Cardi B’s Long-Awaited New Album Immediately Soars To No. 1

Cardi B’s new album Am I the Drama? is the most exciting release of this brand new tracking frame. The rapper unveiled her highly anticipated sophomore project on Friday, September 19, and hers stands out as the top-selling just-dropped album, beating several other superstars on iTunes. Amazingly, both Am I the Drama? and many of the songs featured on its lengthy track list have become bestselling titles in America together.

Am I the Drama? Opens At No. 1 On iTunes

Am I the Drama? leads the iTunes Top Albums chart, the platform’s ranking of the bestselling full-lengths and EPs of any style or language in America. Cardi’s second full-length soars all the way to the summit, while her debut album Invasion of Privacy—which arrived seven years ago—returns at No. 138.

How Does Am I the Drama? Compare To Other New Releases?

Cardi competes with a number of new releases at the outset of a new tracking frame. Nine Inch Nails comes in one space behind the rapper with the Tron: Ares soundtrack. Also new to the top 10 is Better Broken by Sarah McLachlan, while Buckingham Nicks—the only full-length from two members of Fleetwood Mac—lands at No. 6. Those sets currently place at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively.

New Albums By Miley Cyrus And Ed Sheeran Sit Below The Top 10

Several other bestselling albums sit just beneath the top 10 on the iTunes Top Albums chart as of publishing, but it’s still early on Friday, and any of these full-lengths might find their way into the highest tier. Sitting between Nos. 10 and 20 are Violent Nature by I Prevail, The Love and Lies EP from Koe Wetzel and the Konvicts, the deluxe edition of Miley Cyrus’s Something Beautiful, and the Portman Road Edition of Ed Sheeran’s recently released album Play. Those titles come in at Nos. 11, 14, 16, and 18, respectively.

Cardi B Singles From Am I the Drama? Fill The Top 10

Over on the iTunes Top Songs chart, all four of the singles Cardi released from Am I the Drama? before its arrival are top 10 best sellers again. “Outside,” “Imaginary Playerz,” “Up,” and “WAP,” a collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, sit side by side at Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8, respectively. All of them rocket double-digit spaces north thanks to the excitement around Cardi’s new album.

Which New Songs From Am I the Drama? Are Charting?

Several other tunes featured on Am I the Drama? also debut on the iTunes Top Songs tally, though they don’t come close to the top 10—at least not yet. “Pick It Up,” her duet with Selena Gomez, lands at No. 50. “Safe,” Cardi’s new single with Kehlani, launches at No. 81. Two other tracks—“Bodega Baddie” and “Principal,” which credits Janet Jackson—kick off their time on the sales-only ranking at Nos. 119 and 153, respectively.

Invasion of Privacy Set The Stage For Am I the Drama?

For more than half a decade, fans have been waiting patiently for Cardi to follow up her star-making album Invasion of Privacy. That set, released in spring of 2018, soared to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced many of her most famous singles, including “Bodak Yellow,” “Be Careful,” and “I Like It,” among others.

Cardi B’s Standalone Singles Filled The Gap Between Albums

Ever since Cardi stopped promoting Invasion of Privacy, which won the Grammy for Best Rap Album, she has continued to deliver standalone tracks. Many of them didn’t make the track list for Am I the Drama?. Tunes like “Money,” “Please Me” with Bruno Mars, “Press,” “Bongos” with Megan Thee Stallion, and “Enough (Miami)” all performed well on the Hot 100, but Cardi let them live as standalone cuts. She technically began promoting her second era back in 2020 when “WAP” became another No. 1 on the Hot 100. Cardi followed that up a year later with “Up,” which also ruled the chart.

How Did Cardi B Promote Am I the Drama?

Cardi began promoting Am I the Drama? in earnest this summer with “Outside,” which at the time was thought of as the lead single, since the other tunes had preceded the collection by several years. “Outside” reached No. 10 on the Hot 100, but its follow-up, “Imaginary Playerz,” did not perform nearly as well. That cut is the only tune shared from Am I the Drama? to fail to enter the highest tier on the Hot 100, as it only climbed as high as No. 70—even though it was built around a sample of a Jay-Z classic.

Cardi B Eyes Billboard 200 Domination With Am I the Drama?

Am I the Drama? is just getting started, but Cardi is surely looking to score another No. 1 album in a little more than a week when Billboard refreshes the charts after the title has enjoyed its first complete tracking period. The set is already selling well, and with 23 songs on its track list, it will likely rack up a huge streaming sum too. Cardi could become one of the only female rappers in history to dominate the Billboard 200 multiple times.