Who are the Barenaked Ladies and how the hell did they sell 141,000 copies of their new record, Stunt, in just one week? That's the question the industry is asking after the act's sky-high, No. 3 debut on the sales charts.

For those who don't know, the Barenaked Ladies are a Canadian pop/rock band that's been around since 1992 and has scored minor radio hits in America with "Brian Wilson" and "Old Apartment." And while it's true that relatively unknown rap acts routinely bust out of the box with huge first week sales (just look at this week's debut by Kane & Abel checking in at No. 5), it's almost unheard of for a journey rock act to deliver these kind of blockbuster numbers in one week. After all, it took the Barenaked Ladies' last album, 1996's Rock Spectacle, more than sixty weeks just to crack the Top 100.

So what happened? Well, the band's new single, "One Week," is shaping up to be one of this summer's biggest hits on both rock and pop radio. Also, BNL's years of relentless touring (the band is currently part of the H.O.R.D.E. summer fest) and word-of-mouth praise is finally paying off.

Despite Stunt's surprisingly strong showing, it still was not bold enough to bump the soundtrack to Armageddon from the No. 1 spot for the week ending July 12, according to SoundScan.

From the top it was Armageddon (selling 236,000 copies), followed by the City Of Angels soundtrack (144,000); Stunt; Brandy's Never Say Never (117,000); Kane & Abel's Am I My Brothers Keeper (110,000); the soundtrack to Hope Floats (102,000); Master P's Da Last Don (92,000); Will Smith's Big Willie Style (88,000); Maxwell's Embrya (86,000); and the soundtrack to Dr. Dolittle (85,800).

Other good-news sales stories include the Cherry Poppin' Daddies and their new jump swing. The retro horn band's Zoot Suit Riot has climbed all the way to No. 17. And in the same musical vein, former Stray Cat guitarist Brian Setzer is enjoying his second life as the leader of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. His new record, The Dirty Boogie, climbs to No. 39 its third week in stores.

ERIC BOEHLERT