Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which is Kendrick Lamar’s most recent album, is officially the first hip-hop album of 2022 with over 1 billion Spotify streams. The project has already sold more than 500,000 units in the United States and is eligible for a gold plaque, but the Recording Industry Association of America has not yet recognized it. Chart Data broke the story. According to HITS Daily Double, the most recent vinyl sales of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers may help them return to the Billboard 200 top 10 this week.
With 258,500 in streaming equivalent album sales in its first week, the album briefly held the record for the biggest opening week of 2022, giving Kendrick his fourth No. 1 album. Additionally, it had the biggest sales week for a digital album in 2022 and the biggest streaming week for an R&B/hip-hop album.