Richard Ashcroft News

The Brit band's three-week run at number one came to a halt at the hands of Lone Star State favorite son George Strait. His Somewhere Down in Texas put the freeze on Coldplay's X&Y, topping the charts with nearly 245,000 copies for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Strait has released 33 albums over the past 20 years, selling over 60 million albums and accumulating more number one country singles than any other artist. His latest, "You'll Be There," is already a smash hit.

Coldplay's X&Y slid two spots to number three with 140,000 discs sold. The platinum-plus rockers could see a bounce next week following their stellar Live 8 performance, which included a duet with former Verve singer Richard Ashcroft. (Several other Live 8 acts, including Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, the Who and Pink Floyd, who have seen their album sales skyrocket in the U.K. the wake of the mega-concerts, have pledged to donate royalties to Live 8-related charities.)

Showing the South has risen again--at least on the charts--Peach State rappers the Ying Yang Twins debuted at number two, selling more than 201,000 copies of USA (United State of Atlanta).

The week's final Top 10 bow belonged to Cassidy--and we aren't talking David or Shaun. No, this is the single-monikered 22-year-old Philly rapper, whose sophomore disc, I'm a Hustla, shook loose 92,000 copies for a number five bow. He will celebrate the Top 5 debut from inside the pen, where he's currently being held on murder and weapons charges.

Just missing the Top 10, crooner Anthony Hamilton sold 53,000 copies of Soulife, which features retouched versions of tracks he previously recorded. The singer, who earned a Grammy nomination for his part on Nappy Roots' "Po' Folks," also appears on the new Ying Yang Twins' song "Long Time."

Also making a strong first-week showing is comely R&B singer Vivian Green. Her latest, Vivian, sold nearly 46,000 copies at 18 on the strength of her new single "Gotta Go, Gotta Leave (Tired)."

Elsewhere, CKY's An Answer Can Be Found sold 28,000 discs at 35 and Slow Motion's self-titled sold 26,000 at 37.

Outside the Top 40, Raheem Devaughan's The Love Experience opened at 46, D12 member Bizzare debuted at 48 with his solo effort Hannicap Circus; Hot Apple Pie's self-titled landed at 60, Twiztid's Man's Myth, Vol. 1 enetered at 62, Megadeth's Greatest Hits: Back to the Start checked in at 65, Devildriver's Fury of Our Maker's Hand debuted at 117, and those happy-go-lucky guys in Darkest Hour opened at 138 with Undoing Ruin.

Meanwhile, Fountains of Wayne's double-disc novelty collection, Out-of-State Plates, sold just over 6,000 copies to inch its way into the 168 spot.

Finally, with the DVD hitting shelves last week, the Diary of a Mad Black Woman soundtrack stormed its way back onto the charts at 82 with more than triple sales.

Next week, watch for Missy Elliott and R. Kelly to battle it out for top bow.

Here's a rundown of last week's Top 10 albums:

1. Somewhere Down In Texas, George Strait
2. USA (United State of Atlanta), Ying Yang Twins
3. X&Y, Coldplay
4. The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey
5. I'm a Hustla, Cassidy
6. Monkey Business, Black Eyed Peas
7. In Your Honor, The Foo Fighters
8. Breakway, Kelly Clarkson
9. Love. Angel. Music. Baby., Gwen Stefani
10. Honkytonk University, Toby Keith