There’s nothing like finally being able to hear a new project from one of your favorite artists after years of waiting (hint hint, Carti and A$AP Rocky). With hype building up due to album delays, a great social media rollout, or anticipation of hearing a new collab, there are plenty of reasons why a certain album might rake in record-breaking streams on its opening day.
Some projects from artists like Drake, K. Dot, or Ye did just that on Spotify. We broke down some of the biggest opening day drops on the platform and what was happening that year or during the rollout that helped them reach such an achievement.
‘Certified Lover Boy’ by Drake (2021) — 153m streams
Going head-to-head with Ye for the biggest rap drop of the year, Drake dropped CLB just days after Ye dropped DONDA. With bustling hype, thanks to Ye and Drake’s rap beef and many features from (ironically) Rick Ross to Travis Scott, the Toronto native continued his streak of raking in giant opening-day numbers across music platforms, including Spotify. The project includes hits like “Knife Talk” with 21 Savage, “Pipe Down,” and “Girls Want Girls” featuring Lil Baby.
Of course, critics had to compare Ye and Drake’s projects due to their rap beef and close release dates. However, the majority agreed that Certified Lover Boy held its ground despite the occasionally cringy lyrics, with “the album containing 21 tracks over 86 minutes [that] somehow still feels tight next to the interminable ‘Donda” — is an enjoyment even at its bleakest,” according to The LA Times.
‘Scorpion’ by Drake (2018) — 132m streams
June 2018 was a big month for rap music, with stars including Ye, A$AP Rocky, and even Beyoncé dropping some major heat. In typical Drake fashion, he couldn’t just sit and watch from the sidelines. He dropped Scorpion, which once again smashed streaming records with help from the album’s number one hits like “God’s Plan” and highly anticipated features from Ty Dolla $ign, Jay-Z, and even a posthumous feature from Micheal Jackson.
Along with “God’s Plan,” other standout songs included “Nonstop,” “Emotionless,” and the NOLA-inspired track “In My Feelings.”
The album does have an excessive track list, but it “is a hulking catalog of Drake in his comfort zone, a space in which his ability to create memorable music that sits perfectly in the cradle of the cultural zeitgeist is unmatched,” according to XXL.
‘UTOPIa’ by Travis Scott (2023) — 129m streams
Travis Scott took his ragers to a new world the same year that “SoundCloud rap” made a big comeback and hip-hop veterans got their flowers. Five years since he dropped ASTROWORLD, he almost beat his streaming numbers for the previous album due to his devoted fanbase and the Houston rapper teasing the upcoming project for years.
Who can forget the iconic Utopia briefcase photographed for months with a bodyguard allegedly guarding what held the album’s hard drive? Passed around to A-list artists rumored to be featured on the project, Travis proved once again he’s the king of album rollouts. The project had features from other kings of rage like Playboi Carti (on the forever replayed track “FE!N”), Kid Cudi, and Teezo Touchdown.
The album was worth the wait for both critics and fans, with UTOPIA staying “true to his style, his preferences, and his principles, going against the grain of the tendencies in the viral-hungry world that is 2023 rap,” American Songwriter said.
‘For All The Dogs’ by Drake (2023) — 109m streams
Years before Kendrick Lamar proved it’s just “big me,” he showed that he was a “big stepper” in the rap game. The same year that K. Dot took over the Super Bowl stage (this time as a special guest), he dropped his first project since 2017’s DAMN. for eagerly awaiting fans. Their excitement to finally hear what the Compton native has to say helped break streaming records on Spotify and Apple Music.
His fifth studio album has features from R&B faves like Summer Walker and Blxst and hip-hop game changers like Ghostface Killah and Kodak Black. It also had plenty of standout tracks like “N95,” “Auntie Diaries,” and “The Heart Part 5.”
The album added another notch to Kendrick’s classic discography, being “the sound of one of America’s foremost poets offering an all-access visit to the darker corners of his mind, unconcerned with whether anyone would choose to take that trip again,” Variety said in their review.
‘Her Loss’ by Drake and 21 Savage (2022) — 98m streams
Even with a delay due to Drizzy’s producer Noah “40” Shebib unfortunately catching COVID-19, the newest project from Drake and 21 Savage added more chaos to an eventful 2022. Despite the controversial track “Circo Loco,” the album had a big first opening day due to the anticipation of hearing Drake and 21 Savage collab on a full project.
