Jack Johnson's soundtrack for the film "Curious George" will make history today when it debuts at No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Top 200 albums and rock albums charts.

It's the first CD by a Hawai'i musician to reach, let alone debut at, the top of the magazine's lead album chart, as well as a first No. 1 CD for Johnson. Johnson's No. 1 on the magazine's new rock albums chart also is a first for a Hawai'i musician.

Hawai'i bandleader Martin Denny's "Exotica" album reached No. 1 in Billboard's monophonic pop chart in 1959, when the magazine listed stereo and mono records separately.

Johnson's spot at the top can be chalked up to his appeal as well as to the relative weakness of his competition. Barry Manilow's "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" debuted at No. 1 last week and falls to No. 3 today. Johnson also bests Mary J. Blige's "The Breakthrough," on the charts for eight weeks, and now at No. 2.

"Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film 'Curious George,' " credited to Jack Johnson and Friends, sold 163,000 copies in its first week of national release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD also features tracks with Ben Harper, Matt Costa, G. Love and Kawika Kahiapo. It was released Feb. 7.

Johnson's last CD of original material, 2005's "In Between Dreams," sold 229,000 copies in its debut week — more than "George." But "In Between Dreams" was up against 50 Cent's "The Massacre," which sold 1.14 million copies in its first week to debut at No. 1, and Jennifer Lopez's "Rebirth," debuting at No. 2 with 261,000 copies sold. "Dreams" was No. 3 in its first week.

"In Between Dreams" eventually peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in its second week in March.

Johnson's sophomore CD "On and On" debuted and peaked on the chart at No. 3 in May 2003. His 2001 debut CD "Brushfire Fairytales" climbed as high as No. 34 in September 2002.

"We're really stoked for Jack. He's a great guy, and it's great to see good things happen to a good person," said Star 101.9 FM program director and disc jockey Jamie Hyatt.

Star 101.9 FM was one of the first Honolulu radio stations to often play Johnson's early hits "Flake" and "Bubble Toes" in 2002. Tracks from "In Between Dreams" made Johnson the station's No. 2 most-requested artist for 2005, behind only Green Day.

"Upside Down," the first single off the "Curious George" soundtrack, is currently Star 101.9's No. 1 track.

"'Curious George' is a great kids movie. And Jack's music was perfect for it," said Hyatt. "He's a really good songwriter. And he's an artist with a conscience, which is a great thing to see."

All proceeds from the North Shore singer-songwriter's third annual pair of Kokua Festivals on Maui and O'ahu in April — featuring sets by Johnson, Willie Nelson, Ben Harper and Henry "Kapono" Ka'aihue — will again support Johnson's environmental education-focused Kokua Hawai'i Foundation. Tickets for the April 22 Kokua Festival date at the Waikiki Shell sold out on the first day of sales.

Johnson, in Europe preparing for a monthlong tour, was unavailable for comment.

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.