The race for the top spot on the Billboard 200 has come to a close, with Sabrina Carpenter securing the No. 1 position for the first time. Her latest release, ‘Short n’ Sweet‘, debuted with 362,000 equivalent album units, narrowly surpassing Travis Scott’s Days Before Rodeo, which came in at No. 2 by a margin of just 1,000 units.
Carpenter’s achievement marks a significant milestone in her career, as ‘Short n’ Sweet‘ earned 184,000 in pure album sales and 176,000 streaming equivalent album units, with her tracks amassing 233 million on-demand streams. The remaining 2,000 units came from track equivalent album sales. This debut not only reinforces Carpenter’s growing popularity in the music industry but also reflects her ability to engage both her loyal fan base and casual listeners.
In a close second, Travis Scott’s ‘Days Before Rodeo‘ opened with 361,000 equivalent album units, falling short by the slimmest of margins. However, Scott’s numbers were driven primarily by traditional album sales, as he moved 331,000 units in sales alone, the second-highest total for any album this year. His streaming figures were lower compared to Carpenter’s, with Days Before Rodeo racking up 30,000 streaming equivalent album units, translating to 40.63 million on-demand streams. The rapper’s track equivalent album units were below 500, a minor figure in the overall tally.
Despite not securing the top spot, ‘Days Before Rodeo’ continues Scott’s trend of strong Billboard 200 performances, marking his fifth appearance in the top 5 and his fourth top 2 entry. His previous record, Rodeo (2015), peaked at No. 3, which remains his lowest ranking on the chart.
Elsewhere on the chart, several other notable releases made an impact this week. Laine Wilson made a significant breakthrough with her album ‘Whirlwind’, debuting at No. 8 with 48,000 equivalent album units, earning her the first top 10 placement of her career. This milestone highlights her continued ascent in the industry and reflects the growing appeal of her music.
In the third spot is Post Malone, continuing his reign near the top of the charts. Meanwhile, Chappell Roan secured the No. 4 position, and country star Morgan Wallen remained a mainstay in the top 5, landing at No. 5 this week.
The bottom half of the top 10 includes several household names. Taylor Swift, still riding high on the success of her re-recorded albums and touring schedule, holds the No. 6 spot, followed by Billie Eilish at No. 7. Zach Bryan made another appearance, settling at No. 9, while Noah Kahan rounded out the top 10.
Overall, this week’s Billboard 200 chart showcases the continued dominance of both mainstream pop and hip-hop, with Carpenter’s chart-topping victory serving as a reminder of the dynamic competition within the industry. The tight race between her and Scott highlights the diverse preferences of music listeners and the varied paths to success artists can take, from pure album sales to streaming performance.
