Drake once said, ‘“Numbers don’t matter” — someone who isn’t doing them.” The humorous line from his equally comical poetry book, Titles Ruin Everything, succinctly describes the current climate of album sales. If an artist sells 250K+ first-week units, they’re praised for their success, but as soon as an album underperforms, all of the “numbers don’t matter” arguments come out of the woodwork.
Let’s be honest, we all enjoy a good first-week sales recap, especially for an artist or album that matters to us. Throughout hip-hop history, there have been certain albums that fans jumped on as soon as they dropped, earning artists thousands (and thousands) of first-week sales.
For example, the fast-talking MC Eminem sold 1.7 million copies of his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, in its first week back in 2000. To this day, no rapper has beat that record. However, others have tried to come close. We broke down the top hip-hop albums with the most first-week sales (so far) this decade from Juice WRLD, Travis Scott, Drake, and more.
‘Certified Lover Boy’ by Drake — 613K sales
When it came to his rollout, Drizzy decided to play the long game. For over a year, the rapper posted billboards nationwide announcing the project’s features, provided updates on OVO Sound Radio, and even hijacked an ESPN broadcast. Luckily, all of the promo paid off even though the release date was pushed back due to a knee injury.
When the album was released in 2021, critics like the L.A. Times, of course, compared it to Donda, which had dropped days before Champagne Papi. Nevertheless, they stated that it “is so sharply composed and performed as to be largely irresistible.”
‘Legends Never Die’ by Juice WRLD — 497K sales
After his tragic passing in 2019, the rapper’s loyal fanbase was eager to hear some of the alleged hundreds of unreleased tracks he had on standby. The rollout started with Lil Bibby (the founder of Grade A, Juice’s WRLD’s label) tweeting that he wanted Frank Ocean on the Juice album in February 2020. Bibby then officially confirmed the album, along with the inclusion of songs like “Blood on my Jeans” and producers like Seezyn.
Eventually, Legends Never Die was released in July and had the biggest debut of 2020 at the time. Critics saw the album as “not over-produced, but comparatively elaborately arranged” as fans were thankful to have even more “legendary songs that we will remember.”
‘Utopia’ by Travis Scott — 496K sales
As Travis Scott has proven over and over again, “the party never ends.” Unfortunately, his Utopia rollout was chaotic, to say the least. The project was pushed back due to the Astroworld tragedy in 2021. He had a 2020 McDonald’s meal, planned a performance at the Pyramids of Giza in 2023 (that was eventually canceled), and kept the album close by in his mysterious suitcase.
He played the album early for athletes like LeBron James and the Houston Astros, but when it was finally released, the reviews were positive. Those at Clash Music saw UTOPIA as “an endeavor of creative courage” by Scott. His fans, for the most part, seemed to agree, appreciating that the rapper has shown once again that he isn’t a “run-of-the-mill trap artist.”
‘Her Loss’ by Drake and 21 Savage — 404K sales
Drake and 21 Savage teamed up in 2022 to create one of the biggest albums of the year. Their rollout included the duo featuring on some of the most notable platforms today (but with a twist). From Vogue to COLORS, they made sure to parody every typical public appearance other artists do during a rollout.
Even though they provided quality entertainment, the overall album (despite its number-one debut on the Billboard 200), was just seen as “aight” by fans and critics. Those at Pitchfork didn’t think the project ever really gelled, while even the biggest Drake and 21 supporters felt that overall the album simply felt empty.
‘For All The Dogs’ by Drake — 402K sales
Drizzy was so dedicated to the rollout of his 2023 project that he even started wearing dog masks outside to promote it (obviously with a drink in tow). He officially announced the album was coming along with his poetry book Titles Ruin Everything, A Stream Of Consciousness. He also gave updates while on the It’s All A Blur tour with 21 Savage.
As expected, the album pulled in huge numbers when it was released, selling 402K in its first week, but not everyone was happy with it. On top of it being 23 songs in total, the New York Times felt he was doing his “least ambitious rapping,” and fans thought the overall project was decent at best (even with an attempted assist from J. Cole).
‘Days Before Rodeo’ by Travis Scott — 361K sales
The mixtape dropped in 2014, but La Flame ragers were elated by the idea of a re-release on streaming services. Scott first announced the new drop at this year’s Fanatics Fest but then revealed an official post and archived footage on social media days later. To celebrate the mixtape’s tenth anniversary, he performed a one-night-only show in ATL (with an official concert film of the show thanks to Spotify). He also gave fans unreleased tracks like “Mo City Flexologist.”
Fans saw the tape as Scott’s first step beyond mainstream trap music as Pitchfork commented on how the re-released project serves as “a time capsule of Scott’s chameleonic production prowess.”
‘GNX’ by Kendrick Lamar — 319K sales
Kendrick Lamar heard the criticism that he can’t be rapper of the year without dropping an album and said, “bet, let me cook.” In the past, he’s done his own version of a rollout, letting the anticipation build for a few weeks. Still, this time, he followed the surprise drop model that worked for him all of 2024 during his beef with Drake.
Other than a one-minute promo released very shortly before, there was no annoucement or rollout. Instead, K. Dot teamed up with TDE signees like SZA and other West Coast rappers like Dody6 to create one of his strongest projects yet in the eyes of music’s most critical voices and his fans. GNX is K. Dot’s “most speaker-knocking set to date,” with the tracks “oozing with the culture that helped raise and create who Kendrick is today.”
‘Donda’ by Ye — 309K sales
Even though Ye has claimed that UMG released the project without his permission, Donda is still seen as a solid Ye album and the rollout was memorable to say the least.
Originally known as God’s Country, Ye spent weeks teasing the project with elaborate listening parties and livestreams of himself living in the Mercedes-Benz stadium. After a couple of delays (is it really a Ye album if it doesn’t get delayed?), the album was released with or without his consent. Nevertheless, Ye’s tenth studio album displayed “his most unforgiving self-portrait yet” where he “reaches out, reflects and takes responsibility.”
‘Chromakopia’ by Tyler, the Creator — 300K
Tyler, the Creator had a short but sweet rollout for CHROMAKOPIA, delivering update after update promptly and staying true to his word. After surprise dropping “ST. CHROMA” on social media on October 16th, he hit the ground running.
He revealed that he had a new album on the way, a financially accessible listening event for fans, promotional green trucks across the country, and even a world tour. On top of it all, he released one of the strongest rap albums this year, with memorable hits like “STICKY,” “NOID,” and “DARLING, I.”
Written, produced, and arranged all by Tyler, CHROMAKOPIA highlighted the rapper’s
“vibrant personality” while showcasing that he has “taken the craft as seriously as the genre’s staunchest defenders.”
‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ by Kendrick Lamar — 296K sales
Kendrick Lamar, on the 2022 project, opened his heart and mind once again for the world to examine. After providing fans with a life update on the Oklama website in August 2021, Lamar came back in April 2022 to announce that the album would be dropping the next month (on Friday the 13th to add some spooky vibes).
He honored “The Heart” series before the official drop and released its fifth part with a deepfake morphing effect that made the video easily trend on social media shortly after it dropped. With each track, K. Dot shined a light on “a different point of view in the knotty and intimate scenarios he’s imagining or reliving” and delivered probably his “most honest album to date.”
