If we had to pick a single album that everyone was buzzing about last week, it would definitely be Kanye West’s Donda—and its success on the charts reflects that. This record easily soared to the top of the Billboard 200 chart, becoming the rapper’s tenth studio album to do so.
Donda hit no. 1 with 309,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. following its release on August 29th. It had the largest opening week for an album released this year, breaking the record previously held by Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour which earned 295,000 units during its debut week.
In addition to having the biggest week of 2021, Donda also became West’s tenth studio album to reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart. He’s only one of seven artists to achieve this milestone, and he’s joining the ranks of The Beatles (19), Jay-Z (14), Bruce Springsteen (11), Barbra Streisand (11), Eminem (10), and Elvis Presley (10).
None of the albums that made the rest of the Billboard 200 chart this week came even close to the success of Donda. Halsey’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power hit no. 2 with 98,000 equivalent album units, while Olivia Rodrigo’s former no. 1 album Sour returned to no. 3 with 74,000 equivalent album units.
