Country-pop star Carrie Underwood sees her second studio album, “Carnival Ride,” debut at No. 1 on U. S. pop charts this week, with 527,000 sold copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The 24-year-old “American Idol” winner splashed across U. S. pop charts in 2005 with her debut album “Some Hearts,” making it to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album has since sold an impressive 6 million copies and remains the fastest-selling debut country album in the history of SoundScan.

“Carnival Ride,” Carrie’s second project with record label Arista, sold 527,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, in its first week in stores. Billboard.com notes that this is the best sales week for a female solo country artist in three years, after Shania Twain’s “Greatest Hits” opened with 530,000 in November 2004.

The musical collaboration between Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant and country singer Alison Krauss lands at No. 2, selling 112,000 copies.

A third country act occupies a top chart position this week, with Gary Allan’s “Living Hard” earning the No. 3 position, with 69,000 units sold. This marks his third consecutive Top 5 debut, including his “Greatest Hits” set earlier this year.

System of a Down’s frontman Serj Tankian sees his first solo album “Elect the Dead” debut at No. 4, selling 66,000 copies.

Josh Groban's holiday album “Noel” slips one place to No. 5, with 65,000 copies, while rock band Coheed & Cambria’s “No World for Tomorrow” starts at No. 6, with 62,000 units. The group’s 2005 album, “Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV,” debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart but enjoyed a better debut, moving 84,000 in its first week.

Kid Rock's “Rock N Roll Jesus,” which has become the rapper/rocker’s first No. 1 in his 17 years of career, fell to No. 7 with 61,000, while Rascal Flatts’ “Still Feels Good” fell from last week’s No. 3 position to a modest eighth place, selling 57,000 units.

Rock act Seether sees “Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces” enter the top ten, debuting at No. 9 with 57,000. Disney's soundtrack to “High School Musical 2” rounds out the top tier, with 57,000.