CHART STORY:
HIP-HOP ON TOP

Rapper NF’s third studio album, Perception (NF Real Music/Caroline), has exceeded expectations, debuting at #1 on the Sales Plus Streaming (SPS) Chart with more than 53k. The 16-track project had Capitol Music Group’s fastest-selling D2C pre-order of the year.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ Greatest Hits (MCA) holds at #2, tacking on 47k, while fans continue to mourn the loss of the late great frontman.

As for the remaining new releases, Lil Pump’s self-titled set—out via Tha Lights Global/Warner Bros.—rounds out the Top 3, while Kane Brown’s Kane Brown (RCA Nashville/Zone 4) bows at #5 with 42k, Marilyn Manson’s Heaven Upside Down (Loma Vista) enters at #9 with north of 31k and August Burns Red’s Phantom Anthem (Fearless) debuts at #20 with nearly 18k.

Post Malone’s Stoney (Republic), meanwhile, breaks into the Top 5 for the first time since its December release, landing at #4 with an additional 44k, which makes sense considering the rapper’s currently the most-streamed artist in the world. That said, his latest single “rockstar” f/21 Savage—off upcoming album Beerbongs & Bentleys, due early 2018—spends another week atop our Streaming Songs Chart with approximately 34m more streams. Remember, in less than a month, the track amassed 160m+ streams on Spotify.

And Korean group BTS re-enters this week at #14, in tandem with the physical release of Love Yourself (Bighit Entertainment), which turned heads when it flew to #1 at iTunes in 73 markets upon release last month.

When it comes to the battle for SPS marketshare, UMG leads with 47%, WMG follows with 27% and SME is #3 with 23%, while the indies trail with 3%.

Streeting this week are albums from RCA’s P!nk, Capitol’s Beck and Atlantic’s Gucci Mane, as well as eOne’s Wu-Tang Clan, Loma Vista’s St. Vincent, Matador’s Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Big Machine’s Carly Pearce, Epic’s Jessie James Decker and Nonesuch’s Robert Plant.

Now if you'll pardon us, we're experimenting with burning weed in the sauna. Check on us if we're not out for breakfast.