Drake will have to settle for No. 2.
After battling it out on the charts, the Toronto rapper’s latest project Dark Lane Demo Tapes debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The surprise release, which features Chris Brown, Future, and Playboi Carti, moved 223,000 equivalent album units, with nearly 19,000 in traditional sales.
The numbers were largely fueled by streaming activity with 269.1 million on-demand streams for the project’s 14 tracks, the third-largest streaming week 2020. The only album with larger streaming weeks in 2020 was Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake.
DLDT marks Drake’s 12th top 10 effort, and follows 2019’s Care Package, which opened at No. 1 with 109,000 units. Drake is now readying his sixth studio album, the follow-up 2018’s Scorpion, for release this summer.
Kenny Chesney edges Drake out the top spot with Here and Now. The country superstar’s album earned 233,000 equivalent album units, powered largely by a concert ticket/album sale redemption fer with his upcoming tour.
Elsewhere in the top 10, Lil Baby’s My Turn rises 5-3 with 100,000 equivalent album units following the release a deluxe edition with six additional tracks. The album became his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 when it arrived in March.
DaBaby’s Blame It on Baby falls from 2-4 in its third week (48,000), Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake slides 3-5 (45,000), and The Weeknd’s After Hours drops 4-6 (44,000).
Megan Thee Stallion hits a new peak with Suga. The EP rises 10-7 with 39,000 equivalent album units, thanks to her hit single “Savage” and its new remix featuring Beyoncé.
Billboard 200 Top 10
1. Kenny Chesney – Here and Now – 233,000
2. Drake – Dark Lane Demo Tapes – 223,000
3. Lil Baby – My Turn – 100,000
4. DaBaby – Blame It on Baby – 48,000
5. Lil Uzi Vert – Eternal Atake – 45,000
6. The Weeknd – After Hours – 44,000
7. Megan Thee Stallion – Suga – 39,000
8. Post Malone – Hollywood’s Bleeding – 38,000
9. Doja Cat – Hot Pink – 37,000
10. Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG – 36,000