Ashlee Simpson, Rod Stewart rule album charts
Margo Whitmire

LOS ANGELES—Ashlee Simpson and Rod Stewart led the U.S. pop charts on Wednesday, although sales of their new albums were considerably lower than those of their previous releases. Simpson logged her second consecutive No. 1 with “I Am Me,” her sophomore Geffen Records effort, which sold 220,000 copies in the week ended October 23, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The pop singer’s 2004 debut, “Autobiography,” started with 398,000 copies and has gone on to move 2.9 million. Nonetheless, in just six weeks, the new album’s first single, “Boyfriend,” is a top 25 track on the Billboard Hot 100.
Last week’s champ, Alicia Keys’ “Unplugged” (J Records), tumbled to No. 9 with 83,000 copies in its second week. “Thanks for the Memories,” the fourth installment of Stewart’s “Great American Songbook” series (J Records), followed with 193,000 copies. The highest-charting and best-selling of the series remains last year’s Grammy-winning “Stardust... The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3,” which bowed at No. 1 with 240,000 copies and has sold 1.5 million to date.
At No. 3, Martina McBride’s “Timeless” (RCA) earned the country veteran a career best perch on the Billboard 200 and third consecutive No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums list. With sales of 185,000 copies, the 18-track collection of classic country songs also achieved her best sales week to date.