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At this point in his career, Kanye West has no trouble sending a new album to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and he’s only missed the highest spot twice in the past 15 years...but just because another leader isn’t surprising, that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Behind the rap/gospel superstar, the biggest name in K-pop returns once again and reaches a very special milestone, as does one of the most successful pop bands in the world.
Here are five albums that made big moves on the Billboard 200 chart this week.
No. 1 - Kanye West - Jesus Is King
Jesus Is King is West’s ninth No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and also his ninth in a row under his own name. That distinction is important, and it has helped him make history in a number of ways.
In addition to owning the top spot on the all-genre albums ranking, three other popular releases from the hip-hop mogul are currently present on the Billboard 200: The Life of Pablo (No. 70), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (No. 136) and Graduation (No. 154). The lowest-charting title also earns its one hundred and fiftieth frame on the chart this time around.
No. 32 - Jackson Wang - Mirrors
As one of seven members of K-pop vocal group Got7, Jackson Wang (or just Jackson, as he’s usually referred to) has achieved some success on a handful of Billboard charts, but his solo debut sees him reaching the Billboard 200 for the first time and establishing himself as a name to watch. Mirrors opens at No. 32, a lofty start for a musician who has never before appeared on the list.
No. 120 - Future - Monster
Five years after it was initially released as a free download, Future’s Monster mixtape finally makes it to the Billboard 200 after it was uploaded to streaming platforms for the first time. The set is Future’s fourteenth appearance on the list, and it is his lowest-charting by far. In fact, of Future’s 14 charting titles, only two have failed to reach the top 10, and Monster is the only one to not appear inside the upper half of the tally.
No. 165 - BTS - Love Yourself: Answer
As fans continue to stream and purchase the band’s newly rereleased single “Make It Right,” the dedicated millions make it clear they haven’t forgotten about the septet’s former projects. BTS’s 2018 chart-topper Love Yourself: Answer is back on the Billboard 200 this week at No. 165, becoming the first K-pop set to find space on the ranking for 52 weeks (though in this case, they weren’t consecutive).
Just a few spots above Love Yourself: Answer, their more recent release Map of the Soul: Persona dips to No. 149, giving them two placements at the same time, something no other K-pop act has been able to do.
No. 192 - Maroon 5 - Red Pill Blues
The pop band may currently be focused on sending their new single “Memories” into the highest tier on the Hot 100 (it’s currently stuck at No. 11 for a second consecutive frame), but their fans are still listening to their last album, and this week it hits a special milestone. Red Pill Blues, which produced successful singles like “Girls Like You” with Cardi B, “What Lovers Do” with SZA and “Don’t Wanna Know” with Kendrick Lamar, has now lived on the chart for two years, or 104 turns.
