The second album by teen act The Backstreet Boys', "Backstreet's Back," blasted straight in at the No. 1 position on the nation's album charts, with spectacular first-week sales of 67,000 copies, according to SoundScan Canada.

To put that figure into context, the runner-up entry, Sarah McLachlan's "Surfacing," clocked in with 27,000 copies, a more than respectable figure for an album in it's 5th week of release.

Rounding out the Canadian top 10 are Puff Daddy's "No Way Out", which trailed McLachlan by a mere 1,300 copies at No. 3. That was followed by the Men In Black soundtrack, the still-hot compilation "Now! 2" the indefatigable Spice Girls at No. 6, along with The Prodigy ("Fat Of The Land") and Our Lady Peace ("Clumsy"), both of which easily topped 10,000 copies each.

The "Spawn" soundtrack and Hanson's major-label debut (an odd couple if ever we've seem one) occupied the No. 9 and 10 spots. The week's top debut was SWV's "Release Some Tension." It broke in at No. 19.

- Jam! Showbiz

August, 20, 1997