Bruno Mars And Blackpink Debut New Albums Behind One Pop Star’s Comeback

The race for the next No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in a little more than a week is on, and two just-released titles are competing for the summit. Bruno Mars’s first solo album in a decade, The Romantic, dropped at the same time as Blackpink’s comeback EP Deadline. Both of those musical acts have led the list of the most consumed albums and short collections in America before, and the artists’ latest studio efforts quickly rank among the top-selling new arrivals during this new music Friday – although neither one currently sits at No. 1.

Bruno Mars’s The Romantic and Blackpink’s Deadline Debut

Mars and Blackpink claim the two most exciting new releases of this tracking week. Mars’s The Romantic currently appears at No. 2 on the iTunes Top Albums chart, while Blackpink’s Deadline EP lands in third place. In the coming hours and days, either musical act, or perhaps both, may take turns running the show, claiming the bestselling new offering on one of the most important download storefronts.

Hilary Duff’s Luck…or Something Holds at No. 1

Amazingly, despite the immense popularity of both Mars and Blackpink, neither one rules the iTunes Top Albums roster at the moment. Hilary Duff’s first new full-length in years, Luck…or Something, is comfortable at No. 1. The singer shared the project a week ago, and since then, it has largely dominated the iTunes tally. Luck…or Something is expected to launch in a lofty position on the Billboard 200 in just a few days, and the fact that Duff beats both Mars and Blackpink speaks to her continued popularity.

Gorillaz, Rob Zombie and Matchbox Twenty Debut Inside the Top 10

Three additional titles kick off their time on the iTunes Top Albums chart inside the top 10. The Mountain, the latest from animated alternative group Gorillaz, comes in at No. 5. Rob Zombie’s The Great Satan and Matchbox Twenty’s The North B-Sides, an EP of material that was previously not widely available, kick off at Nos. 7 and 8, respectively.

Bruno Mars’s “I Just Might” and “Risk It All”

As The Romantic nearly conquers the iTunes Top Albums chart, five tracks credited to Mars appear on the iTunes Top Songs list. “I Just Might,” the lead single from The Romantic, dips slightly to No. 7, pushed downward by new arrivals from Alex Warren, Lamb of God, and a trio of tunes from Jason Aldean’s upcoming album. Second The Romantic single “Risk It All” launches at No. 44 and will certainly climb in the coming hours.

Several of Mars’s most successful cuts also hold on and remain bestsellers in America. “Die With a Smile,” his Grammy-winning collaboration with Lady Gaga, “Apt.,” his Grammy-nominated duet with Blackpink star Rosé, and “Uptown Funk,” which won both Mars and Mark Ronson Record of the Year at the Grammys more than a decade ago, currently appear at Nos. 32, 90, and 159, respectively.

Blackpink’s “Go” Leads Five Songs From Deadline

Blackpink also fills five rungs on the iTunes Top Songs chart, and the girl group’s hits all come from the Deadline EP. The biggest win from the quartet is “Go,” which the South Korean vocal troupe has chosen as the second official single from the project. That tune launches at No. 25. Previous single “Jump,” which was released back in July 2025, reenters the tally at No. 53. Brand new cuts “Champion,” “Me and My” and “Fxxxboy” also land on the sales rundown, coming in at Nos. 61, 111, and 158, respectively.