Eagles Pull the Plug on Nirvana

Many industry insiders figured that Nirvana’s “Unplugged” would top the album charts throughout the holiday season, but the insiders didn’t count on that fearsome yuppie buying power. The Eagles are among the all-time thirty- and fortysomething favorites and the band’s new “Hell Freezes Over” knocked Nirvana out of No. 1 after just one week. The other shocker is that Madonna’s “Bedtime Stories” is apparently putting people to sleep, having fallen to No. 16 after just two weeks in the Top 10. Also on the down escalator: Megadeth’s “Youthanasia” (No. 4 to No. 19), Eric Clapton’s “From the Cradle” (No. 10 to No. 17) and the Black Crowes’ “Amorica” (No. 11 to No. 40).

* Carey’s “Merry Christmas,” which jumped from No. 30 to No. 13, should battle Kenny G’s “Miracles: The Holiday Album” (up from No. 38 to No. 18) for pop chart supremacy in the holiday-album category. Put your money on Carey.

Source: Billboard/SoundScan

Pop Album Chart

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Last Weeks on the Week Ago Chart 1. “Hell Freezes Over,” Eagles ... ... 1 2. “MTV Unplugged 1 ... 2 in New York,” Nirvana 3. “II,” Boyz II Men 2 2 11 4. “No Quarter,” Jimmy Page ... ... 1 /Robert Plant 5. “Murder Was the Case,” 3 1 4 soundtrack 6. “Smash,” Offspring 5 4 26 7. “Fields of Gold,” Sting ... ... 1 8. “Big Ones,” Aerosmith 6 ... 2 9. “Best of Sade,” Sade ... ... 1 10. “Wildflowers,” Tom Petty 8 ... 2 * “Merry Christmas,” Mariah Carey 30 ... 2