Dixie Chicks debut atop album sales chart, Idol's 'Encores' third

Country music radio may be cool toward The Dixie Chicks, but the Texas group Wednesday scored its third No. 1 U.S. album with "Taking the Long Way."

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Music fans have apparently forgiven or forgotten the dustup following the band's disparaging remarks about U.S. President George Bush and the Iraqi war in 2003, because "Taking the Long Way" sold 526,000 copies in its first week, placing it atop both the Billboard 200 and Country Albums charts.

Disney's "High School Musical" soundtrack sat at No. 2 in its 20th week on the Billboard 200 followed by "American Idol Season 5: Encores" at No. 3.

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Angels & Airwaves' debut, "We Don't Need to Whisper," flew onto the Billboard 200 chart at No. 4 and entered the Top Rock Albums chart at No. 1.

The No. 1 album for the past two weeks -- the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Stadium Arcadium" -- slipped to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 with Rascal Flatts holding onto the No. 6 spot with "Me and My Gang."

No. 7 was Don Omar's "King of Kings" followed by the compilation, "WWE: Wreckless Intent," at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. The Top 10 was filled out by Tool's "10,000 Days" and Carrie Underwood's "Some Hearts."

Overall CD sales were up 8 percent from the previous week at 9.9 million units but lagging 7 percent behind the same period last year. Overall 2006 sales stood at 222.4 million, 3 percent behind 2005 sales.