In a slow week for new releases, the NOW 24 hits compilation stays atop of the The Billboard 200 for a second week, despite a 58 percent drop in US sales to 89,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Tim McGraw's Curb set Let It Go holds at No. 2 with a 63 percent decrease to 66,000, while Akon's Konvicted (SRC/Universal) jumps 9-3 on a 20 percent drop to 60,000.

NOW 24

There are some bright spots on this week's chart, however, led by Nebraska rock troupe Bright Eyes. The band earned its best sales and charting week, as Cassadaga bows at No. 4 with 58,000 units. The Conor Oberst-led group had previous bests with the simultaneous 2005 release of a pair of albums, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, which debuted at No. 10 and No. 15, respectively. Wide Awake started with 56,000 and has since moved 394,000 copies.

Timbaland's Mosley Music Group/Interscope set Timbaland Presents Shock Value parks at No. 5 for a second week, also with 58,000 (-58 percent), only a few dozen short of Bright Eyes' total. Daughtry's self-titled RCA debut climbs 7-6 with a 45 percent sales slip at 54,000 copies, while Beyonce's B'Day (Sony Urban) flip-flops with Daughtry 6-7 with 51,000 (-59 percent). Martina McBride's Waking Up Laughing (RCA) descends 4-8 with 50,000, a 64 percent sales hit.

Comprising members of Pantera, Mudvayne, and Nothingface, metal supergroup HellYeah bows at No. 9 with its self-titled Epic debut. The set moved 45,000 with help from lead single "You Wouldn't Know," which is climbing up the Active Rock chart. The album is the only other debut besides Cassadaga to enter in the top 40 slots of the Billboard 200 this week.

Alison Krauss' A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection (Rounder) rounds out the top tier, holding tight at No. 10 with 42,000 (-42 percent).

Other debuts this week include Chayanne's Mi Tiempo (Sony International) at No. 42, his highest charting album yet; the Clark Sisters' Live: One Last Time (EMI Gospel) at No. 56 with 12,000; veteran indie rock act Blonde Redhead's 23 (Touch & Go) at No. 63 with 11,000--a charting and sales best; Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth (Rhymesayers) at No. 69, also with 11,000; and From Autumn to Ashes' Vagrant release Holding a Wolf by the Ears at No. 74 with 10,000.

Album sales are down 23.8 percent from last week's total at 8.05 million units and down 32 percent compared to the same week last year.