Big Impression

Some big surprises on this week’s Times Southern California pop album chart. The biggest is the “3 Tenors in Concert,” which entered at No. 2--and even more impressive, at No. 4 on the national pop chart. Classical music albums simply don’t generate this kind of sales. But fans were eagerly awaiting this album, which was taped at the heavily-hyped Dodger Stadium show last July. Luis Miguel, another unlikely entrant in the pop Top 10, opened at a startling No. 5 with his “Segundo Romance.” It did well nationally too, debuting at No. 29.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (Nat’l Rank) Last Week 1 II, Boyz II Men (1) -- 2 3 Tenors in Concert, Carreras/Domingo/Pavarotti (4) -- 3 The Lion King, soundtrack (2) 1 4 Forrest Gump, soundtrack (3) 2 5 Segundo Romance, Luis Miguel (29) -- 6 Dookie, Green Day (5) 3 7 Smash, Offspring (11) 4 8 August..., Counting Crows (9) 5 9 Purple, Stone Temple Pilots (6) 7 10 The Sign, Ace Of Base (7) 6

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 I’ll Make Love, Boyz II Men (1) 1 2 Stroke You Up, Changing Faces (2) 3 3 At Your Best, Aaliyah (4) 8 4 Stay, Lisa Loeb, Nine Stories (7) 2 5 Bop Gun, Ice Cube (15) 6 6 When Can I See You, Babyface (12) 7 7 Funkdafied, Da Brat (8) 4 8 Endless Love, Vandross/Carey (9) -- 9 Fantastic Voyage, Coolio (5) 5 10 This D.J., Warren G. (6) 9

TOP 10 HARD ROCK ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Dookie, Green Day (1) 1 2 Smash, Offspring (4) 2 3 Purple, Stone Temple Pilots (2) 3 4 Candlebox, Candlebox (3) 5 5 Natural Born Killers, soundtrack (6) 6 6 Superunknown, Soundgarden (5) 4 7 Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails, (7) 7 8 Siamese, Smashing Pumpkins (10) 8 9 Ill Communication, Beastie Boys (11) 9 10 Get a Grip, Aerosmith (9) 10

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week of Sept. 4