He's really doing it. Playboi Carti has spent most of his career as a star, but a star within a niche. He was not a chart-topper like Drake or Kanye West. Carti was the kind of rapper who developed a cult following and had the occasional crossover feature. All that has changed in the last week. Carti has proven to be a legitimate commercial star with the release of his new album MUSIC. Nevermind the fact that it took too long to come out, MUSIC has blown past expectations. It's on pace to achieve something that no artist has since Taylor Swift.
Hits Daily Double confirmed that Playboi Carti's new album is set to debut atop the Billboard 200 with a whopping 310K units first week. In a period where first week sales are routinely underwhelming, this is an undeniable triumph. MUSIC is doing so well on streaming platforms, in fact, that it's set to have the most successful U.S. album streaming debut since Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department in 2024. The pop superstar scored 400K plus for her lengthy album, and Carti isn't far behind. This puts the rapper in a league well above the likes of Kendrick Lamar or the aforementioned Drake.
Playboi Carti Album Spotify Record
These impressive numbers arrive after days of speculation and confusion. Playboi Carti was originally predicted to sell 250K units first week, which would have put him on pace with Drake's last album. The account Hip Hop All Day, however, noted that physical sales and bundles had not yet been counted. It was a strange exclusion, which Playboi Carti himself noted. He quote tweeted Hip Hop All Day, writing "IT IS ODD" when asked to expound on the numbers. He seemingly had reason to be annoyed, though, as the updated numbers have proven to be much higher.
Playboi Carti has already broken Spotify records in 2025. He managed to become the platform's most streamed artist of the year in a single day, thanks to the popularity of MUSIC. The rapper knows he has a special release on his hands, too. He released a V2 of MUSIC on his personal site, which comes with two fan favorite bonus tracks. We're officially in the Carti era, and the rest of the rap world will have to adjust accordingly.
