HipHop Untapped Break Down of top albums of the year break down, then sum it down to the top 20 artists of 2021.
- Playboi Carti: Whole Lotta Red- Released on December 25, 2020, Playboi Carti achieved his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. In its first week, the record, which was released on Christmas Day 2020, sold 100,000 copies and had 160 million global streams.
- Jack Harlow: On July 23, 2021, Harlow was featured on Lil Nas X’s single “Industry Baby” and appeared in the music video, which went number one on the billboard. From his latest hit What’s popping still gaining streams, to his many collaboration with such as Luv Is Dro (feat. Static Major & Bryson Tiller), Route 66 (feat. EST Gee), and Already Best Friends (feat. Chris Brown). These collaboration impacted him to reach over 843 million streams in 2021, and his hot what’s popping reaching over 1 billion streams since released.
- Lil Durk: The Voice- 179,000 units sold first month, it was released on December 24, 2020. And reported that the album sold over 500,000 copies and is eligible to be certified Gold.
- Eminem: Music To Be Murdered By- The original 20-track version of Music to Be Murdered By, which was released on January 17, opened at #1 on the Billboard 200 and eventually achieved gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. On December 18, Music to Be Murdered By – Side B was released, and it swiftly sold 94,000 equivalent album units, an astounding 1,125 percent increase over the previous week. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Eminem has sold 154 million certified albums and singles in the United States.
- Pop Smoke: Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon- On July 3, 2020, Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records published Pop Smoke’s Aim For The Stars, Aim For The Moon. The album comes in a deluxe edition with fifteen more tracks. During its first week, the album sold 251,000 album equivalent copies. The album has sold two million copies, and numerous songs, including “The Woo,” “Mood Swings,” and “Dior,” have been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song “Dior” has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of best rap performance in 2021. February 19th marked the first year anniversary of the loss of Pop Smoke.
- Pooh Shiesty: Shiesty’s Season- Pooh Shiesty’s debut mixtape, Shiesty Season, was his debut release. Released by Atlantic Records and 1017 Records on February 5, 2021. Lil Durk, Gucci Mane, Big30, 21 Savage, Veeze, Foogiano, Lil Hank, Choppa Wop, and Tay Keith all make cameos on the album. The mixtape’s “Spring Deluxe” edition was released on May 21, 2021. G Herbo, No More Heroes, and Lil Baby make further guest celebrities with 712,000 units
- Lil Baby: My Turn- Released Febuarary, according to Neilsen Music/MRC Data revealed My Turn was 2020’s most popular album throughout all genres in the United States. My Turn earned 2.63 million total album–equivalent units for the project to take the top spot over Taylor Swift’s Folklore at No. 2 (2.204 million)
- Rod Wave: SoulFly- It was released on March 26, 2021, SoulFly debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 130,000 album-equivalent units (including 4,000 pure album sales) in its first week. It is Wave’s first album to top the Billboard 200.
- Dj Khaled: Khaled Khaled – It was released on April 30, 2021, which had the equivalent of 93,000 sales in the United States, including 107 million streams and 14,000 copies sold as a complete package. Making it his 3rd time as #1.
- Only The Family: Loyal Bros- Loyal Bros Released March 5 2021 debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 28,000 album-equivalent units (including 2,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week. The album also accumulated a total of 33.2 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs.
- Young Dolph and Key Glock: Dum and Dummer 2– Released March 26, 2021, debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart. Earning 36,000 album-equivalent units (including 2,000 copies in pure album sales)
- Young Thug & Gunna: Slime Language 2 by Young Stoner Life- Released April 16, 2021, and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with 113,000 album-equivalent units. Including 6,000 pure album sales in its first week. This marks the third number one album for YSL Records,
- Brockhampton: Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine– Released april 9 2021, the group landed their first #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart with 101,000 copies sold.
- IDK & Offset: SHOOT MY SHOT- Released april 19 2021 (N/A)
- Moneybagg Yo: A Gangsta’s Pain: Released april 23 2021, Moneybagg’s first ever No. 1 album, earning a total of 110,000 equivalent album units, including 106,000 in streaming equivalent album units (147.4 million on-demand streams of the tracks), 4,000 in album sales and under 1,000 in track equivalent album units.
- J Cole: The Off-Season– Released May 4 2021, It sold 282,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, earning Cole his sixth consecutive number-one album in the country. At the time of its release. The Off-Season achieved the largest streaming week of 2021, with 37,000 copies as a complete package, earning over 325.5 million streams.
- NF: Clouds – the debut mixtape by American rapper NF. The mixtape was released on March 26, 2021, with guest appearances from Hopsin and Tech N9ne.starts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 86,000 equivalent album units earned.
- Lil Tjay: Destined 2 Win– Released April 2 2021, debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 62,000 album-equivalent units, (including 3,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week. This became Lil Tjay’s second US top ten debut on the chart, matching True 2 Myself which also peaked at number five.
- 42 Dugg: Free Dem Boyz- released may 21, 2021, debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart with roughly 32,000 album-equivalent units sold. Of that number, 31,000 is comprised of SEA units, equaling 43.56 million on-demand song streams, along with a further 1,000 pure album sales
- DMX: Exodus – Released May 28, 2021, DMX’s first posthumous album, Exodus, has landed at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart, after its first week of release. The late rap legend’s eighth studio album sold an estimated 32,000 total album-equivalent units
- Lil Baby & Lil Durk: Relesead June 4 2021, debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 150,000 album-equivalent units (including 4,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week, according to MRC Data. This became Lil Baby’s second and Lil Durk’s first US number one album on the chart.
