DONDA LEADS IN BILLBOARD 200 CHART

Kanye West lands his 10th No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as Donda debuts atop the list with the year’s biggest week for any album: It surpasses the year’s previous best week, when Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour started with 295,000 units (on the chart dated June 5).

West is now one of only seven artists with at least 10 No. 1 albums in the 65-year history of the Billboard 200 chart.

·         The Beatles have the most No. 1s, with 19.

·         Jay-Z (14),

·         Bruce Springsteen (11),

·         Barbra Streisand (11),

·         Eminem (10),

·         Elvis Presley (10) and West.

The new Sept, 2021-dated chart (where Donda debuts to No. 1) was posted in full on Billboard’s website on Wednesday, Sept 8 – one day later than usual, owed to the Labor Day holiday in the U.S. on Monday, Sept. 6. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Donda keeps up a hot streak for West on the Billboard 200, as he once again ties Eminem for the most No. 1 debuts in a row on the chart. Donda is West’s 10th straight charting album to bow atop the list. Eminem earned his 10th straight No. 1 debut with his last release, Music to Be Murdered By in 2020. (Overall, Jay-Z has the most debuts at No. 1, with 14, although they were not consecutive.)

Donda was surprise-released on an off-cycle Sunday, Aug. 29 (instead of the usual Friday for most new albums), and, thus, launches with just five days of activity in its first chart week, instead of seven. Donda includes guest turns by the likes of Chris Brown, DaBaby, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Durk, Marilyn Manson, Roddy Ricch and The Weeknd – though none are given billed artist credit.

Both West and Eminem have only missed No. 1 once in their chart careers on the Billboard 200, each with their debut chart effort. West peaked at No. 2 with The College Dropout in 2004, and Eminem peaked at No. 2 with The Slim Shady LP in 1999.