SAFETY FIRST: Those “Rock is Dead” stories are so 2011. It’s only Jan. 4, and Universal Republic heartland rockers SafetySuit have hit #1 on the iTunes Album chart with the Howard Benson-produced These Times, its follow-up to 2008’s debut Life Left to Go, which featured Alternative Top 15 hit “Someone Like You” and Adult Top 20 track “Stay.” That’s right, the SafetySuit album is currently ahead of Adele, six days in front of next Tuesday’s (1/10) official release date. The site is also spotlighting the album’s title track as Single of the Week. VH1 has given the band its “You Oughta Know” designation after it appeared on the channel’s The Best Cruise Ever show with the Script, Lifehouse and Mat Kearney. The Rich Isaacson-managed group, which is originally from Tulsa, but is currently based in Nashville, recently returned home from playing for U.S. military troops stationed in Asia. Check the official video, which premiered on VEVO, below. (1/4p)