Rolling Stones CD loses momentum

“What a drag it is getting old,” the Rolling Stones sang 39 years ago.

But never did those words seem more piercingly relevant than now.

While the band’s new CD, “A Bigger Bang,” earned the group its most rapturous album reviews in more than 20 years – and even as it packs arenas at prices that rival airline tickets – the Stones’ disc hasn’t been giving satisfaction to great numbers of fans.

This week, “Bang” fell to No. 125 on Billboard’s Top 200 after moving just over 390,000 copies.

That means, unless something drastic happens, the album won’t come near the sales level of the Stones’ last two studio CDs – 1997’s “Bridges to Babylon” (1.16 million), and 1994’s “Voodoo Lounge” (1.8 million).

Ditto for another long-in-the-tooth star, Paul McCartney.

His Grammy-nominated “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard” garnered more critical kudos than any of his solo efforts since the Ford administration.

Likewise, the ex-Beatle has had no trouble draining his fans’ bank accounts for his pricey sold-out shows.

But his disc just isn’t keeping pace, selling some 357,000 copies in 12 weeks.

With the new Grammy nod, it should nudge up to gold. But given its glowing notices, that’s still a muted response.

Things look even bleaker for two other big boomers: Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt.

Clapton started to slip with “Riding With the King,” the CD he did with B.B. King in 2000, which moved 2.1 million copies.

Its follow-up, 2001’s “Reptile,” sold only 620,000, and 2004’s “Me & Mr. Johnson” dipped to 560,000.

His latest, “Back Home,” has sold just over 223,000 copies in the past three months, and now gasps at No. 151 on Billboard’s Top 200.

Raitt’s last work to go platinum was 1994’s “Longing in Their Hearts” (1.6 million); 1998’s “Fundamental” moved 553,000 units, while her 2002 disc, “Silver Lining,” pushed a paltry 140,000.

This week, the new “Souls Alike” falls to No. 174 after sales of just 193,000.