J. Cole's 'KOD' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200

J. Cole reigns over the Billboard 200 with his fifth album KOD, which debuts at No. 1 with 397,000 units.

In addition to being his fifth chart-topper, KOD earns the biggest week of 2018 overall and largest week for a hip-hop album since Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. It’s also the largest streaming week this year (215,000 streaming equivalent album units).

After shattering Apple Music and Spotify records, the album had the third-largest streaming week ever with 322.7 million on-demand audio streams for its tracks, trailing Lamar’s DAMN. and Drake’s More Life. Moreover, KOD had the second-largest sales week of 2018 with 174,000 in traditional album sales. Only Justin Timberlake’s Man of the Woods sold more (242,000).

Cole’s previous four albums all hit No. 1, including 4 Your Eyez Only (2016), 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), Born Sinner (2013), and Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011). Only Born Sinner didn’t debut at No. 1, opening at No. 2 before going to No. 1 in its third week.

Next up, the Fayetteville rapper plans to release a deluxe edition of KOD.

Elsewhere, Cardi B’s former No. 1, Invasion of Privacy, slides to No. 2 with 91,000 units. XXXTentacion’s ? moves up 5-6, Migos’ Culture II jumps 8-7, The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy, falls 6-8, and Black Panther: The Album holds strong at No. 9.

Billboard 200 Top 10

1. J. Cole – KOD – 397,000
2. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy – 91,000
3. A Perfect Circle – Eat the Elephant – 68,000
4. Various – The Greatest Showman – 68,000
5. Jason Aldean – Rearview Town – 38,000
6. XXXTentacion – ? – 35,000
7. Migos – Culture II – 33,000
8. The Weeknd – My Dear Melancholy, – 33,000
9. Various – Black Panther: The Album – 32,000
10. Lord Huron – Vide Noir – 31,000