Formerly referred to as the Nielsen data, the MRC Media & Info charts for the midway mark of 2021 have been released. With three different charts, 2021’s Midyear Top 10 Albums, Based on Overall Equivalent Album Units, 2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Albums and 2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Vinyl Albums, many of the names that appear are not surprising in the slightest.
The top five of the former list include pop-sensation Olivia Rodrigo's unavoidable Sour with 1.36 million, Pop Smoke's posthumous Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon with 948,000 and The Weeknd's "return to form" in After Hours with 832,000. Topping off this list with a whopping 2.108 million was Dangerous: The Double Album by Morgan Wallen, a lengthy country LP. Another rap album that appeared on this one was Lil Durk's well-received The Voice.
As far as legitimate sales go, Taylor Swift's Evermore sits at the top of the chart with 374,000, well over 100,000 above, again, Morgan Wallen's double album. Hell, Swift's deluxe edition of the record sold only 4,000 less and lies at third. There are no rap albums that appear on this specific chart, although this year's list of songs offers a handful, with Cardi B's "Up," Saweetie's collab with Doja Cat "Best Friend," as well as all the other ones that Tik Tok has watered all the way down.
Interestingly enough, the Top 10 Selling Vinyl Albums boast a triple of seminal classics like Michael Jackson's Thriller, Prince and The Revolution's soundtrack to Purple Rain and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, with Kendrick Lamar's iconic debut, good kid, m.A.A.d. city, landing at third with a sliver under 100K (99,000). First? Funny you asked because it's Taylor Swift again. Take a look at each list in its entirety below.
2021’s Midyear Top 10 Albums, Based on Overall Equivalent Album Units
1. Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album (2.108 million)
2. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (1.367 million)
3. Justin Bieber, Justice (962,000)
4. Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon (948,000)
5. The Weeknd, After Hours (832,000)
6. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia (829,000)
7. Taylor Swift, Evermore (818,000)
8. Luke Combs, What You See Is What You Get (740,000)
9. Lil Durk, The Voice (735,000)
10. Ariana Grande, Positions (707,000)
2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Albums
1. Taylor Swift, Evermore (374,000)
2. Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album (241,000)
3. Taylor Swift, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (237,000)
4. Carrie Underwood, My Savior (211,000)
5. Harry Styles, Fine Line (162,000)
6. Taylor Swift, Folklore (153,000)
7. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (146,000)
8. BTS, Be (128,000)
9. Foo Fighters, Medicine at Midnight (126,000)
10. Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (118,000)
2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Vinyl Albums
1. Taylor Swift, Evermore (143,000)
2. Harry Styles, Fine Line (125,000)
3. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (99,000)
4. Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (89,000)
5. Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain (Soundtrack) (86,000)
6. Michael Jackson, Thriller (86,000)
7. Billie Eilish, Dont Smile at Me (83,000)
8. Taylor Swift, Folklore (82,000)
9. Queen, Greatest Hits (75,000)
10. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours (73,000)
2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Digital Songs
1. BTS, “Butter” (841,000)
2. BTS, “Dynamite” (283,000)
3. Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In the Ocean” (246,000)
4. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (238,000)
5. Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open” (203,000)
6. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (199,000)
7. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (187,000)
8. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (176,000)
9. Cardi B, “Up” (166,000)
10. Saweetie featuring Doja Cat, “Best Friend” (148,000)
2021’s Midyear Top 10 On-Demand Song Streams, Audio & Video Combined
1. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (582.8 million)
2. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (438 million)
3. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (411 million)
4. Cardi B, “Up” (376 million)
5. Pooh Shiesty featuring Lil Durk, “Back In Blood” (370 million)
6. Spotemgottem, “Beatbox” (369 million)
7. Lil Nas X, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (366 million)
8. Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In the Ocean” (341.1 million)
9. Lil Tjay featuring 6lack, “Calling My Phone” (339 million)
10. Polo G, “Rapstar” (337.3 million)
2021’s Midyear Top 10 On-Demand Audio Streams
1. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (460.2 million)
2. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (367.1 million)
3. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (334 million)
4. Polo G, “Rapstar” (282 million)
5. Cardi B, “Up” (278 million)
6. SZA, “Good Days” (275 million)
7. Pooh Shiesty featuring Lil Durk, “Back In Blood” (273.5 million)
8. Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In the Ocean” (273 million)
9. Lil Tjay featuring 6lack, “Calling My Phone” (271.2 million)
10. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (263 million)
2021’s Midyear Top 10 Radio Songs, Based on Audience
1. Chris Brown and Young Thug, “Go Crazy” (1.570 billion)
2. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (1.438 billion)
3. 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior, “Mood” (1.395 billion)
4. Ariana Grande, “Positions” (1.374 billion)
5. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (1.361 billion)
6. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (1.326 billion)
7. Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open” (1.261 billion)
8. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (1.227 billion)
9. Ariana Grande, “34+35” (1.170 billion)
10. Billie Eilish, “Therefore I Am” (1.146 billion)
