Nicki Minaj Tops Billboard 200 with ‘Pink Friday 2,’ Securing Third No. 1 Album

Nicki Minaj’s latest album, Pink Friday 2, has stormed to the top of the Billboard 200 chart (dated Dec. 23), securing her third No. 1 spot and establishing a record for the most No. 1 albums among female rappers. This achievement follows her previous chart-toppers, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded in 2012 and her debut studio album Pink Friday in 2011.

The album’s debut week saw impressive figures, with 228,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. by December 14. This not only marked the largest week for a rap album by a woman in the 2020s but also the biggest for an R&B/hip-hop album by a woman this year.

With 169.87 million on-demand official streams and 92,000 copies sold, Pink Friday 2 secured Minaj’s largest streaming week ever, making it the 2020s decade’s biggest streaming week for a rap album by a woman and 2023’s largest streaming week for any R&B/hip-hop album by a woman. The album’s availability across various formats, including vinyl and digital configurations, contributed to its impressive sales.

Minaj’s success extends beyond this achievement; she now holds the record as the first female rapper with No. 1 albums in two different decades. Furthermore, the week’s Billboard 200 chart reflects the significant dominance of female artists, with Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) maintaining its position at No. 2.

In a remarkable coincidence, this week marks the fifth occasion where Minaj and Swift have occupied the top two positions on the chart, underscoring the enduring influence and impact of these powerhouse artists in the music industry.