Music lovers who thought Kanye West‘s latest album, ‘The Life of Pablo,’ was dead on arrival after a mucky mess of a rollout will be stunned to know the album has been given a major lifeline.
For, after weeks of only being available via Tidal stream and his official web site, the Grammy winning rapper finally made the project accessible to Spotify, Pandora, and other major streaming vendors.
The result?
The streams alone will see him shoot to #1, as predicted, on next week’s refreshed Billboard 200! Kanye isn’t exactly known for flashing an award-winning smile, but the news below just may give him new reason to today:
And sure enough, industry forecasters expect The Life of Pablo to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated April 23, with over 90,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending April 7 — an impressive feat for an album that has been semi-available on Tidal for six weeks and was illegally downloaded a reported half-million-plus times.
The Life of Pablo will be the first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 where more than half of its units were generated by streaming equivalent albums…
The previous high-water mark for streams at No. 1 was notched just three weeks ago, on the April 2-dated chart, when Rihanna’s Anti returned to No. 1, with 69% percent of its total units (54,000) derived from streams.
It should be noted that Kanye would’ve been #1 even if his traditional album sales, as reported by his official site, were not counted. With those figures included (roughly 20,000), it means Rihanna retains the record for lowest one-week album sales of any #1 in Billboard 200 history. Read more on that here.
Finally, Billboard reports as of time reported there are no plans to offer the ‘Pablo’ for download via iTunes. However, a physical rollout to major retailers may materialize in the future via a “deluxe edition” packaging.
Congratz to Kanye for his 8th consecutive #1 album (7th consecutive #1 solo project)!
![Chart Check [Billboard 200]: 'Tortured Poets' Makes Historic Return to #1 as Taylor Swift Wrapped Her Record-Breaking 'Eras Tour' with $2B in Ticket Sales](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Taylor-Swift-thatgrapejuice-2024-ttpd-tortured-poets-billboard-200-no-1-eras-tour-2-billion-464x260.jpg "Chart Check [Billboard 200]: 'Tortured Poets' Makes Historic Return to #1 as Taylor Swift Wrapped Her Record-Breaking 'Eras Tour' with $2B in Ticket Sales.")
I ain’t your mama
JLO slays….
Ok, and?
Disgusting loool!! He said he was never gonna put his album on other streaming sites and now that’s the reason he’s going #1. So Tidal was really lying about his streams then cause he would’ve been #1 long time ago. Anyways this is still sad
Ok ladies now lets get in formation ☕
U alone in ya flopation.
Oh Christina popeye chicken don’t come for rih too early
So, a whole ALBUM can debut at number 1 on billboard based on streaming and no sales.but a song that was preformed to millions of people and went viral on YouTube can’t even get to number 100 on the hot 100? I guess not everybody can sell albums and singles like my fav ? #seconddiamondalbum
You can someone sell something that isn’t even available for purchase?
*how
Illiteracy is a plague. It was NEVER released to radio or available to purchase thus cannot chart.
And she won’t play tricks to get fake #1s and phony accomplishments as other acts do. A nearly 10 yr career based on shams and lies. Ouch.
Good for him! I still think he has the cutest smile from a rapper, other than Drake and Big Sean. Hopefully, “Famous” will eventually take off and become a hit.
The sexist rapper to ever exist: TUPAC.
.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I think you mean “sexiest”.
Sexist is something entirely different!
GROUNDBREAKING.
.
So, the music-selling hierarchy is as follows now:
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‘Streaming’: 60%
‘Digital Downloads: 30%
‘Physical Sales: 10%
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Rihanna and Kanye West have ushered in this new era perfectly. 😉
The new era of boosting up weak acts who have trouble selling – albums and tour tickets lmao
Proud of Kanye breaking records
I would love to see Formation’s streaming numbers. Teehee
I would love to see Ciara signed to a major label…. OR NAH!
And I’d also like to see Beyawnce learn how to dress but we all know that’s not going to happen
I’d like to see Ciara perform some where outside of a KFC restroom stall but she doesn’t even have a record deal. So we all know that’s not going to happen
Yawn.
