POP ALBUM CHART : Another Step Down for ‘Step’

The New Kids’ slide continues. Their album, “Step By Step,” stepped down another rung--to No. 3. It hasn’t rallied after its shockingly brief (one-week) stay at the top of the Billboard magazine pop chart. Also, the single of the title song dropped to No. 6 on the pop singles chart, supplanted by “She Ain’t Worth it,” by Glenn Medeiros and Bobby Brown. By far the hottest new album on the pop chart--by the year’s hottest newcomer--is “Mariah Carey,” by 20-year-old pop-soul singer Carey. Her debut album shot up to No. 15 in just four weeks, fueled by her single, “Vision of Love”--No. 5 on the pop singles chart and clearly headed for the top.

* Singer Anita Baker, who fuses jazz and R&B; into a style geared to pop audiences, debuted, with “Compositions,” on the pop album chart at an impressive No. 35.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” 1 1 20 M.C.Hammer (Capitol) 2. “I’m Breathless” 3 3 7 Madonna (Sire) 3. “Step By Step” 2 2 5 New Kids on the Block (Columbia) 4. “Wilson Phillips” 4 7 15 Wilson Phillips (SBK) 5. “Pretty Woman” 6 4 16 soundtrack (EMI) * “Compositions” ... ... 1 Anita Baker (Elektra)