Veteran rapper Eminem earns the ninth #1 album of his career with Kamikaze, which debuts atop this week’s Billboard 200 chart. Em dropped Kamikaze as a surprise release on August 31. It earned 434,000 equivalent album units, 252,000 of which in traditional album sales. Last year, Eminem’s Revival debuted at #1 with 267,000 units.
Kamikaze is his Eminem’s #1 album as Billboard notes every single one of his releases since 2000 have debuted at #1. His breakthrough record, 1999’s The Slim Shady LP, peaked at #2. He now has the fifth-most #1 albums in Billboard chart history. Kamikaze also earned the fourth-largest week in terms of total units for any album in 2018 and the third-largest sales week.
At #2 on the Billboard 200 is Astroworld from Travis Scott, with Drake‘s Scorpion at #3.
The next largest debut comes from Pop artist Troye Sivan, as his new album Bloom arrives at #4. Bloom‘s totals were boosted by a concert ticket bundle as well as different merchandise bundles for sale.
Ariana Grande lands at #5 with Sweetener, followed by Post Malone at #6, Nicki Minaj at #7 and BTS at #8.
The third top ten debut this week comes from boy band Why Don’t We, whose 8 Letters comes in at #9. The group has released a series of EPs since 2016 but 8 Letters is their first full-length album. The top ten is rounded out by Goodbye & Good Riddance from Juice WRLD.
