In a week in which Eightball, Natalie Merchant, Sparkle, and Godzilla make big debuts on the album chart, DMX tops them all as his "It's Dark & Hell Is Hot" sold more than 250,000 copies in its first week in stores.

According to Soundscan, the husky-voiced rapper sold 251,391 copies of his debut album, placing him well ahead of the "City of Angels" soundtrack which sold 163,989 copies to grab the number two spot.

The female R&B chanteuse known as Sparkle lands at number three with her R. Kelly-produced effort, "Sparkle," which sold 146,378 copies, some 6,000 more than the multi-artist exercise in synergy known as the "Godzilla" soundtrack.

Also cracking the top ten in their first week in stores were the rapper Eightball, whose "Lost" finds a home at number five, and upright Lilith Nation citizen Natalie Merchant whose "Ophelia" debuts at number eight.