It looks like it’s more than ICEMAN season right now. Everyone thought we were going to get a normal album from Drake after episode four of the ICEMAN stream, and yet, the big surprise was that we were getting three albums in total. It’s a lot, and for what? No one can really say for sure. Is it to get out of his deal with UMG? Is it because he wants to game the charts? Or maybe Drake felt so inspired over the past two years of being ostracized and publicly humiliated that he just had a bank of music that he wanted to get out to the masses?
We can’t say yet. However, it does look like the king of the charts will make his triumphant return once again. Over the course of three albums with 40 songs, there’s a good chance Drake will break a new record to debut in the top 3 spots on the Billboard 200 simultaneously. With ICEMAN, Maid Of Honour, and Habibti out, it feels inevitable that Drake will be the first rapper–and potentially the first artist–to claim the #1, #2, and #3 spot on the chart.
As Complex points out, this could make Drake the first artist since Michael Jackson to accomplish this feat. Jackson previously held the top three spots following his death, which saw a surge in album sales after his 2009 death. However, Billboard’s rules at the time actually excluded catalog titles from entering the Billboard 200 once they reached “catalog status.” So, the three albums, Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, and Thriller, topped Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums and Comprehensive Albums charts but didn’t do the same on the Billboard 200. Eventually, the rule was changed in response to this.
Will Drake Top The Charts?
While it’s guaranteed at this point that Drake will have a massive splash on the Billboard 200, it seems a bit too early to say whether he has a certified chart topper on the Hot 100. Although there are a few songs that stand out so far, we might have to wait a few more days to determine which song will serve as his latest smash record, and there are several to choose from. We’ll keep you posted on the Billboard charts, which will come out on Sunday, May 24th. For now, let us know your thoughts on Drake’s new albums below and rank ICEMAN, Maid Of Honour, and Habibti in the comment section.
