Eminem has reportedly set a new Billboard 200 record. According to Billboard, Em’s 11th studio album Music To Be Murdered By has made its debut at No. 1, making Shady the first artist to earn 10 consecutive No. 1 albums in the chart’s history. He was previously tied with Kanye West at nine.
Nielsen Music reports Music To Be Murdered By sold roughly 279,000 equivalent album units for the week ending January 23. He reeled in 154,000 SEAs as well, which is equal to 217.6 million on-demand streams for the album’s tracks. It’s the largest streaming week for an album since Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding.
Shady is now also one of only six acts with 10 or more No. 1 albums, joining The Beatles (with a record 19), JAY-Z (14), Bruce Springsteen (11), Barbra Streisand (11) and Elvis Presley (10).
[This article has been updated. The following was published on January 20, 2020.]
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Eminem’s surprise album Music To Be Murdered By is expected to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 next week and in the process, make Billboard history. According to HITS Daily Double, Shady’s 11th studio effort is projected to move between 300,000 and 325,000 album-equivalent units.
If the project does indeed top the Billboard 200, it will make the Detroit-bred rap god the first artist to earn 10 consecutive No. 1 debuts in U.S. history. Em is currently tied with Kanye West, who earned his ninth consecutive No. 1 debut with 2019’s Jesus Is King.
First week sales of Music To Be Murdered By will likely land between 2018’s Kamikaze (434,000 units) and 2017’s Revival (267,000). The project could do more considering it’s been a heavy topic of conversation on social media.
The song “Unaccommodating” featuring Young M.A sparked controversy for its line about the 2017 Manchester bombing that took place during an Ariana Grande concert. The video for “Darkness” was also a popular topic. The song and subsequent video addresses the 2017 Las Vegas shooting and finds Em advocating for gun control.
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Music To Be Murdered By arrived on Friday (January 17) and boasts features from Royce Da 5’9, Black Thought, KXNG Crooked, Q-Tip and more.