The PRINCE is here…
Ur shading urself bc Ciara has a headlining festival performance a billboard hosting gig and major mag cover in a month alone
without a label
Let’s see ur fave do it
#WEREALLWAITING
It is not available for streaming, genius
Nacy grace: Where is formation? This flop lead single was seen being preformed at that super bowl by a knock knee two left foot beige m***** and was last seen on the bubbling under charts. Any information please call 1-800 HELP FORMATION CHART.
LMAO! Chile, I’ve already put a missing song report on Formation but still no leads! Maybe I should up the reward to $20,000
Daily mail online said formation it flop and her team is scrambling right now tidal is a lying pos they come with numbers that make no sense to be honest adele Taylor and Justin will be the only ones to sell physical albums drake too I think people will give their money to who they think is worthy
Missing like the 400k rihcardo claimed she sold. Has she even done 400k worlwide haaaaaa. Career of smoke and mirrors.
Formation is not for sale nor is it available to stream. The other chick had to play countless tricks to get a phony number one with drake on it.
460 :p
Congrats,Kanye. Crazy a##
Question to the roach nest aka H**±e why was a whole album able to debut at number 1 on the album charts but yet a viral song with a viral video can’t even debut at number 100 on the chart? Neither have sales but only one has a chart position
They’re not going to answer you with a logical response. They’re just going to troll you, threaten you, insult you like the pathetic childish bullies that they are
UPDATE.
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THE MOST “STREAMED” ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME – GLOBALLY:
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1) X – Ed Sheeran – 1.4+ Billion
2) Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd – 1.3+ Billion
3) If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake 1.2+ Billion
4) Prism – Katy Perry – 1.1+ Billion
5) Stories – Avicii – 905+ Million
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6) ANTI – RIHANNA – 820+ Million.
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She just surpassed Meghan Trainor’s “Title” (815 Million Global Streams) and is one album away from landing in the Top 5. 😉 😉 😉
Plus this album hasn’t even been out half as long as those other ones. I think she will reach #1 with Anti.
Oop, it has bypassed miss Megan Trainor…slay
Rih is number one on Spotify passed Justin beiber
Am I missing something? I guess other people see it differently and that’s cool, but this is seriously a good thing? Music has value and every album is not worth $15. The way I see it, Streams indicate interest, not value–and definitely not at a 12 or 15 dollar price tag. There are millions of people who are willing to stream music but aren’t willing to individually buy albums. It’s an accomplishment but it doesn’t hold as much weight. Maybe I need to get with the times because I can’t believe so many people think this is some huge feat.
Quality of the music holds the value, not sales. You stans are upset because you will have nothing to brag about and have to accept the sad thing you pest call lives. You act like men in suits don’t get 93% of your so beloved sales.
Do you not understand the music climate we are in? No one wants to buy a CD anymore and pretty soon there won’t be anything to play cds. Often you buy an album because of a few singles but when you buy it you end up not liking the other fillers. This is why Streaming is valued over buying a physical copy of a cd. pay a subscription and listen to anything you want or what they provide. In the eyes of the consumer it’s a much better deal than paying 15 bucks for the unknown. now you should like this because it will be much easier to support your fave
No one wants to buy albums which is why Adele and bieber recently sold well. Beyonce l of course will sell. Another excuse by flopping artists to prop up their careers.
Lol @ listening to an album for free being more valuable than purchasing physical albums. That shaky math.
I’m not here to brag about streaming but illegal downloading has decreased. Now you can get the numbers on the people who would never buy music ANYWAY. I wonder how B6 will sell. If she doesn’t want any part in this mucky streaming mess, she’d better say hell no to tidal exclusives while she has a fighting chance. I just wish she would put out a GOOD album and go back to trying to be a real singer instead of all that ghetto crap she been rapping about. We’ll see if the public still care about new music from the witch
@okayyyy thank u im never going To stop posting about how they try to diss Nicki Minaj for streaming numbers first week Rihanna came out and couldn’t even do 150,001st week suddenly streaming was important
Congrats to him but he’s still annoying
Had he made it available on all platforms when it dropped he would have sold a lot more. Love him or hate him, he has plenty of fans.
Anti’s impact.
Imagine illegal downloads, Tidal, and Samsung giving out 1 million downloads and STILL sell 180 a week after. Queen! Where is Flopmation?
