Backstreet Boys [ tickets ] hold on to the album chart’s top spot for the second consecutive week with their new album, “Black & Blue” (Jive), according to industry sources. Albums from Jive labelmates Britney Spears [ tickets ] and ‘NSync, meanwhile, surge back into the Top 10 after dipping further down the chart in recent weeks, as does Creed [ tickets ]’s “Human Clay” (Wind Up), an album that first hit the chart well over a year ago.

“Black & Blue,” which debuted at No. 1 last week, sold just under 690,000 copies in its second week of release, bringing the album’s two-week sales total to 2.28 million. The group recently unveiled its plans for a U.S. arena tour that is set to begin on Jan. 22 in Ft. Lauderdale. Tickets for many of the dates have already sold out, while tickets to some newly added shows are set to go on sale on Saturday (12/9) and Sunday (12/10). A summer stadium tour will follow the arena outing, according to tour organizers.

Trailing “Black & Blue” on the chart this week is the latest compilation from the original boy-band sensation, the Beatles, whose “1” (Capitol) remains at No. 2 for the second week in a row. The disc contains 27 of the Fab Four’s U.S. and U.K. No. 1 hit-singles.

Staying at No. 3 for the second week straight is the “Now That’s What I Call Music Vol. 5” (Columbia) compilation, an album that contains 19 previously released hits from acts such as ‘NSync, Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears [ tickets ], Backstreet Boys [ tickets ], Everclear, Bon Jovi and others.

Creed [ tickets ]’s “Human Clay” leaps back into the Top 10 this week to land at No. 4, up nine spots from No. 13 last week. The sudden jump is likely the result of the group’s recent exposure on VH1: the band was featured on “Behind the Music," and performed at last week’s My VH1 Awards ceremony, where it won four awards. “Human Clay" was released in September of last year, and has now spent 62 weeks on the album chart.

Tim McGraw [ tickets ]’s “Greatest Hits” (Curb) dips one spot to No. 5 this week after debuting at No. 4 last week, while Sade’s “Lovers Rock” (Epic)--the singer’s first release of new material in eight years--stays put at No. 6.

Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog-Flavored Water” (Flip/Interscope) bounces back to No. 7 after dropping to No. 9 last week. The group’s current headlining tour in support of the disc is scheduled to run until a performance this Saturday (12/10) in Washington, D.C. Five dates on the outing have been scrapped since the jaunt began in October due to frontman Fred Durst’s vocal problems.

R. Kelly’s “TP-2.com” drops two spots to No. 9 this week, where the album is sandwiched by Britney Spears’ “Oops! … I Did It Again” (Jive) at No. 8 and ‘NSync’s “No Strings Attached” at No. 10. As with “Human Clay," the Spears and ‘NSync releases were likely boosted by high-profile television specials: on Nov. 30, Fox Television aired “Britney Spears: There’s No Place Like Home” which was followed by “’NSync ‘Ntimate Holiday Special.”

OutKast’s “Stankonia” (LaFace/Arista) and Ricky Martin’s “Sound Loaded” (Columbia) end their runs in the Top 10 to land, respectively, at Nos. 11 and 13 this week. Wu-Tang Clan’s “The W” (Loud), meanwhile, dips to No. 19 after debuting at No. 5 last week.

“Ghetto Postage” (No Limit), the latest from Master P, enters the chart at No. 26, followed by “Lyricist Lounge Vol. 2”’s No. 33 debut. Enya’s “A Day Without Rain” (Warner Bros.)--which debuted at No. 23 last week--climbs to the No. 17 spot in its second week out.