The Contenders is a midweek column that appears at artists aiming for the highest of the Billboard charts, and the methods behind their efforts. This week, for the Billboard 200 dated Oct. 4, we have a look at a pack of latest releases, led by Future’s Mixtape Pluto set, which may make him simply the second artist this decade to notch three No. 1 albums in a calendar yr.
Future, Mixtape Pluto (Freebandz/Epic): Six months after serving to to fireplace the opening shot that set off the hip-hop World Struggle that was the Kendrick Lamar-Drake feud, with the Lamar-featuring “Like That” single off his and producer co-star Metro Boomin’s first of two We Nonetheless Don’t Belief You units, rap celebrity Future is again together with his third all-new album of 2024. Mixtape Pluto debuted on Friday (Sept. 20), although with no big-name visitors throwing down gauntlets for the remainder of the rap world to answer – no visitors of any type, truly, because the set options Future because the lone credited performer on all 17 of the tracks on its streaming launch.
Nonetheless, the set has carried out predictably properly on streaming – notably on Apple Music, the place it blanketed the highest of the real-time charts upon its Friday launch, and nonetheless claims all the high 5 as of Wednesday. (It’s been rather less prolific on Spotify, the place it presently holds simply 5 spots in all the Day by day High Songs USA high 200, and none within the high 40.) Not like another latest Future releases (and regardless of its mixtape billing), nevertheless, this album has the benefit of a bodily launch to go together with it – which is simply 11 tracks lengthy, however is on the market on each CD and vinyl on his webstore and at some brick-and-mortar shops.
If Future debuts atop the Billboard 200 with Mixtape Pluto, it might mark his eighth consecutive official solo album to take action, courting again to DS2 – in addition to his eleventh No. 1 album total, shifting him right into a five-way tie with Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, Ye and Eminem for the fourth-most such albums in Billboard 200 historical past. It will even be his third No. 1 of 2024 alone, after We Don’t Belief You and We Nonetheless Don’t Belief You, which might make him simply the second artist this decade to attain three No. 1 albums in the identical calendar yr – following (in fact) Taylor Swift, who pulled off the achievement in 2021 with Evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Model) and Purple (Taylor’s Model) — and the primary to debut three albums there in a single yr (Evermore having beforehand topped the chart in 2020).
Katy Perry, 143 (Capitol): It’s been one of the vital buzzed-about promo campaigns of 2024, though not all the time for one of the best causes: Katy Perry’s 143 debuts this week after months of lead-up, kicked off by the discharge of July lead single “Lady’s World,” which drew detrimental opinions and lasted only one week on the Billboard Sizzling 100. Subsequent advance tracks have been much less coldly obtained however made minimal industrial affect, although Perry’s career-spanning efficiency whereas receiving the Video Vanguard award on the MTV Video Music Awards two weeks in the past (Sept. 11) was well-received.
The set is lastly out now, and options visitor turns from hitmakers 21 Savage, Kim Petras, JID and Doechii, the latter of whom appeared on stage with Perry on the VMAs to carry out their Crystal Waters-lifting “I’m His, He’s Mine.” Whereas the set doesn’t seem like producing any important streaming hits, it can have the gross sales benefit of an array of bodily releases – with eight vinyl variants (together with some retail exclusives, in addition to a signed version unique to her d2c), a pair CD variants (together with a signed version unique to her d2c and a deluxe-packaging version with collectible ephemera) and even a cassette.
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (KRA/Amusement/Island/Republic): Talking of the VMAs: One among its different most notable performers and winners can be within the hunt for the No. 1 spot this week. Chappell Roan, who took residence finest new artist and delivered a memorable medieval efficiency of standalone single “Good Luck, Babe!” on the ceremonies, not too long ago celebrated the one-year anniversary of her slow-developing blockbuster The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess with a brand new bodily reissue of the set, together with a number of new vinyl variants.
It might be one of the best likelihood that the set, which climbed all the way in which to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after 20 weeks on the chart, has to get that closing enhance that it wants to achieve No. 1 – although with Future’s mixed streaming and gross sales numbers, it could be a troublesome week for it to lastly get excessive. Nonetheless, the album has been hanging within the high 5 for months now, with no actual indicators that its streaming dominance is coming to an finish, so depend it out at your personal peril.
IN THE MIX
Lil Tecca, Plan A (Galactic/Republic): Whereas he hasn’t had a serious Sizzling 100 hit since 2019’s “Ransom,” Lil Tecca has proved himself a reasonably dependable performer on streaming within the years since – and scored a powerful slow-burner final yr with the “500 Lbs” single. His three official studio albums so far have all bowed across the border of the highest 10 (No. 10 for 2020’s Virgo World, No. 10 for 2021’s We Love You Tecca 2 and No. 11 for 2023’s Tec), and this month’s Plan A will possible be capturing for roughly the identical vary – with sturdy streaming efficiency and a number of digital variants accessible on the market on his webstore, together with one digitally signed model and one with two bonus tracks.
Keith City, Excessive (Capitol Nashville / Hit Purple): Keith City’s first album in 4 years options the highest 20 Nation Airplay hit “Messed Up as Me,” and is on the market in 4 vinyl variants and three CD variants, together with a pair retail exclusives with unique branded paper merch. City has a streak of eight consecutive high 10 studio albums on the Billboard 200 to guard, a run which dates again to Be Right here in 2004.
