Morgan Wallen Trails Stray Kids As He Replaces A Musical Superstar At No. 1

In today’s music industry, any album that has a shot at hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the United States typically does so in its first week of availability. That’s when interest from fans and the general public is at its all-time high. Only a small number of projects stand a chance at earning several stays atop the busiest albums tally in the country, and it’s rare to see any collection return to No. 1 after falling from the summit. It’s even less common for a full-length to dip from No. 1 and find its way back months later, but that’s exactly what Morgan Wallen accomplishes this week.

The country superstar rules the Billboard 200 once again with his most recent album, I’m the Problem. As the set claims another frame at No. 1, Wallen accomplishes a feat that only one other act — one of the most successful boy bands in South Korean history — has managed thus far.

I’m the Problem Trades Places With The Life of a Showgirl

As I’m the Problem lifts to the highest rung on the Billboard 200, Wallen trades places with Taylor Swift’s blockbuster The Life of a Showgirl. I’m the Problem only improves by one space, while The Life of a Showgirl settles into the runner-up spot.

Morgan Wallen Follows Stray Kids by Pushing Taylor Swift from No. 1

Wallen is just the second artist to kick The Life of a Showgirl off of the Billboard 200 throne since Swift launched the 12-song set in October. The Life of a Showgirl has largely been ruling the Billboard 200, as in the 14 frames the bestseller has racked up on the chart, 12 have been spent at the summit.

The first musical act to force Swift to vacate the No. 1 space was Stray Kids. The South Korean boy band debuted its Do It EP at No. 1 in early December. The group once again scored a second champion in a calendar year, as only a few months prior, in early September, Karma added to the group’s list of leaders when it opened at No. 1 as well.

Morgan Wallen Easily Outpaces Taylor Swift This Week

Wallen and Swift may sit side by side on the Billboard 200, but he easily wins the race to No. 1. I’m the Problem shifted just under 85,200 equivalent units between sales and streaming activity, according to Luminate. That sum is up nearly 23% from the period prior. At the same time, The Life of a Showgirl managed 72,400 equivalent units, down almost 11% from one frame ago.

I’m the Problem Leads Across Multiple Billboard Charts

I’m the Problem rules three of the four Billboard rankings where it takes up space this week. In addition to the Billboard 200, Wallen’s project dominates both the Top Streaming Albums and Top Country Albums charts, holding in first place. The lengthy country effort is on the decline on the Top Album Sales list, as it slips 10 spaces to No. 34.

The Life of a Showgirl Lives Near the Top of Every Ranking

The Life of a Showgirl can also be found on a quartet of rosters, but unlike I’m the Problem, it appears within the highest two spaces on each and every one of them. The Life of a Showgirl tops the Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts and settles into the runner-up spot on both the Billboard 200 and the Top Streaming Albums list, where it is steady from last time around.

Morgan Wallen and Taylor Swift Crowd the Billboard 200

Both Wallen and Swift occupy multiple spaces on the Billboard 200 this week. All four of the country musician’s full-lengths climb from where they sat just days ago, while Swift fills 10 slots – more than twice as many as Wallen manages this time around.