Nicki Minaj has surged to the summit of the Billboard 200 chart with her latest album, “Pink Friday 2,” marking the most substantial debut sales week for a rap album by a woman in the past four years. This achievement solidifies Minaj’s dominance on the charts, as “Pink Friday 2” becomes her third album to clinch the top spot, following her debut release in 2010, “Pink Friday,” and 2012’s “Roman Reloaded.” Consequently, Minaj now holds the record for the most number-one albums by a female rapper in history.
The album opened with an impressive equivalent of 228,000 albums sold in the week ending on December 14, according to data provided by Luminate. Notably, “Pink Friday 2” enjoyed notable success on vinyl, selling 25,000 copies—the highest vinyl sales figure for a rap album by a woman since Luminate began tracking vinyl sales in 1991. Featuring 22 tracks, the record showcased collaborations with renowned artists such as Drake, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, 50 Cent, among others. Furthermore, the album incorporated samples from various artists including Billie Eilish, Blondie, Rick James, and more. Its release was also accompanied by the announcement of a 2024 arena tour scheduled to kick off in March.
Shortly after its release, Minaj voiced concerns on X (formerly Twitter), alleging that Billboard would invalidate 100,000 sales due to a contest encouraging fans to purchase four copies each. Most of these tweets, wherein Minaj asserted she was being penalized for her “great music” and devoted fan base, have since been deleted.
Despite the controversy, Minaj’s album soared to the top position while Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” secured the No. 2 spot with 109,000 units and Drake’s “For All the Dogs” landed at No. 3 with 68,000 units.
In addition to Minaj’s feat, rising sensation Tate McRae achieved her first top 10-charting album on the Billboard 200, debuting at No. 4 with a robust 66,000 units for her latest release, “Think Later.” The album demonstrated a strong streaming presence, amassing nearly 76 million streams. Preceding the album’s launch, McRae attained her first top 10-charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Greedy,” currently positioned at No. 9 on this week’s list.
Noteworthy mentions in this week’s Top 10 records include Swift’s “Midnights” at No. 7, “Lover” at No. 9, and “Folklore” rounding out at No. 10. Additionally, SZA’s “SOS” secured No. 8, Michael Bublé’s “Christmas” claimed the No. 5 spot, and Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing at a Time” settled at No. 6.
Shifting focus to the singles chart, Mariah Carey reclaims the top spot with “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” amassing 42 million streams. The 1994 hit has persistently dominated the Hot 100 annually since 2019, largely due to its consistent inclusion in holiday playlists across various digital streaming platforms.