180,000? Is that all ? Lol
4 leaked an entire MONTH in advance and sold over 313,000 copies.
Anti’s a f****** flop! Give it a rest already
Who’s talking about a flop that can’t go #1 or chart period? Find Formation on billboard and THEN we can talk. Not when a album track Yea I Said out placed it on the dead under chart. Dismissed.
Girl bye! Anti is being sold out by the Zayne’s , Justin Beiber’s, Ariana Grande’s, and Miley Cyruse’s of the world. Kanye’s new album has followed suit and is also outselling it (not surprising at all). Like Flop! Flop! Flop!
And Beyonce didn’t give out a million albums. So save 4lop for the other chicks. Miss 220 million records sold have actually legends in her crosshairs. Like Madonna, The Beatles and Mariah records. She already took one of MJ’s.
Save the excuses! Jay-Z had a deal with Samsung too and still managed to sell 400,000 albums in physical sales #460
Where is alliyah at 14 in R Kellys bed please do not come for Rih and Rih did not lay up for tracks at 10years now I feel bad coming for the girl RIP aliyah.
I’m going to have the NYPD perform a search warrant on Tidal’s offices and release Formations streaming numbers
Girl you’ll need a search and rescuve excavation time to fine those abysmal numbers
They should serve Ciara another subpoena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV-yG0_fbBk
While you’re there search for those 400k copies antisuccess sold. Search for those $old ouuuuut tour receipts too. Search for those downgraded venues and any anticipation or excitment for the shows. That tidal math.
So Pablo debuts at #1 based entirely on streams, with 90,000 streams or close to 130 million streams, but Formation cannot even lumber up enough streams to top the bubbling under after being performed in front of 100, million people.
‘
The utter flop flopmation is LMAO.
Provide me the link to the Vevo and Spotify or iTunes. Cause me and the rest of 100 million Superbowl viewver can’t find it, according to y’all , there is , now please provide it.
I need Tidal to release Formation’s streaming numbers, I’m due for a good laugh.
release those 400000 copies that album no one cares about sold
has it even done 400k world wide to date? How about those downgraded venues and 99.9 pct off tour tickets? Dat reignnnnnn —- of lies and made up accomplishments
@IStan, I’m so proud of Rih’s streaming numbers. I just need her to beat Katy’s record and then I’ll be fine. Katy’s been so much of a fake ass friend to Rih and she needs to learn to not cross her and pay for what she did. The nerve of that big breasted, nonexistent vocals white woman running around the globe breaking her back to support everybody’s tours but her OWN BEST FRIEND’S. She’s done in Rih’s eyes!
______________________________
How many streams equal to one Album being sold? I’m guessing “Anti” will end up being triple or quadruple platinum (with the Samsung copies included) after all?
Congrats, with his crazy ass.
SLAY
Congratz Kanye!!!
_____
Ugh! The Navy constantly bringing up Beyoncé and Formation in a post is annoying! They want Beyoncé o flop so bad after Cheatanna did kiii!!! It’s really quite sad at this point!
Y’all kill me arguing about which millionaire is better than the other while y’all working at Old Navy for $9/hr. Beyonce and Rihanna don’t give a damn if u like them or not. Put some of this stan energy into a degree or a GED.
This is a music blog with all kinds of discussion, so that’s going to happen. With that said, I hate when people like you project your occupation onto others. Just because you’re working for scraps, and uneducated, doesn’t mean everyone is. So with all do respect, stfu.
The irony, when you do the same regarding your ugly flop fav Brandy.
Ewwwww! I hate him. Anyeays, which part of free song, not on streaming site, vevo etc that you guys don’t understand? Y’all need me to translate to Chinese? Indian? French?
If Kanye can chart with streaming then I don’t know why Jay Z’s wife can’t with a song performed to an audience of 114 million people. When will Beybøla? Poor thing thought she could break boundaries and set records by not making it available for sale, but it ended being a mega-flop. That’s the general consensus on Flopmation. 😆
When Beyonce says its free, its FREE! She wouldn’t change her mind for charts success. Beyonce is above all of your basic fav who keep thinking of singles and streaming numbers day and night,everyday.
