Kendrick Lamar has taken the Billboard 200 by storm, debuting at No. 1 with his surprise album GNX. The project earned an impressive 319,000 equivalent album units in its first week, with 285,000 coming from streaming equivalent album units — equating to 379.92 million on-demand streams of the album’s tracks. The remainder includes 32,000 in album sales and 2,000 in track equivalent album units.
GNX marks Kendrick’s fifth consecutive chart-topping album, following Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, DAMN., Untitled Unmastered., and To Pimp a Butterfly. The release also set the record for the biggest streaming week of the year for an R&B/hip-hop album, boasting the second-largest debut streaming week overall in 2024.
Lamar released GNX on November 22, working with producers Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Kamasi Washington, and others to craft the project. Alongside the album, he unveiled a music video for the standout track “Squabble Up,” showcasing the project’s depth and creativity.
Other notable entries on this week’s Billboard 200 include the Wicked film soundtrack at No. 2 with 139,000 equivalent album units, Sabrina Carpenter at No. 3, and Tyler, the Creator at No. 4. The top 10 also features Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, Rauw Alejandro, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, and Chappell Roan.