A compilation from rapper Young Thug‘s Young Stoner Life label, “Slime Language 2,” slimed its way into the top spot of the album chart, accruing 108,200 album-equivalent units in its first week out.
In at No. 2 was the first of three albums country star Eric Church is releasing in very fast succession — “Heart,” which debuted with 83,600 album units. In a highly unusual album release strategy, “Heart,” issued on April 16, “Heart” was followed three days later by “&,” which was succeeded three days after that with “Soul,” which will figure on next week’s Rolling Stone album chart.
Greta Van Fleet‘s “The Battle at Garden’s Gate” also bowed in the top 10, coming in at No. 6 with 47,600 album units.
Three more albums debuted in the top 50: Big Scarr’s “Big Grim Reaper,” at No. 26 with 18,700 album units; veteran punk band the Offspring’s “Let the Bad Times Roll,” in at No. 38 with 15,700; and Tom Petty’s “Finding Wildflowers,” the stand-alone release of a disc that was originally available only as part of a super-deluxe archival boxed set, bowing at No. 45 with 13,300 album units.
For the top albums, the differences and imbalances between sales and streaming figures were striking, as they often are for artists from different genres.
Young Thug’s label compilation barely managed any sales at all, with only 3,300 complete albums sold and only 8,600 digital track sales. But the “Slime Language” album was a streaming monster, with 130 million song streams.
The Eric Church album did only one-thirteenth of what Young Thug’s did in the streaming world, racking up only 10 million song streams. But the country singer made up a lot of that ground with his strength as a seller, as “Heart” sold 51,100 full copies.
Greta Van Fleet fans were also big on buying vs. borrowing, as the band’s No. 6 album sold 30,800 copies and accumulated 5.7 million song streams.
Country titles accounted for three of the top four spots on the chart, with Church’s album being followed by Taylor Swift’s “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” down to No. 3 after debuting on top last week, with 54,700 units, and then Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous: The Double Album,” moving back up to No. 4 four months into its run, with 62,600. (Although Swift has counted herself as a pop artist for many years, “Taylor’s Version” is being counted as country for being largely a re-recording of an album the singer made when she was still a country queen.)
The rest of the Rolling Stone albums top 10 is rounded out by Justin Bieber’s “Justice,” showing its continued strength at No. 5, and Rod Wave, Dua Lipa, Pop Smoke and Luke Combs at Nos. 7-10.
Combs’ return to the top 10 was precipitated by an appearance on the Academy of Country Music Awards telecast. Albums by Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton also reentered the top 30 as a result of the show.
On the Rolling Stone songs chart, Polo G‘s “Rapstar” held over for a second week at No. 1, picking up 34.3 million song streams. Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” similarly repeated at No. 2, on the strength of 22.7 million streams.
The top debut on the songs chart was a No. 3 bow for “Solid” by Young Thug and Gunna featuring Drake, streamed 21.1 million times. Another song by Young Thug and Gunna, “Ski,” debuted at No. 9.
The rest of the top 10 songs chart belonged to holdovers by Justin Bieber (“Peaches,” at No. 4), Dua Lipa with DaBaby, Doja Cat with SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Masked Wolf and Silk Sonic.
Rolling Stone’s entire top 100 songs list can be found here. To find the top 200 albums chart, click here.
