THIS CHART STORY BELONGS TO u

Ariana Grande’s much-talked-about thank u, next (Republic) has officially debuted on the HITS Top 50 Chart with 355k (and 700k+ RTD). This is the star’s second chart-topper in six months (Sweetener, which dropped last August, bowed with 232k).

The SEA alone on thank u is 227k, which is close to the prior album’s total. What’s more, the set has earned 300m streams since its drop, making Grande the #7 artist overall in terms of first-week streams (behind hip-hop heavyweights Drake, Lil Wayne, Post Malone, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole). She’s currently dominating the streaming charts, including our Streaming Songs Chart, where she has four of the Top 5 and eight of the Top 10.

That said, albums released by Universal labels make up four of the Top 50 Chart’s Top 5. Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born Soundtrack (Interscope) rises #3-2, tacking on 45k, with a little over a week left ‘til The Oscars. Another member of Team Lipman, Post Malone, sees his beerbongs & bentleys (Republic) hop #6-4 with 38k. And the Queen Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack (Hollywood) jumps #11-5 with 37k in tandem with the movie’s DVD/Blu-ray release.

Following her Album of the Year Grammy win, MCA Nashville’s Kacey Musgraves, who took home a total of four awards, can also celebrate a marketplace reaction, as Golden Hour re-enters at #10 with 33k. Other Grammy-related reappearances include H.E.R.’s H.E.R. (RCA)—#21, 19k—and Brandi Carlile’s By the Way, I Forgive You (Low Country/Elektra)—#23, 18k.

Michael Bublé also joined the party, as November release (and obvious Valentine’s Day staple) Love (Reprise) finds itself at #36.

When it comes to marketshare, UMG is #1 with 59%, WMG follows with 24% and SME is #3 with 14%, while the indies claim 4%.

Streeting this week are projects by Drake, Big Machine’s Florida Georgia Line and BMG’s Avril Lavigne.