After a fierce competition and a narrow defeat three weeks ago, Travis Scott has officially reclaimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, thanks to the impressive surge in vinyl sales. The rerelease of Scott’s 2014 mixtape Days Before Rodeo has now earned the rapper his fourth title to top the charts.
A Nail-Biting Chart Finish: Travis Scott vs. Sabrina Carpenter
It was a close race between Travis Scott and pop singer Sabrina Carpenter for the coveted No. 1 position. Back in early September, Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet barely edged out Scott’s Days Before Rodeo, with a margin of fewer than 1,000 copies. Billboard initially crowned Carpenter the victor with 362,000 equivalent album sales, compared to Scott’s 361,000.
However, Scott’s team wasn’t ready to accept defeat. They sent a four-page letter to Billboard and its data partner Luminate, accusing the chart process of being “unreliable and incomplete.”
“The letter specifically pointed out that 1,291 vinyl copies sold in the final minutes of the tracking week were not counted. Had those sales been included, the victory would have gone to Scott.”
While Billboard upheld its initial results, with Carpenter holding the No. 1 spot for three consecutive weeks, the story didn’t end there for Scott.
Vinyl Sales Propel Days Before Rodeo to No. 1
Fast forward to this week, and Scott’s persistence has paid off. In a surprising turn of events, Days Before Rodeo has skyrocketed from No. 106 all the way to No. 1, powered primarily by vinyl sales. According to Billboard, the mixtape racked up 156,000 equivalent sales, with an overwhelming 149,000 coming from vinyl LP shipments that fans had eagerly pre-ordered from Scott’s website.
Interestingly, the streams for the album were minimal, contributing just eight million streams for the week. This shows the power of vinyl sales and the loyalty of Scott’s fanbase, which turned to physical copies to support the artist.
A Victory Long in the Making for Travis Scott
The chart-topping achievement of Days Before Rodeo is a long time coming for Scott. Originally released in 2014, the mixtape helped establish his place in hip-hop but didn’t see the commercial success at the time that his later albums, such as Astroworld, achieved. With this 10th anniversary reissue, Scott has managed to give the project new life and, ultimately, earn another No. 1 spot to add to his career accolades.
This marks Scott’s fourth album to reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart, joining the ranks of Astroworld, Utopia, and Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Chart-Topping Reign Comes to an End
On the other hand, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, which previously dominated the chart for three weeks straight, falls to No. 2 this week, recording 108,000 equivalent sales. Despite losing her spot to Scott, Carpenter’s album has seen impressive success, proving that she’s more than a rising pop star — she’s a serious contender in the music industry.
Chappell Roan, Post Malone, and Morgan Wallen Round Out the Top 5
While the competition between Travis Scott and Sabrina Carpenter has drawn most of the attention, other notable names are still making waves on the Billboard 200. Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess holds steady at No. 3, while Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion takes the No. 4 spot. Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time continues to perform well, landing at No. 5 this week.
The Resurgence of Vinyl in the Music Industry
Travis Scott’s resurgence on the charts thanks to vinyl sales is yet another reminder of how the music landscape continues to evolve. Despite the dominance of digital streaming platforms, the resurgence of vinyl has created an exciting trend for artists and fans alike. For many fans, buying vinyl isn’t just about owning music; it’s about owning a piece of an artist’s legacy, which certainly helped fuel Scott’s ascent to No. 1.
“Scott’s success in leveraging vinyl sales shows how physical formats can still play a significant role in an artist’s chart performance, even in an era dominated by streaming.”
For artists with passionate fanbases, vinyl has become a crucial tool for maintaining chart success and increasing visibility.
What’s Next for Travis Scott?
After reclaiming the No. 1 spot, Travis Scott is riding high, but the battle isn’t over yet. As the year continues, fans and industry insiders alike are curious to see whether Scott can maintain this momentum or whether another artist will soon challenge his throne. For now, Days Before Rodeo has cemented its place in the history books, bringing Scott yet another hard-earned victory.
This chart battle is a testament to the ever-changing dynamics of the music industry, where even veteran artists like Travis Scott need to fight for every spot — and sometimes, it’s the vinyl sales that tip the scales.