CHART STORY: SELF DISCOVERY

Trapsoul/RCA’s Bryson Tiller takes the #1 spot on our SPS chart with True to Self, which he dropped just about a month before its previously expected release date. Being the early bird definitely gets him the chart worm, in this case: The hip-hop/R&B star, who was among the most streamed artists of 2016, takes the top position with 116k+ in his debut week.

Also bowing in the Top 5: The Beatles, whose handsomely revamped masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Capitol) bows at #3, and Quality Control/Motown/Capitol’s rambunctious hip-hop star Lil Yachty, who lands at #5 with just about 44k for his Teenage Emotions.

Speaking of teenage emotions, is it wrong to stare longingly out the window at that ravishing creature in the Spongebob Squarepants costume? Since we moved to Hollywood Boulevard, these stirrings have grown difficult to contain.

Two indefatigable giants, Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. (TDE/Interscope) and More Life from YMCMB/Republic’s Drake, hold their ground at #2 and #4, respectively.

Universal Latin’s Summer Latin Hits (#9), Atlantic’s Gucci Mane (#12) and Sony Music Latin’s Shakira (#13) are the other top debuts. The Summer set gets a nitro boost, as you can imagine, from the Bieber-fortified version of the Luis Fonsi/Daddy Yankee monster “Despacito.”

On the marketshare tip, UMG holds 51% of the current batch, with Sony at 30%, WMG at 18% and assorted indies at 1%.

While Disney’s Guardians of the Galaxy 2 sits at #14, its predecessor, Awesome Mix Vol. 1, moves #37-25 (+36%) as the franchise zooms on. Speaking of Disney, the Moana ST remains in the Top 20 following the flick’s dissemination on various digital platforms.

Speaking of Disney characters, is it wrong to stare longingly out the window at Minnie Mouse? Actually, don’t answer. If it’s wrong we don’t want to be right.

Among the biggest gainers: Glassnote’s Childish Gambino, who moves #42-35 on the strength of resilient single “Redbone,” which is making progress at radio even amid a glut of superstar singles and moving at iTunes.

Elsewhere on the chart, Shawn Mendes (Island) and Sam Hunt (MCA Nashville) re-enter the chart at #34 and #49, respectively, as does Tiller’s prior album, Trapsoul, which resurfaces at #44. BMLG’s Florida Georgia Line rises #46-41, powered by heart-tugging single “God, Your Mama and Me.”

Streeting at presstime are releases from Astralwerks/Capitol’s Halsey, Columbia Nashville’s Luke Combs, RCA’s Bleachers and the incomparably romantic new set from Pepperhill/Thirty Tigers’ Wheeler Walker, Jr.