It's official. Justin Timberlake has the best-selling R&B album of the year thus far.
Billboard broke the news Wednesday, listing the top 10 performing albums on its mid-year chart, which highlights well selling albums from Rihanna, Alicia Keys and T.I.
Topping the Mid-Year "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart," Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" has sold 2.037 million copies in the U.S. since its release. Not only does that make the album double Platinum material, but it shows that many acts are struggling to sell albums since not one in the mid-year top 10 comes close to the two, or even one, million mark.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis follow Timberlake at no.2 on the chart thanks to "The Heist," which has sold 653,000 copies to date — 150,000 copies more than Lil Wayne, who comes in at no.3 with "I Am Not A Human Being II" (503,000).
Rihanna comes in at no.4 with 493,000 copies sold of her 2012 effort, "Unapologetic."
Hip Hop artists Kanye West (Yeezus, 392,000); J. Cole (Born Sinner, 381,000); A$AP Rocky (Long Live A$AP, 378,000), Kendrick Lamar (Good Kid, MAAD City, 364,000); and T.I. (Trouble Man, 231,000) round out the top 10.
Alicia Keys also rounds out the top 10 with "Girl On Fire," which has sold 287,000 copies this year (the album was released last Fall/2012).
According to Nielsen Soundscan these figures include sales up to the week ending June 30.
It’s been a great year for music so far, with some of the biggest names in pop dominating the charts. Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and Alicia Keys have all made mid-year best selling albums list, proving that their incredible talent continues to captivate fans around the world. This is just one more testament to how these superstars remain at the top of their game even after many years on stage. In this article, we’ll take a look at why each artist has achieved such success and what makes them stand out from their peers.
The three artists come from different backgrounds and genres—Justin Timberlake from pop, Rihanna from R&B/pop, and Alicia Keys from soul —but they’ve all seen huge success this year thanks to both classic hits as well as newly released singles. Justin Timberlake’s fifth studio album “Man of The Woods” was an instant hit when it dropped back in February 2018; his unique blend of pop, hip hop and country sounds resonated with listeners everywhere. Similarly, Rihanna recently released her eighth studio album “ANTI” which quickly shot up into the Top 10 Billboard 200 Albums chart upon its release in June 2016. Finally, Alicia Keys’ latest work “Here” debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart less than a month ago making her presence felt once again.
So why do these three continue to make waves? It could be because of their dedication to perfecting their craft or maybe it’s due to their ability to stay relevant by continuously pushing boundaries within their respective genres – whatever it may be, we can only guess! Read on for further insight into why these musical titans keep knocking it out of the park every time!
Overview Of Mid-Year Music Charts
It’s been a great six months for music. From Justin Timberlake and Rihanna to Alicia Keys, many of the world’s biggest stars have made their mark on mid-year charts. Let’s take a look at who came out on top in terms of album sales and streaming plays.
Justin Timberlake was the clear winner when it comes to album sales, with his latest release Man Of The Woods topping the Billboard 200 chart upon its debut back in February. He also scored three Top 10 singles from that record, making him one of only four artists ever to do so – an impressive feat indeed! Meanwhile Rihanna dominated streaming services, having released two albums over the course of 2018 thus far: Anti and her Kanye West collaboration project Kids See Ghosts. Both were huge hits among fans, pushing RiRi into first place as the most streamed artist during this period.
Alicia Keys released her sixth studio effort here last month to much fanfare too; she debuted at number 1 on both US R&B/Hip Hop Albums and Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums lists, making her the third female artist to achieve this achievement since 2000 (the others being Beyonce and Mariah Carey). Her new single “Raise A Man” has seen similar success, cementing Keys’ status as one of music’s leading ladies right now.
All in all then, these three superstars have certainly made their presence felt across multiple genres over the past few months – no doubt they will continue dominating charts throughout the rest of 2018 as well.
Notable Artists On The List
From pop to R&B, the mid-year music charts have been dominated by some of the biggest names in the industry. Justin Timberlake has proven himself as a multi-genre force with his latest album Man Of The Woods; Rihanna’s two releases this year led her to be crowned the most streamed artist over the past six months; and Alicia Keys secured herself a top spot on multiple lists with her sixth studio effort, Here. These three artists are just a few examples of those who made it onto the list – there were plenty more impressive showings from other big names too.
Cardi B also had an incredible start to 2018, appearing twice on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart with hits ‘Finesse’ and ‘I Like It’. Her debut record Invasion Of Privacy was released back in April and debuted at number 1 on both US Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums charts. Meanwhile Post Malone dropped his sophomore LP Beerbongs & Bentleys in April which clocked up huge streaming numbers before eventually peaking at number one on Billboard 200. As well as these two rap sensations, rock veterans Imagine Dragons saw success with their fourth release Origins while EDM pioneer Calvin Harris scored two hit singles within weeks of each other: ‘One Kiss’ and ‘Summer’.
All in all then, this mid-year period has seen many different genres represented across various charts – testament to how vibrant today’s music scene is. With so much talent out there, it will certainly be exciting to see what comes next!
Conclusion
The mid-year music charts for 2020 have been released and they featured some of the biggest names in pop, R&B, and hip hop. Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, and Alicia Keys all made it onto the list with their latest releases. It’s no surprise that these three artists are among the best selling albums this year because their talent is undeniable.
For fans of each artist, having them on the chart was a great way to celebrate what has otherwise been an eventful year. It’s always exciting when your favorite musician or band reaches new heights in terms of success. Many people who followed Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, and Alicia Keys will be thrilled to know that they achieved something special with their music over the past few months.
Overall, this mid-year chart was one full of incredible performances by musicians whose artistry cannot be denied. From Justin Timberlake to Rihanna to Alicia Keys, everyone put out amazing work that resonated with listeners around the world. I’m excited to see what else these artists bring us before we close out 2020!