And yes, those Flopmation streaming numbers are due. Tidal released the streaming number for Kanye’s then-Tidal-exclusive The Life of Pablo, so Flopmation, which is a Tidal-exclusive, should be released too.
Flopmation flopped. The no-life-having-āss-høe-hive need to stop with the excuses. Like I said, Beybøla thought she could set a record with it, but that failed. If she didn’t care about it, then she wouldn’t have shot a music video and sent it to radio. The RoachHive seriously wants us to believe that Beybøla did all that shīt for nothing. ? At least it peaked @ #4 on Urban radio if anyone cares. ?
Tidal will lie for bey and put fake numbers and we know if formation is not for sale it should be streaming on vevo to land on the charts somehow if that was Rih the hives would have a joyous day
I will never ever believe that streams are equivalent to actual album purchase, NEVER. Regardless of which propaganda machine tells it to me.
Lmfaoooo at these Rihtârds that keep saying Anti’s Impact kiii!!! Billboard doesn’t think so! ??????
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While it was unclear at press time what, or who, changed West’s mind in favor of a wide release for the album, sources tell Billboard that it was Scooter Braun, who officially joined longtime confidant Izzy Zivkovic as West’s co-manager on March 31 after weeks of talks. If true, it’s likely that the streaming success of Braun’s client Justin Bieber, who broke Spotify’s record for most streams for an album in a debut week with 205 million global streams for November’s Purpose, at least played a role in the decision.
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http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7326438/kanye-west-life-pablo-headed-no-1-debut-billboard-200
But what I want to know is where is the Navy getting their receipt about Anti being streamed 800 million times in 3 month’s. Bieber managed to get 205 million streams in a WEEK and has been n the top 5 since November with streaming included! So why isn’t he on the list of most streamed album’s of all time???
Girl Beyonce had to make that sad non lyrical song free no white mainstream person would buy that tragic mess black people paid it dust too who wants a song representing black men in the streets talking about f****** in red lobster Beyonce makes no damn sense the meaning of the song is whack and if she can read she would no better no one cares she mix with creole the hives will take anything she puts out red lobster food is nasty selling fake ass fish that restaurant is for lazy people
Bitxh! Maybe your basic ass should get a proper understanding of the English language before commenting!
Im SCREAMING at you lashing out @Marsha even tho she stans Cheatanna like you! The song was obviously too much for your basic little pea sized brain to grasp it’s concept and message.
PS dumb ass, she never said she fuxks in Red Lobster. Gurrrrl stop displaying your Rihtârd tendencies lol!
‘ANTI’ was streamed 120 million times, globally, in its first week according to ‘SPOTIFY’ also and ‘Billboard.Biz’ reported that.
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The last time I checked, ‘Purpose’ was trailing behind Eminem’s ‘Marshall Mathers 2’ album (with 790 million streams altogether) by several million at 745 million. I’m not quite sure if his streams have been updated but he’s already at #8 on the list for most streamed album’s of all time, globally. ‘ANTI’ has just surpassed him and I think this is mainly due to ‘WORK’ and it’s enormous streaming power and the fact that it’s currently the most streamed song, globally too.
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Nonetheless, Justin Bieber is still the most streamed male artist, globally, this year thus far, surpassing Drake though I think Drake will hold that honor once he releases his new album and his sings are on ‘Spotify’. Rihanna is ahead for the most streamed female artist, globally, this year thus far and has held that title since 2013 so I think this will be her fourth consecutive year holding it again. 🙂
*He’s at #9* and this will be her *third consecutive year*. I be the that if Beyonce pits her album out for streaming, she will be high on the list too. To me it seems that the power of streaming just grows and grows and gets bugger every year.
@IStan4Rihanna is the only reasonable NAVY on here. What part of “formation is a free song only available on tidal” don’t y’all understan?
Congrats to him. He´s a force in his own way and when it comes to sales he has always delivered too so no problem.
But this is actually sad that streamings count this much nowadays. For goddness sake if it weren´t for half naked poses and streaming the likes of Rihanna would not have a career left. Sad.
Congrats! Number one regardless of how many albums sold/streamed is number 1.
I keep saying that album sales are not indicative of talent or good music so good luck everyone who’s trying to get themselves heard in the industry even if I think it’s trash
congratz to him.
Good for him if it true