Selena Gomez Scores Third No. 1 as ‘Rare’ Beats Roddy Ricch’s Album by 2K Units
Written by SOURCE on January 22, 2020
Selena Gomez and Roddy Ricch have been duking it out for the top spot on the Billboard 200, and Gomez has prevailed. But it was a close one.
Billboard reports the singer-songwriter’s third album Rare debuted at No. 1 with 112,000 equivalent album units earned. Roddy’s Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial project, which has placed on the chart for five weeks, was bumped down to No. 2, racking an additional 110,000 equivalent album units.
Last week, Gomez received word that her project was in jeopardy of premiering at No. 2. So, in a effort to nab the top spot, she shared a video asking fans to buy and stream the album on all platforms.
“I just found out that my album is neck-to-neck with another incredible artist,” she said on Instagram Stories. “I told people before that, you know, it’s not about numbers for me, but I would love for the most important album I’ve ever released to become No. 1. So, if you don’t mind streaming it or listening to it on all the platforms, it would mean the absolute world to me. This is, again, something I’ve dreamed about for so long. But, regardless, I just hope that you guys are enjoying it and that it’s something that you all can just enjoy and have. So, no worries. Either way, I’m happy.”
Gomez responded to news of her No.1 via Instagram on Tuesday night, admitting she was a little embarrassed asking her fans for the extra streams.
Ricch, meanwhile, has consistently taken the high road. After Gomez called on the Selenators for their help, Ricch tweeted, “stream rare by selena gomez.”
Ricch did the same thing for Justin Bieber the week prior, after the Biebs encouraged fans to use questionable methods to up the streams for “Yummy.”
Roddy’s hit single “The Box” ultimately nabbed the No. 1 slot—and has yet to be dethroned. Billboard announced that “The Box” took the No. 1 spot for the second week, while Drake and Future’s “Life Is Good” single debuted at No. 2. But despite receiving second place, the chart marked more milestones for the two rappers: Future earned his third top-10 entry, and Drizzy locked down his 207th. The Toronto rapper and the Glee Cast are now tied for the most Hot 100 appearances in the chart’s history. “Life Is Good” also marks Drake’s his 36th Hot 100 top 10 track and has also made him the first artist to secure 100 top 40 hits.