The album only had one feature from Travis Scott, but it packed a major punch with hits like “Spin Bout U,” “Rich Flex,” and “BackOutsideBoyz,” showing Drake and 21 have enough star power all on their own.
While the project isn’t perfect, “‘Her Loss’ leaves the unshakable impression that Drake, in 2022, is doing what inspires him rather than pandering. One year removed from ‘Certified Lover Boy,’ that represents a surprising and encouraging evolution,” according to Variety.
‘Donda’ by Ye (2021) — 95m streams
Named in honor of his mother, Ye dropped his newest album the same year he went in on “Drink Champs” and hosted listening parties to celebrate his official tenth release. The album broke Spotify streaming records within its first 24 hours, undoubtedly fueled by his publicized beef with Drake and teasers of features and new tracks at the live-streamed listening parties.
The rollout felt like a guessing game of “what will Ye do next?” Rent out the Mercedes-Benz stadium and sleep there? Done. Bring out Marilyn Manson and DaBaby to aggravate the public? Done. Marry a Kim-K lookalike? Done. It was such chaos that everyone was eager to hear what the finished product sounded like.
The album had tons of features, including Lil Durk, Thugga, and the late Pop Smoke and tracks like “Praise God,” “Jail” with his Watch the Throne buddy Jay-Z, and “Come to Life.”
It’s a project that, for many fans and critics, was “Kanye West’s best album since 2013’s Yeezus. Those who stuck with him through thick and thin will love it, while the rest of us can safely dip our toes back in the water,” Consequence said about the album.
‘CHROMAKOPIA’ by Tyler, the Creator (2024) — 85m streams
Over a year after Tyler, the Creator dropped the deluxe version of CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, he dropped his newest album CHROMAKOPIA. In the year of rap beef and pushed drop dates, Tyler started his rollout with “ST. CHROMA” and kept his foot on the pedal ever since.
His unique music videos, truck sightings, “fuck the industry” Monday drop date, and fan hype helped give the project a big opening day. Even with a limited 4-day sales week, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and all songs charted on the Hot 100. Who says hip-hop is declining?
With surprise features Sexxy Red and GOATs like Lil Wayne and vibes like “Hey Jane,” “I Killed You,” and “Judge Judy,” he once again showed that he is a big dawg in the rap game.
Both fans and critics agree, as “the colour of ‘Chromakopia’ resides in the album’s grooves, layered production and immersive penmanship. While some elements feel a bit safe, the sound design is chiseled and sharper, showcasing Tyler, the Creator’s now-mastered style in HD glory,” Clash Music said in their review.
‘Legends Never Die’ by Juice WRLD (2020) — 75m streams
Juice WRLD ‘s legacy lives on. 2020 was the year of COVID and Verzuz battles, but it also brought posthumous projects like Legends Never Die from the emo rapper. Being able to hear new music from the late rapper helped boost the project’s opening day streams and made it the biggest posthumous debut of the century. The project has features from Marshmello, Trippie Redd, Halsey, and more, along with tracks like “Conversations,” “Righteous,” and “Wishing Well.”
When it comes to the overall sound of the album, “compared with Juice WRLD’s early SoundCloud material, “Legends Never Die,” is positively lush—not over-produced, but comparatively elaborately arranged,” Variety said.
‘Tha Carter V’ by Lil Wayne (2018) — 66m streams
Despite what others may say, Lil Wayne is seen as one of the greatest to grab a mic by both major names in the rap game and long-time fans. When Weezy released the newest edition in his Tha Carter series the same year as Future hitting high notes and Pusha-T dissing Drake, people were more than ready to listen.
Bolstered by the anticipation of hearing the newest verses from Wayne and his collaborations with big artists, including Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott, Wayne scored another giant opening day on Spotify. The songs “Dark Side of the Moon” ft. Nicki Minaj, “Don’t Cry” ft. XXXTENTACION and “Open Letter” also proved to be bangers that are still on blast today.
The project also had some shocking moments, with “the most surprising takeaway from Tha Carter V, it turns out, isn’t that Wayne still has music this vital in him. It’s that after all these years, there’s still more to learn about him,” Pitchfork proclaimed.
