Getty
A few weeks ago, Drake was making relatively quiet news with his support of a Canadian battle rap event. Since then, the Toronto emcee has quickly and literally taken over the Billboard charts with a surprise album release that has churned out nearly as many sales records as it has hits.
In the span of a couple weeks, Drake has proven that he can make a bigger splash with a surprise drop than most rappers can with months of lead-up. Here are six ways If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late has owned February and broken all sorts of records in the process.
1. Drake Has The Most Songs On The Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Chart Ever
Billboard’s Hot R&B & Hip Hop Songs chart is a 50-track tally of the genres’ most popular tracks. Drake currently has 21 songs on the list. That’s right, Drake is in control of 42 percent of the R&B & Hip Hop singles chart.
2. Drake’s Surprise Release Was The Best First-Week Performance Since Eminem’s MMLP2
Late last year J. Cole shook up the industry with the biggest first-week performance from any hip-hop album in 2014 and the best since Eminem’s last solo release in 2013. Drake just topped the feat easily and has set a benchmark for hip-hop album sales early in 2015.
3. IYRTITL Breaks Spotify’s First-Week Streaming Record
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late nabbed the most Spotify streams ever for an album’s first week of availability after the release was streamed more than 17 million times between the 13th and the 20th.
4. Drake Is The First Hip-Hop Artist To Top Billboard’s Artist 100 Chart
Billboard’s Artist 100 chart compiles figures from an artist’s radio plays, sales data, streaming numbers, and social media footprint to calculate who’s making the biggest impact. Thanks to his latest surprise release, Drake is the first rapper ever to top the list.
5. Drake’s Album Went Gold In Less Than Two Weeks
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late nearly broke the Gold record milestone in its first week on (digital) shelves, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2013. While he didn’t quite crack the required half-a-million sales in that first week, Drake easily surpassed the marker in the album’s second week.
6. Drake’s Whole Album Is On The Billboard Charts
Upon release, 10 of the 17 tracks from IYRTITL immediately found a home on the Hip-Hop and R&B singles chart. Just one week later, the other 7 joined the pack and helped Drake’s entire album chart in single form.
All information via Billboard.
READ MORE AT THE URBAN DAILY
Drake’s Surprise Project Is A Solid Mix Of Soundcloud Loosies & His Usual Studio Fare
No New Whoas: Drake Ethers Chris Brown, Bans Him From Canada [VIDEO]
Drake Dominates As The First Rapper To Top Billboard’s Artist 100 Chart
Love Drake’s New Mixtape? Well, It’s About To Get Chopped And Screwed
<p>Facebook Live Is Loading....</p>