Drake’s Iceman scores a huge debut on the Billboard 200, but even the biggest rapper in the world couldn’t topple BTS’s 2026 record with Arirang. THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 2272 — Pictured: Musical guest BTS poses after their performance on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 — (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
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2026 is nearly halfway over, and already several of the biggest names in the global music industry have dropped new albums. One of the most highly anticipated sets of the year, Drake’s Iceman, arrived a little more than a week ago with much fanfare. The rapper had been promoting the project for nearly a year, but he still managed to shock millions by announcing only hours before they became available that not only was Iceman ready, but it would be accompanied by another two full-lengths.
This week, Iceman launches atop the Billboard 200, followed by Habibti and Maid of Honour, which enter the ranking of the most-consumed albums in the United States at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. Drake is the first act to claim the highest three spaces simultaneously, and Iceman earns one of the top starts of the year – but even the most successful hip-hop musician of all time (at least in some respects) couldn’t beat the top group on the planet right now.
Drake Launches Iceman With 463,000 Units
Iceman arrives with 463,000 equivalent units shifted. That number comes from Luminate, which gathers sales and streaming data, which is then used to compile the Billboard charts each week. The figure comes almost entirely from streaming platforms, as the 18 songs featured on its track list racked up more than 462 million plays. The title was only available to purchase as a download, though CDs and vinyl may come later. Understandably, purchases of Iceman were surprisingly lackluster, as it only sold 13,000 copies, though that’s still enough for a top 10 start on the Top Album Sales roster.
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 30: Drake speaks onstage during Drake’s Till Death Do Us Part rap battle on October 30, 2021 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
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BTS Keeps Iceman From 2026’s Biggest Debut
Expectations for Iceman‘s first week were high, and Drake does debut this set with a figure that is out of reach for most acts. Iceman does not, however, claim the strongest start on the Billboard 200 in 2026. That honor is still held by BTS, and the rapper did not come close to toppling the septet’s showing.
Less than two months ago, BTS returned with Arirang, its first new album in years. The group had been on a hiatus while the seven members pursued solo careers and served in the South Korean military. Arirang may have been the single most anticipated drop of 2026, and its starting sum shows that there was serious pent-up demand for music from the K-pop boy band. Arirang launched at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 equivalent units.
Arirang Beat Iceman in Sales Alone
Arirang enjoyed nearly the reverse performance when compared to Iceman when it comes to how fans consumed the releases. While Drake’s full-length succeeded largely thanks to its popularity on websites and apps like Spotify, Apple Music and others, Arirang was an immediate bestseller. The project sold 532,000 copies in its first seven days of availability. That number is larger than Iceman‘s total first-week figure, including both sales and streaming equivalent units.
Harry Styles Also Scored a Massive Debut
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 28: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Harry Styles attends The BRIT Awards 2026 at Co-op Live on February 28, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
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Iceman is only the third album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 400,000 equivalent units or more in 2026. Harry Styles collected another champion in March with Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. That set, his fourth on his own, arrived with 430,000 equivalent units moved. That proved to be large enough for the Grammy winner to claim the largest launch for only a few weeks before Arirang hit, and now Styles has been pushed to third place as Drake’s latest debuts.
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