For many, the industry’s welcoming of streaming subscription services has seen it combat the evil which was/is illegal downloading.
Alas, the availability of new material on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play often leaves fans with little to no incentive to support their favourite act with pure sale purchases.
What this means for labels? A dependency on its older and more established acts to pull in noteworthy numbers the old fashioned way. For Sony, it’s Adele and Beyonce.
For Universal?
In 2010, Nicki Minaj’s debut set ‘Pink Friday’ opened with 375,000 units in its first chart week and went on to hit the 1 million units sold marker three weeks later.
In 2014, following the unveiling of her sophomore set ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’, the rapper released her third project ‘The Pinkprint‘ on December 15th.
As of today, that album has sold 1 million units world…in pure sales.
Here’s how she did it.
The slow-burning set sold 685,000 copies by the December of 2015 and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America when the streams it garnered pushed it to the 2 million units marker.
Unbeknownst to her fans in the U.S, the rapper’s loyalists in the Europe, Asia and Oceania were working just as hard to support Hip-Hop project and have purchased over 300,000 units bringing its global figure to 1 million.
That number glides north of 5 million when streaming is factored into the album’s chart story.
Her latest win comes before the release of her fourth studio album and hours after she celebrated news of Cardi B‘s record-breaking chart feat with the smash hit single ‘Bodak Yellow.’
10yrs in the game still winning!
Do the math, sis. She’s been in the game for 8.
Her first mixtape came out in 07? That makes 10 years, Boo.
Ok…but where that third album tho?
You mean 4th album…
Cardi and Nicki slaying while Remy and Kim are scraping for scraps. 7k queen will be pressed.
Now Barfz are talking about “Cardi and Nicki” like Oinknika wasn’t dissing Cardi just the other day. Frauds. Remy and Kim’s collab will go #1 on Billboard. WATCH!
You’re kidding. I love Remy but when was the last time Kim was even on the hot 100? No way is their collab gonna be #1. It’d be amazing if it’s in the top 40.
Does anyone know how much Remy’s album has sold? I’m asking for a friend.
KIm bought a copy at the dollar store this morning so that would be 7001.
? I’M SCREAMING!!!
Should have done 10 mil
After how many years, features, videos and publicity stunts? Anyways, I’m happy for her success. Slay Onika
lol and your point is…?
She couldn’t do it solo like Lauryn Hill.
The 7k Queen must be fuming!! ?
Wow! Good for her!
Have you ever noticed that whenever Cardi B or Remy Ma have legitimate news making successes or when Nicki gets crucified publicly, TGJ finds some insignificant positive press to write about HOnika??? PAYOLA!!!!
lol keep seething. this post is about PURE sales. save that payola talk for those other 2 bums who clearly need it lmao
Payola af it’s sooo true. This is why people hate Onika and her fraud ass. Always gotta mention her. Sales don’t equate to hip hop legacy. Which song off pink print changed hip hop? ?
BOOOOOOM!!! Testify!
Lol@ u trying to discredit TPP’s success because none of the songs on the album “changed hip hop”. As if any hip hop album released in the last five yrs did..
Obviously it’s her only way to seeth sales her Man-Made body because lyrics that she spewing out is trash & who will be like remember back in “2015” Tricki Garbagh had Anaconda that was nice for the originator & I showed my fake body for a hit & still didn’t make #1 BILLBOARD charts!! ✌????? Is a Beyoncé fan I notice she always has something negative to say about anything she puts out but surely most Caucasian artists are always celebrated even when they aren to crafty!! Taylor Swiftly , Adele who actually does sound good live but GIVE IT A BREAK CHILE!!
U cant be a fraud if the numbers isn’t lying. If it wasn’t for sales nobody would be popping like they are. Sales literally determines how many ppl f**** with your music. Give sis her credit.
if Nicki was a payola every one of her singles would have been one or top 10, it’s not easy getting a one single without help like a lot of you might think.
lol bugyonce does not pull in “noteworthy” numbers. koolaid still hasn’t even hit 4 million WW after a whole year and a half, a recycled tour, and endless promowh0ring lmao. Adele pulls in numbers. 20+ million WW, within a few months. THATS what you call noteworthy numbers lmao.
dude no one is doing what Adele is doing, she is in a class by her self when it comes to them#, in my opinion, it’s really unfair for you to be using Adele to downplay other peoples accomplishments, you basically saying if someone else ant doing Adele’s numbers they aren’t doing sh!t, so they should be proud because they aren’t sh!t.
Contrats to the Queen!! The Pinkprint really exceeded my expectations. When it first came out I didnt think it would become a multi plat, Grammy nominated album with several plat/multi-plat hit songs. Cant wait for #NM4
Nicki Minaj dropped Bed Of Lies. THAT changed hip hop!
Elaborate
?
So we’re really celebrating an established hip hop rap artist that says she’s the Queen Of Rap for selling 1 million albums worldwide?? Not in the US alone, but Workdwide?? After how many years?? The joke writes itself! ?????
Nicki is the most successful female rapper alive #even withoutanumber1. Don’t stop Nicki! be you got alot more records to break!..and your album haven’t even come out yet. Certain things and people only come to frustrate your purpose. Don’t get distracted!
Congrats. That’s great!
Flop
With all thay promo with every award show 12 months before and 12 months after, this is a flop.
dude get a life, seriously you will love it.
Winning!
LOVE seeing Cardi and Nicki win.
Globally only 1 mill?? Still certified copper in the US where it counts