Kendrick Lamar Scores First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200
All hail King Kendrick. Kendrick Lamar lands his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with To Pimp a Butterfly.
The Compton MC’s third album, which was released a week early on March 16, opens with 363,000 units in its first week, reports Billboard.
Of that number, 89 percent (324,000 copies) were comprised of actual album sales, giving Kendrick the second-largest sales week of 2015 following Drake’s surprise project If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (495,000).
I Appreciate it.
— Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar) March 18, 2015
Kendrick’s previous album, 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city, debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, moving 241,000 units in its first week. It has sold 1.4 million copies to date.
Additionally, To Pimp a Butterfly set a one-day streaming record on Spotify. The album was streamed 9.8 million times in its second day of release.
Last week’s chart-topper, the soundtrack to Fox’s Empire, slides to No. 2 in its second week with 110,000.
Billboard 200 Top 10
1. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly – 363,000
2. Empire Soundtrack – 110,000
3. Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves – 77,000
4. Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack – 60,000
5. Taylor Swift – 1989 – 56,000
6. Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – 52,000
7. Ed Sheeran – x – 49,000
8. Marina and the Diamonds – Froot – 46,000
9. Sam Smith – In the Lonely Hour – 46,000
10. Maroon 5 – V – 44,000