Pop Albums

What’s Happening

Michael Jackson’s “Blood on the Dance Floor” album, a collection of new songs and remixes of previously released tracks, sold only 35,000 copies last week to enter the sales chart at No. 24, according to SoundScan.

Seven albums debuted higher, topped by veteran rapper KRS-One’s “I Got Next,” which came in at No. 3 with sales of 95,000.

The Spice Girls’ “Spice” remained the nation’s top-selling album for the third week in a row, with sales of 135,000 copies.

What’s Hot

Here are some recent releases that are generating critical or commercial attention:

Ani DiFranco’s “Living in Clip” (Righteous Babe). DiFranco pumps emotions up to heroic scale, emerging as the bruised, enraged female counterpart to Bruce Springsteen’s sensitive Jersey boy.

Michael Jackson’s “Blood on the Dance Floor” (Epic). If Jackson would settle down and hone his individual sound instead of trying to follow every current trend simultaneously, he might recapture his relevance.

Sammy Hagar’s “Marching to Mars” (Track Factory/MCA). Considering Hagar’s hard-rocking track record, the singer’s first effort since parting ways with Van Halen is chock-full of pleasant surprises.

George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love With Me” (MCA Nashville). Like Dirty Harry, Strait knows his limitations, and like Clint Eastwood, he plays to his strengths as he gets older. Although he sounds more sprightly than ever, he’s still unable to breathe life into the vaguely drawn ballads here.

Various Artists’ “Time and Love: The Music of Laura Nyro” (Astor Place). This project of music by women doesn’t boast the powerhouse names, but the lineup, featuring Rosanne Cash, Jill Sobule, Suzanne Vega and others, is marked by an integrity and independence benefiting the honoree.

What’s New

Paul McCartney’s “Flaming Pie” (Capitol).

What’s Coming

Tuesday: The Wu-Tang Clan’s “Wu-Tang Forever” (Loud/RCA).