POP LP CHART : Guns N’ Roses Hits No. 1

The Billboard magazine pop album Top 10 is full of phenomena. Look at Guns N’ Roses. When the raging rockers’ “Appetite for Destruction” came out, it wasn’t expected to make a big splash. And now--a year later--it’s No. 1. And who would have ever figured the debut album by a pop-folk singer to make the Top Five with metal, rap and dance music dominating the charts? But Tracy Chapman’s self-titled album is No. 4. Then there are those “Dirty Dancing” albums. Truly mind-boggling. The first one, still a lofty No. 5, has sold 8 million units. The sequel is No. 10 and just passed the 3-million mark. Fast-rising newcomers: Cinderella’s “Long Cold Winter” (No. 16); Pat Benatar’s “Wide Awake in Dreamland” (No. 40), and Public Enemy’s “It Takes a Nation . . .” (No. 45). Steve Winwood’s “Roll With It” is still the No. 1 pop single.

* These sassy rappers are rolling on what be called pop-rap: wholesome and non-threatening enough to appeal to the pop masses. “He’s the D.J.,” which may wind up as the year’s best-selling rap album, just passed two milestones. It broke into the Top 10--at No. 8--and also went over the 1 million-units-sold barrier.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. “Appetite for Destruction” 2 4 50 Guns N’ Roses (Geffen) 2. “Hysteria” 1 1 51 Def Leppard (PolyGram) 3. “Roll With It” 5 6 5 Steve Winwood (Virgin) 4. “Tracy Chapman” 6 7 15 Tracy Chapman (Elektra) 5. “Dirty Dancing” 4 3 47 Sound track (RCA) * “He’s the D.J., I’m the Rapper” 12 17 16 D.J. Jazzy Jeff/ The Fresh Prince (Jive/RCA)