- Migos: Culture III– Rleased June 11, 2021, debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 130,000 album-equivalent units (including 22,000 copies as traditional album sales) in its first week. The album also accumulated a total of 144.57 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs during that week.
- Pi’erre Bourne: The Life of Pi’erre 5– Rleased June 11, 2021, over 16k Units sold
- Polo G: Hall of Fame- Rleased June 11, 2021. The album also collected a total of 181.9 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs during that week. During the week of September 3, 2021 the album sold 17,100 equivalent units bringing its accumulative total is 514,100.
- Doja Cat: Planet Her- Released June 25, 2021, and has now sold over 109,000 units in the US
- G Herbo: 25- Released July 2, 2021, and debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200, earning 46,000 album-equivalent units and becoming G Herbo’s second top 10 and highest-charting album.
- Pop Smoke: Faith- Released July 16, 2021, 88,000 equivalent album units, including 113 million streams and 4,000 in sales, according to MRC Data. Which debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, garnering the rapper his second #1.
- The Kid LAROI: F*CK LOVE (OVER YOU)- Released July 24, 2021, The album earned a total of 85,000 equivalent album units including 82,000 (113.97 million on-demand streams of the tracks) in streaming equivalent album units.
- Isaiah Rashad: the house is burning- Released July 30, 2021, 41,000 (46.89 million on-demand streams, 5,000) in the first week, pure sales debutting 10 top 1o on the Billboard chart.
- Nas: King’s Disease II– Released August 6, 2021, debuting at number 5 billboard top chart, sold over 47,000 copies and debuted at number five on the Billboard 200.
- Suicideboys: Long Term Effects of Suffering- Released August 13th, 2021, 32,000. 36.5 million on-demand streams, & 6,000 pure sales. debuting as number 7 on the Billboard chart.
- Trippie Redd: Trip at Knight– Released August 20, 2021, came in second place with 80,600 album units. It sold close to no full albums (just 7,000) but was the biggest streaming album of the week, with 97.1 individual song streams.
- Lil Tecca: We Love You Tecca 2– Released August, 27 2021, debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200, earning 68,000 album equivalent units (including 4,048 in pure album sales) in its first week, surpassing its initial projections of 40,000 units. In its second week, the mixtape dropped to number five on the chart, earning an additional 49,000 units in a week.
- Westside Gunn: Hitler Wears Hermes 8– Released August, 27 2021, (N/A)
- Kanye West: Donda- Released August, 29 2021, 520,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. Includes 357,39 million streams, and over 37,000 pure sales.
- Drake: Certified Lover Boy– Released September, 3, 2021, 613,000 equivalent album units, debuting at number 1 dropping Kanye to 2nd place. 46,000 album sales, and 562,000 streaming units calculated from the 743.7 million on-demand
- Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue– Released September, 10, 2021, landed at number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart with an estimated 53,000 total album-equivalent units earned
- Lil Nas X: Monetero- Released September, 17, 2021, at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. sold over 500,000 total units in the US equivalent album units, including 222 million streams,
- Injury Reserve: By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Released September, 15, 2021,(N/A)
- NBA YoungBoy: Never Broke Again Sincerely, Kentrell– Released September, 24, 2021,, debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 137,000 album-equivalent units (including 10,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week, according to MRC Data.
- Meek Mill: Expensive Pain– Released October, 01, 2021, 95,000 equivalent album units, 10,000 of which consisted of album sales, while 82,000 were made up of SEA units, equaling 110.53 million on-demand streams. Earning number 7th at the t0p 10 Billboard Chart
- Don Toliver: Life Of A Don– debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 — Released October 8, 2021, sold a total of 68,000 first-week units, the highest commercial peak for a Don Toliver project thus far.
- Young Thug: Punk- Released October, 15, 2021, 90,000 equivalent album units, 77,000 of which accounted for SEA units, equaling 102 million on-demand streams of the album’s tracks. Earning it’s spot to be debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Top 10 Hiphop Artist Of 2021
- 1#: Drake: 793.8 million streams
- 2#: Travis Scott: 500 million
- 3#: Kanye West: 410.8 million streams
- 4#: Lil Uzi Vert: 322 million song streams
- 5#: Pop Smoke: 251.1 million streams
- 6#: Lil Baby: 202,007,861 streams
- 7#: Lil Nas X: 200 million streams
- 8#:Polo G: 182 million streams
- 9#: Future: 180 Million Streams
- 10#:Moneybagg Yo: 142.2 million streams
- 11#: Juice wrld: 100 Million streams
- 12##:Megan Thee Stallion:95.3 million streams
- 13#: Latto: 92 million streams
- 14#: Tyler, the Creator: 86.6 million streams
- 15#: Dojacat: 63.69 million month
- 16#: J Cole: 62 million streams6#:
- 17#: Lil Durk: 56.8 million streams
- 18#:Dababy: 54 Million
- 19#: Pooh Shiesty: 40 Million Streams
- 20#: Rod Wave: 20 million streams
Do you think another artist deserves more credit or stream? If so listen, share, and keep streaming their music. Also, comment below who you think deserves more credit than they do.
Be sure to follow @hiphopuntapped for the latest news in Hip Hop, Entertainment, Fashion, & Sports.
