John Mayer debuts at No. 1 on album chart

The album chart is a wonderland for John Mayer. The strumming heartthrob’s ”Heavier Things” has given him a career milestone, entering the Billboard chart this week at No. 1 and selling an impressive 316,500 copies, according to SoundScan. Another sensitive singer-songwriter guy, soulman Seal, entered the charts at No. 3 with ”Seal IV,” moving 82,000 copies of his first album in five years.

The rest of the top 10 were holdovers from last week. Hilary Duff slipped one slot to No. 2, shifting another 107,000 units of ”Metamorphosis.” Also sliding one place each were Alan Jackson’s ”Greatest Hits Vol. II” (No. 4, 79,000 sold) and Beyonce’s ”Dangerously in Love” (No. 5, 74,000 copies). ”The Neptunes Presents … Clones” held at No. 6. Evanescence’s ”Fallen” fell two spots to No. 7. Mary J. Blige’s ”Love & Life” dropped six notches to No. 8. Chingy’s ”Jackpot” slipped two to No. 9, and the ”Bad Boys II” soundtrack slid one slot to No. 10.

In the first full sales week after Warren Zevon’s death, his swan song ”The Wind” jumped from No. 40 to No. 12 and sold 47,000 copies. Word of Johnny Cash’s passing came late in the week, but soon enough to send his last record, ”American IV: The Man Comes Around,” rocketing from No. 94 to No. 22 on sales of 35,000.