Drake scores his eighth No. 1 album on Billboard's chart with 'Scorpion'

David Friend, The Canadian Press</span>
Published Monday, July 9, 2018 2:59PM EDT
Last Updated Monday, July 9, 2018 5:45PM EDT

TORONTO -- Drake is taking in views from atop the Billboard charts once again with some major help from streaming music listeners.

The Toronto performer's new release "Scorpion" has become his eighth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

And songs from the album are also sitting in seven of the spots in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Drake's new feat breaks the Beatles' 1964 record, when five of their songs reached the Top 10 in the same week.

The album had some major marketing heft behind it.

"Scorpion" was heavily promoted by a number of streaming companies, including Spotify, which filled its most popular playlists with selections from the album. The prime positioning for the rapper and singer helped "Scorpion" become the first album to hit 1 billion streams in a single week, Billboard said.

All 25 tracks from "Scorpion," which was released online June 29, managed to climb onto the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Drake's former No. 1 hit, "Nice for What," returned to the top position, while "Nonstop" debuts at No. 2. Drake's other songs in the Top 10 are "God's Plan," "In My Feelings," "I'm Upset," "Emotionless" and "Don't Matter to Me," which includes previously recorded vocals from Michael Jackson.

In Canada, six songs reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart. "Nonstop" grabbed the top spot.

On the albums charts, "Scorpion" sold 732,171 equivalent albums in the United States -- a tabulation that accounts for both digital sales and streaming plays.

In Canada, Drake's album proved popular as well, bringing in 70,000 equivalent units.

Drake now ties Kanye West, Eminem and the Beatles for eight consecutive No. 1 albums.

"Scorpion" debuted on the chart the same week Billboard changed how it counts streaming plays. The modified rules give a stronger value to listeners who listen on a paid subscription platform over the ones who use a free streaming music service.

Under the new calculations, 1,250 plays on paid subscription platform count for one album sale, while it takes three times that amount on a platform like Spotify's unpaid service with commercial breaks.

-- with files from The Associated Press

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