For the fifth consecutive week, Norah Jones was No. 1 on Billboard`s composite European Top 100 Albums survey with 'Not Too Late' (Blue Note/Parlophone). The album retained the top spot in the Belgian region of Flanders and, although it dropped from the summit in Sweden and Holland, it rose from No. 2 to No. 1 in Hungary and 8-7 in Italy, and held at No. 2 in Greece.

Jones` 2002 album 'Come Away With Me' had four weeks at the pan-European peak the following year during its epic run on Top 100 Albums. In terms of longevity at No. 1, Jones` current set has now drawn level with 2004`s 'Feels Like Home,' which led the survey for five weeks in February and March that year.

U.K. rock favorites Kaiser Chiefs made a No. 3 debut on Top 100 Albums with its sophomore set 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob' (B-Unique/Polydor) after a No. 1 opening in its home market on sales of 151,000 and a chart-topping start in Holland. It was also new at No. 2 in Ireland, No. 5 in Austria, No. 6 in Germany and rose 16-2 in Flanders. Lead single "Ruby" dipped 1-2 there and on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.

German rock staple Tokio Hotel was at No. 4 on Top 100 Albums with 'Zimmer 483' (Universal Island), after a No. 1 debut in Germany, and entries of No. 2 in France, Austria and Switzerland and No. 10 in Poland. The album`s lead single 'Ubers Ende Der Welt' topped the German singles chart last month. The band`s last album 'Schrei' debuted at No. 2 in Germany and No. 6 overall in September 2005; one of the hits from that set, 'Durch Den Monsun,' held at No. 10 in France this week.

U.K. boy band-turned adult hitmakers Take That enjoyed another stellar week in its home market. The group achieved its 10th No. 1 single as 'Shine' (Polydor) rose 10-1 on sales of 42,000 (jumping 39-3 on the Eurochart) and rebounded 5-2 with the album 'Beautiful World.' The album sold 53,000 more copies there for a running total of 1.33 million, and also jumped back 7-1 in Ireland.

Veteran American metal act Manowar opened at No. 9 on Top 100 Albums with 'Gods of War' (Magic Circle) as the album debuted (behind Tokio Hotel) at No. 2 in its European stronghold of Germany. The new success came close to five years since the band`s last album 'Warriors Of The World' also debuted at No. 2 in Germany, and No. 6 on Top 100 Albums.

The new No. 1 on the Eurochart, soaring from No. 23, was 'The Sweet Escape' (Interscope) by Gwen Stefani featuring Akon. The track rose 7-3 in the United Kingdom and debuted at No. 6 in Germany. It revived the fortunes of her album of the same name, which was up 35-16 on Top 100 Albums and 29-14 to reach a new peak in the U.K., where the album was certified gold for 100,000 shipments after initial sales were slow. Its predecessor 'Love.Angel.Music Baby' was No. 10 in pan-European album sales for 2005.

Robbie Williams, more often publicized for personal problems than record sales in recent months, got a new top 10 hit on the Eurochart as 'She`s Madonna' (Chrysalis), featuring fellow EMI act the Pet Shop Boys, came in at No. 10. That was after debuts of No. 3 in Italy, No. 4 in Germany and No. 5 in Holland; its U.K. release was on Monday.

Universal labels wrapped up the top four titles on the U.K. singles chart, by Take That, Kaiser Chiefs, Stefani and Mika, respectively, while the company also enjoyed a top three lockout on the Swiss album chart.

Hip-hop artist Stress, born Andres Andrekson in Estonia in 1978, held at No. 1 there with 'Renaissance' (Universal). The Tokio Hotel album checked in at No. 2, while Nelly Furtado`s 'Loose' (Mosley/Geffen) stayed at No. 3.

Taken from M&C