Now that’s what they call a chart topper

The 17th edition of the “Now That’s What I Call Music!” hits compilation series tops the nation’s pop album chart this week after selling 407,000 copies its first week in stores.

That extends a sales rebound for the series, which reached a peak in August when Vol. 16 of the multi-act, cross-label series posted its highest-ever first-week figure with 504,000 copies sold.

The No. 2 finisher, a Perfect Circle’s “Emotive,” sold 142,000 copies last week, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Last week’s top-selling album by Jay-Z and R. Kelly, “Unfinished Business,” tumbled to No. 10 as sales dropped 67%, from 215,000 to 71,000.

Ray Charles’ final album, the “Genius Loves Company” duets collection, moved up one notch to No. 7 on sales of 83,000 last week, which pushed the album’s total past the 1 million mark. And the soundtrack album from the biographical film “Ray” also remains in the Top 10, at No. 9, after selling 81,000 copies.

Eminem’s “Encore” arrives in stores Friday, five days earlier than planned to combat bootlegging and downloading. The industry will be watching to see whether the rapper’s sales clout remains strong enough give him another 1 million-plus first week with just three days in stores.