Drake shocked the world by dropping three albums in one night (ICEMAN, HABIBTI, and MAID OF HONOUR) instead of just the icy installment he originally promised. Unsurprisingly, it looks like this is going to cause an earthquake on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as we now have early first week sales projections for each of these records.
ICEMAN is leading the way with 480K-520K as first week sales projections, according to Kurrco on Twitter. This is unsurprising given the album's length, its singles and leaks building anticipation, and its rap-centric direction being what many fans longed for.
As for the R&B-centric HABIBTI, it could reportedly move anywhere from 110K to 130K album-equivalent units in its first week. This seems to be the most agreed-upon LP of the bunch when it comes to overall consensus, avoiding criticisms of beef narratives and tapping into Drizzy's lovelorn melodic talents.
Finally, the clubby and divisive MAID OF HONOUR is projected to sell anywhere between 115K and 135K album-equivalent units in its first week. While some of its playful risks and poppy appeals didn't land for fans, others see it as refreshingly fun and genuinely challenging for his artistry.
All in all, these early first week sales projections for these full-lengths suggest the Toronto superstar could amass a combined strength of 705K-785K album-equivalent units in their first week. We'll have to wait another week to see what the final Billboard tally is, and where their tracks will land on the Hot 100 chart.
Why Did Drake Drop Three Albums?
Some fans speculate Drake employed this release strategy to exit UMG. They think this may have fulfilled his contract with the major label, which he sued for defamation for dropping the Kendrick Lamar diss track "Not Like Us." The OVO team is currently appealing that legal move's dismissal.
No matter what the play was with this trilogy, it will certainly pay off. Whether it's this commercial astonishment or critical reappraisal of The Boy's abilities, we will have a lot more to dissect when it comes to H.I.M. That's the acronym many fans have attributed to this triple threat, and with these numbers, it's not hard to see why.
