CHART STORY: LOVE CONQUERS

Back in May, BTS celebrated having the first K-Pop album to go #1 in the U.S. Well, they’ve done it again, this time with Love Yourself: Answer (Bighit/Columbia), which dominates the HITS Top 50 Chart this week with approximately 188k. What’s Korean for “Fuck, yeah!?” Ask Ron Perry.

Cactus Jack/Grand Hustle/Epic’s Travis Scott and YMCMB/Republic’s Drake continue to flaunt their streaming stamina. Scott’s Astroworld—down a mere 3% in week four—holds at #2, tacking on 108k. Meanwhile, Scorpion—down 11% in week nine—stays at #3, adding 82k to its total.

As for the remaining debuts, noteworthy bows come from Ozuna’s Aura (VP/Dimelo VI), which enters at #7 with 48k, and Alice in Chains’ Rainier Fog (BMG) appears at #11 with 30k.

When it comes to marketshare, UMG is #1 with 46%, SME follows with 27% and WMG is #3 with 24%, while the indies claim 3%.

Streeting this week is, of course, Eminem’s tenth studio album, Kamikaze, which the team over at Shady/Aftermath/Interscope expertly managed to keep secret up until its drop. This Labor Day Weekend, listeners can also indulge in new sets from Capitol’s Troye Sivan, Signature Entertainment/Atlantic’s Why Don’t We, Dualtone’s Amos Lee and Epitaph’s Alkaline Trio.

Speaking of indulgences, our vape pens are locked and loaded, pizza is on the way and the HITS 32nd Anniversary Special has almost been put to bed. Please excuse us while we freakin’ run amok.