Aiken stays No. 1, ahead of Stewart’s ‘Songbook’

“American Idol� runner-up Clay Aiken’s debut album held on to the No. 1 spot on the nation’s pop chart Wednesday, but it barely edged out Rod Stewart’s second collection of pop standards.

Aiken’s “Measure of a Man� sold 225,000 copies last week, beating Stewart’s “The Great American Songbook: Volume II,� which sold 212,000 copies in its first week in the stores. Aiken’s album has sold 838,000 copies in two weeks, reports Nielsen SoundScan.

The Eagles’ two-disc greatest-hits package entered the chart at No. 3 by selling 162,000 copies. The only other new arrivals in the top 10 were the self-titled debut album by Loon, which finished No. 6, and the Barenaked Ladies’ “Everything to Everyone,� which is No. 10.

Generally, the top 10 continues to be a revolving door, with few albums staying on the list more than one or two weeks during the highly competitive fall season. Only two albums, in fact, have been in the top 10 for as many as four weeks: OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,� which is No. 4 in its fifth week, and Dido’s “Life for Rent,� which is No. 7 in its fourth week.

Among the high-profile artists who have fallen out of the top 10 after four weeks or less: Dave Matthews (now at 16), R. Kelly (No. 17), Sting (No. 19) and Limp Bizkit (No. 23).