Macklemore and Jhené Aiko Score Top 5 Debuts
Macklemore, Kevin Gates, and Jhené Aiko made a strong impact on the Billboard 200 this week.
The Seattle rapper leads the way at No. 2 with Gemini, which moved 51,000 units (27,000 traditional) in its first week out. His sophomore follow-up to 2005’s The Language of My World is his first solo effort to chart. He previously reached No. 2 with the Ryan Lewis-assisted The Heist and No. 4 with their second joint project, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made.
Kevin Gates’ By Any Means 2 jumps from No. 100 to No. 4 in its second week of availability, moving 40,000 units (15,000 traditional). The project’s first week of sales only included one day of tracking, according to Billboard. BAM2 follows Gates’ Islah, which peaked at No. 2 last year.
Meanwhile, Jhené Aiko’s Trip lands at No. 5 with 37,000 units (10,000 traditional). Streaming helped propel the LP, with more 25,000 streaming equivalent album units in the first week. In the past, Aiko journeyed to No. 3 with 2014’s Souled Out and No. 8 with 2013’s Sail Out. Last year, she and Big Sean reached No. 5 with their joint project TWENTY88.
Elsewhere on the chart, Lil Uzi Vert’s Luv Is Rage 2 falls to No. 3 (45,000 units), Post Malone’s Stoney jumps 10-6 (37,000), Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. dips 4-8 (34,000), and Khalid’s American Teen slips 6-9 (32,000).
Billboard 200 Top 10
1. The Killers – Wonderful Wonderful – 118,000
2. Macklemore – Gemini – 51,000
3. Lil Uzi Vert – Luv Is Rage 2 – 45,000
4. Kevin Gates – By Any Means 2 – 40,000
5. Jhené Aiko – Trip – 37,000
6. Post Malone – Stoney – 37,000
7. Imagine Dragons – Evolve – 36,000
8. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. – 34,000
9. Khalid – American Teen – 32,000
10. Ed Sheeran – ÷ – 30,000