2018 in music has been quite tremendous across the world (Africa, Asia, Canada, China, Europe, United Kingdom, Japan, Norway, Philippines, South Korea, Sweden, United States) with musicians and performers across various genres: classical, country, heavy metal, hip hop, jazz, Latin rock. There has been a lot going on in hip-hop especially. There’s nearly non-stop flood of new talents and new voices alike exploring new sound with new talents emerging every day. The year has been spectacular with the release of 453 albums. We are going to be looking at 4 out of all the best albums of 2018 in the order of the: Artist, Album, release date, and chart position according to The Billboard 200 which ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption i.e based on album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
! 116 albums in the 1st quarter of the year-between January and March. 138 in the 2nd quarter -between April and June. 80 albums in the 3rd quarters -July and September and 119 in the last quarter -between October and December. The Highest Rated Albums of 2018 under the hip-hop category:: Invasion of Privacy, Kamikaze, Black Panther, Scorpion, KOD Culture II. Other genres category include: Sigh – Heir To Despair as at November 16, (Avant-Garde Metal), Idles – Joy as an Act of Resistance as of August 31 (Post-Punk), John Coltrane – Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album as at June 29 (Jazz) and Confidence Man – Confident Music For Confident People as at April 13, (Alternative Dance)
Absolutely! In January, a total of 18 albums released in 8 days spreading through the month; highest ranking was Migos’ Culture II released on 26th January debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. In Feb, we had 40 albums release in 9days spreading through the month; Kendrick Lamar’s and various artists Black Panther released on 9th February debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. In March, 58 albums were released in 12 days spreading through the month. Interestingly, in March, 3 albums peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 respectively. The albums were: Logic’s Bobby Tarantino II released on 9th, XXXTentacion’s? which was released on 16th and The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy, released on 30th.
No 4 Sad off the album ? by XXXTENTACION released the album via the record label Bad Vibes Forever in March. It’s one of his posthumous music that sold the most
The late rapper XXXTentacion had gone to a bank with plans to buy a motorcycle before he was shot and killed at the dealership, according to his attorney report says. His second album Skins has been on 7th December
In April, 47 albums were released in 12 days spreading through the month, 3 albums made it to #1 spots on the Billboard 200 at different times. The albums were Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy released on 6th, J. Cole’s KOD released on 20th and Post Malone’s Beerbongs & Bentleys released on 25th respectively, In May for the first time, there were about 55 albums (by 54 artist) released in 13 days spreading through the month), 2 albums: Playboi Carti’s Die Lit released 11th and Pusha T’s Daytona released on 25th made the #3 spots respectively on the Billboard 200. (There were two #4s: Harder Than Ever by Lil Baby as well as Testing by ASAP Rocky). In June, a total of 36 albums were released in 13 days, spreading through the month. 4 albums by three heavy weights debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200: Ye by Kanye West released on 1st, Cash Money by Young Money released on 26th and Drake’s Scorpion released on 29th (while that of The Carters Everything Is Love released on 16th debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200)
No 3: The Ringer off Eminem’s Kamikazee album released 31st August. Eminem also takes aim at Donald Trump again, pointing out that the President has yet to answer his 2017 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher in this song
The album earned him 9th #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, via Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records. Kamikaze’s start of 434,000 units blows past the launch of Eminem’s last album, Revival, which entered at No. 1 with 267,000 units (197,000 in album sales) on the chart dated Jan. 3, 2018.
In July, 20 albums were released in 6 days spreading through the month. Wiz Khalifa’s Rolling Papers 2 debuted at #2. Future and Zaytoven Beast Mode debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. In August, 29 albums out in 9days, Travis Scott Astroworld and Eminem’s Kamikazee released on 31st debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (Nicki Minaj’s Queen Young Money released on 10th debut at #2 on the billboard 200 chart. In September, 31albums in 6 days, 21st Brockhampton’s Iridescence debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 while Lil WayneTha Carter V and Logic Young Sinatra IV made it to #2 on the Billboard 200.
No 2 Going Bad feat. Drake off Meek Mill’s Championships released on 30th
Meek Mill is a winner on the new Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 15), as his new release Championships debuts at No. 1. The set earned 229,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 6, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 42,000 were in traditional album sales. The album was released on Nov. 30 via Maybach/Atlantic Records and is the hip-hop artist’s second chart-topper, following 2015’s Dreams Worth More Than Money
In October, 43 albums were out in 12 days, Future and Juice Wrld’s WRLD Drugs released on 18th debuted at #2 and Joji Ballads’s album 88rising debut at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart, in November, 59 albums was out in 15 days, Meek Mill’s Championships released on 30th. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. 1st November, Metro Boomin’s Not All Heroes Wear Capes debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. For December 17 albums are expected to be out within the 6 times in the whole month.
No 1 Drake-Nice For What
Scorpion released on June 29 via Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records, bows with 732,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending July 5 according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 160,000 were in traditional album sales.
First Album to Hit 1 Billion Streams for Its Songs Globally in a Single Week: Industry sources previously confirmed to Billboard that Scorpion is the first album to spur 1 billion on-demand audio streams, globally, for its songs in a single week.
