Love Saves the Day

R&B fans, unlike some rock cognoscenti, know how to respect their elders: The Quiet Storm godfather and champion of the love song, Luther Vandross, returns to both pop and R&B charts this week with his ninth album, Songs, debuting at No. 5 and No. 2, respectively. Perhaps the middle-aged Vandross can't unseat precocious crooners Boyz II Men, who recapture the top pop slot from veteran rocker Eric Clapton. But along with the more sophisticated boomer appeal of Clapton, Anita Baker, and Sheryl Crow, he at least lends the chart an option for those who prefer mood lighting and a comfy couch to the mosh pit.