Heavy ‘Romance’

In the Latin market, Mexican crooner Luis Miguel’s “Segundo Romance” has been one of the most dominant albums of the year. It continues to rule both Latin charts--the Times’ Southern California and the national. Gloria Estefan’s “Mi Tierra” is another long-running Southern California Latin chart hit--No. 7. It’s helped cement her position as the top female singer in the Latin market. But Estefan’s new one, a collection of cover songs, is a pop album. If it debuts next week in the Top 10 on the pop chart as expected, she’ll be one of the rare artists to ever have Top 10 albums on both the Latin and pop charts.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (Nat’l Rank) Last Week 1 Monster, R.E.M. (2) 1 2 Smash, Offspring (4) 6 3 Tuesday Night ... , Sheryl Crow (8) 5 4 From The Cradle, Eric Clapton (3) 3 5 II, Boyz II Men (1) 8 6 No Need To Argue, Cranberries (9) 4 7 Dookie, Green Day (5) 7 8 Rhythm Of Love, Anita Baker (7) 9 9 Pisces ... , Smashing Pumpkins (10) 2 10 The Lion King, soundtrack (6) 11

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 The Hotstepper, Ini Kamoze (8) 7 2 Playaz Club, CQ Rappin’ 4-Tay (30) 1 3 I Wanna Be Down, Brandy (5) 3 4 Never Lie, Immature (3) 4 5 I’ll Make Love To You, Boyz II Men (1) 2 6 Thuggish Ruggish Bone, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (11) 6 7 At Your Best, Aaliyah (7) 5 8 Sukiyaki, 4 P.M. ... (72) 9 9 Another Night, Real McCoy (13) 15 10 Secret, Madonna (14) 12

TOP 10 LATIN ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Segundo Romance, Luis Miguel (1) 1 2 Provincia, Carlos Vives (2) 2 3 Donde Jugaran Los Ninos, Mana (7) 3 4 Ayer Y Hoy, Ana Gabriel (6) 5 5 Camino Del Alma, Christian (13) 4 6 Hotel California, Banda Z (20) ... 7 Mi Tierra, Gloria Esfefan (3) 7 8 Gracias Por Esperar, Juan Gabriel (14) 8 9 Recordando, Vicente Fernandez (11) 6 10 Carino De Mis Carinos, Lucero (17) ...

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week of Oct. 16