Nicki Minaj's new album had a strong contender before it's release through Travis Scott's success with Astroworld. The race has been tight and will likely be claimed by Scott although the winner might only be announced officially by Billboard tomorrow.
The female emcee pulled a few tricks in order to secure the number one slot in her first week of sales. Her platinum single "FEFE" was added to Queen as its 20th track after the album's release, even though the song is technically a Tekashi 6ix9ine song. She also encouraged fans to purchase her album with a bundle. Listeners can cop her latest LP along with a Queen poster and a TIDAL free trial for the affordable price of $5. Still, Travis Scott is set to remain at the top of the charts.
DJ Akademiks is calling the win too. He posted his interpretation of both album sales numbers on Twitter:
"Travis Scott second week of sales for Astroworld beat Nicki Minaj first week w/ Queen."
Reports state that Astroworld has generated approximately 223K in US in total consumption while Queen has racked in 190K. These numbers include streaming as well as unit purchases.
If these predictions are correct, Nicki's comeback will not be as epic as fans might have wished for. Still, her release is solid despite the criticism she is currently facing.