Travis Scott, also known as La Flame, has catapulted into the spotlight once again, this time by breaking a record held by none other than Drake. On August 17th, Chart Data revealed that Travis Scott claimed the top spot with a staggering 74.945 million monthly listeners on Spotify, marking an all-time high for monthly listenership in the history of the streaming platform.
Joining the ranks of prominent artists like Eminem, Nicki Minaj, and Kanye West, who have all held the title of highest peak monthly listeners on Spotify, Travis Scott’s accomplishment underscores his enduring influence in the music industry.
This achievement comes on the heels of Travis Scott’s highly-anticipated fourth album, “UTOPIA.” Known for his record-breaking feats, the artist had previously shattered BTS‘ merchandise sales record during his sold-out concerts at London’s O2 Arena in 2022.
Travis Scott officially breaks the all-time record for most monthly listeners for a rapper in Spotify history (74.945 million; @trvisXX). pic.twitter.com/EseDiOXYCu
— chart data (@chartdata) August 17, 2023
The rapper’s exclusive merchandise collection, created for select August 2022 dates at the O2 Arena, was met with immense enthusiasm. The line featured hoodies priced between £100 ($122) and £125 ($153), T-shirts ranging from £45 ($55) to £75 ($92), and hats priced at £45 ($55) each. Fans eagerly queued for hours before the performance to secure their coveted pieces.
“UTOPIA,” Travis Scott‘s latest album release, not only soared to the top of the Billboard 200 chart but also solidified itself as a monumental achievement. According to Billboard, the album accumulated a remarkable 496,000 album-equivalent units in its debut week. This consisted of 243,000 SEA units (equivalent to 330.68 million on-demand streams), an impressive 252,000 pure album sales, and 1,000 TEA units. In this feat, “UTOPIA” secured the largest week for a Hip Hop release in 2023 and stands as the third-biggest week for any album throughout the year.
Vinyl enthusiasts also contributed to the album’s success, with 55,000 vinyl units sold, marking the most substantial vinyl sales for a rap album since sales tracking commenced in 1991.
Highest peak of monthly listeners for rap artists in Spotify history 👀🏆
— Hip Hop All Day (@HipHopAllDayy) August 17, 2023
74.9m – Travis Scott (#1)
74.7m – Drake (#2)
68.6m – Eminem (#3)
65.4m – Nicki Minaj (#4)
63.8m – Doja Cat (#5)
63.7m – Lil Nas X (#6)
62.9m – Metro Boomin (#7)
62.0m – 21 Savage (#8)
58.4m – Future…
Released on July 28 after years of anticipation, “UTOPIA” is a star-studded effort featuring collaborations with industry luminaries like Drake, Future, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, SZA, Young Thug, and Bad Bunny.
Every track from the album found its place on the Hot 100 chart, showcasing the widespread appeal of Travis Scott’s music. The track “Meltdown,” featuring Drake, reached an impressive No. 3 on the chart. Playboi Carti secured his highest-charting song with “FE!N,” which landed at No. 5, while “Parasail” (No. 53) marked Dave Chappelle’s maiden appearance on the Hot 100.
“UTOPIA” now stands as Travis Scott’s third solo album to achieve the coveted No. 1 position on the charts, following his previous successes with “Astroworld” in 2018 and the “JackBoys” compilation album in 2019. With each accomplishment, Travis Scott solidifies his position as an industry powerhouse, continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of music.
