsteen Leaves Euro Chart Rivals In 'Dust.'

Bruce Springsteen's "Devils & Dust" (Columbia) secures a second week at No. 1 on European Top 100 Albums. That's despite drops of 1-5 in the United Kingdom, 1-4 in Holland, 1-3 in Denmark, 1-2 in Italy, Sweden and Austria, 3-4 in Finland and 3-7 in France. The album holds at No. 1 in Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and No. 2 in Spain.

Nine Inch Nails' new chart-topper on The Billboard 200, "With Teeth" (Interscope), is a new entry at No. 2 on the pan-European chart. That's fuelled by a No. 3 start in the United Kingdom (on sales of 26,000 units), No. 4 in Austria and No. 9 in Germany. Opening single "The Hand That Feeds" became the veteran alternative rock act's first-ever top ten single in Britain two weeks ago.

John Williams' "Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" soundtrack (Sony Classical) impacts at No. 7 on Top 100 Albums, thanks to entries of No. 9 in France, No. 10 in Germany and No. 16 in the United Kingdom. Just behind that score album, opening at No. 8 on the aggregate chart, is "Mighty Rearranger" (Sanctuary) by Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation. It starts at No. 4 in the United Kingdom, his best showing there since "Walking Into Clarksdale" reached No. 3 in 1998.

In a week of strong debuts by durable rock acts, Limp Bizkit's "The Unquestionable Truth Vol.1" (Interscope) is new at No. 12 on Top 100 Albums. The band has maintained its following in Germany, where the album comes in at No. 4. However, it can only make a modest No. 71 showing in the United Kingdom, where Limp Bizkit enjoyed a No. 1 album in 2000 with "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water."

French pop artist Raphael makes a 27-15 climb on the composite album survey after jumping 4-1 in France with "Caravane" (Capitol), while pop-opera act Il Divo's eponymous debut for Syco Music/Sony BMG revives 39-17 after holding at No. 1 in Finland and No. 2 in Portugal. The album is quadruple-platinum in the United Kingdom for 1.2 million shipments, and this week stands at No. 74 there in its 27th chart week.

The leadership of Eurochart Hot 100 Singles changes hands again, now passing to "Signs" (Geffen) by Snoop Dogg featuring Charlie Wilson and Justin Timberlake. It's up 3-1 on the aggregate chart after a No. 7 debut in Italy and a 5-3 climb in Germany; the track also holds at No. 4 in Denmark and drops 2-3 in the United Kingdom.

"Lonely"(SRC/Universal) by U.S. rap/R&B artist Akon is new at No. 4 on the Eurochart, after opening at No. 1 in the United Kingdom on sales of 87,000 copies. It's comfortably enough to end Tony Christie's seven-week run at the top there with "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo" (UMTV). The Akon single also enters at No. 1 in Ireland and No. 5 in Switzerland and Denmark.