Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album, Short n' Sweet, is proving to be a powerhouse on the charts. For the second week in a row, it’s holding steady at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, dated September 14. Following its debut at the top spot, the album pulled in a solid 159,000 equivalent album units in its second week, ending September 5. While that's a drop of 56%, it’s still an impressive number, especially for the second week of a release in today’s music landscape.
To put that in perspective, in the last year, only three other albums have managed to rack up such big numbers in their second week. Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department raked in 439,000 units (though that was down from a mind-blowing 2.61 million in its debut week), and her re-released 1989 (Taylor's Version) followed with 245,000 units in week two. Drake’s For All the Dogs also made waves, pulling in 164,000 in its second week. What's even more noteworthy is that all of these albums share the same distributor—Republic Records. Short n' Sweet was released via Island/Republic, Drake’s For All the Dogs came out under OVO Sound/Republic, and both of Swift’s albums are under Republic.
Speaking of numbers, Carpenter’s 159,000 album units are broken down like this: SEA (streaming equivalent albums) accounts for 126,000, which translates to a whopping 168.45 million on-demand streams of the album’s 12 songs. This shows how strong streaming numbers can buoy an album, especially in an era where physical album sales are dwindling. In fact, album sales for Short n' Sweet were at 32,000, an 83% drop from the first week. Track equivalent albums (TEA) units only made up 1,000 of that total, showing how the landscape is shifting toward streaming over individual track sales.
If you're a fan of the Top Streaming Albums chart, you might not be surprised to know that Short n' Sweet is still reigning supreme there as well. It’s a testament to how Sabrina Carpenter has evolved into a streaming giant, riding the wave of digital consumption while still managing to maintain some physical sales—a rare feat in today’s music industry.
A Broader Look at the Billboard 200
While Carpenter is sitting pretty at No. 1, the rest of the top 10 isn’t to be overlooked. Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion—another Republic-backed album—climbed up to the No. 2 spot with 86,000 equivalent album units (though it’s down 23%). Meanwhile, Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess continues its upward momentum, now sitting at No. 3 with 64,000 units. Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time also made a move, rising from No. 5 to No. 4 with 55,000 units, showing that country fans are still very much streaming and buying his music.
Then there’s Taylor Swift again, whose The Tortured Poets Department rounds out the top 5 with 54,000 units. Swift’s presence on the charts has become almost ubiquitous, and this album’s staying power reflects her undeniable influence. In fact, this isn’t the first time Republic Records has dominated the Billboard 200’s top five. They’ve done it four times now, with the most recent being in early 2024. Since the Billboard 200 combined its mono and stereo charts back in 1963, Republic remains the only label to pull off such a feat.
Republic Records isn’t just limited to mainstream American artists either. LE SSERAFIM, the Korean pop sensation, made a splash with their album CRAZY, debuting at No. 7 with 47,000 equivalent album units. It’s their third top 10-charting effort and their largest week by units earned. Most of that sum comes from album sales, which amounted to 38,000, boosted by the availability of over 20 CD variants. The group's clever marketing strategy, which includes collectible items like photocards and posters, has helped them secure a significant fan base beyond Korea. Streaming also contributed to their success, with SEA units reaching 9,000, equaling 12.08 million on-demand streams.
Other Highlights: Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan
Noah Kahan’s Stick Season also saw a bump this week, climbing from No. 10 to No. 8 with 40,000 units. The album’s rise can be credited to the August 30 release of Live From Fenway Park, which helped bring more attention to Kahan’s music. Zach Bryan, on the other hand, remained steady at No. 9 with The Great American Bar Scene, earning 39,000 equivalent album units. His consistent performance shows the power of country music’s fan base, which remains incredibly loyal.
One of the more exciting debuts this week comes from rapper Destroy Lonely. His album Love Lasts Forever entered the chart at No. 10, marking his first top 10 appearance on the Billboard 200. With 37,500 equivalent album units, this is his best week to date. The album’s success was bolstered by clever marketing, including a signed CD edition and two digital download variants, both of which were exclusive to his web store. Fans who bought these versions were treated to five additional bonus songs, a strategy that seems to have paid off in a big way.
Streaming: The New Music Economy
The music industry has undoubtedly shifted, with streaming becoming the dominant force in how albums are consumed. For example, a significant chunk of the Billboard 200 rankings now reflects streaming numbers. One SEA unit is equivalent to 3,750 ad-supported streams or 1,250 paid/subscription streams. This conversion system underscores the importance of digital platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube in today’s music economy. Physical album sales and track equivalent albums (TEA) are still part of the equation, but their influence continues to dwindle as streaming platforms become the main way people access their favorite artists.
That’s why it’s not surprising to see albums like Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n' Sweet and Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion perform so well on the Billboard 200. Artists who have a strong streaming presence and fan engagement tend to dominate the charts. Add in smart marketing strategies like special edition CDs, exclusive merch, and limited-time digital downloads, and you've got a recipe for chart-topping success.
A Bright Future for Sabrina Carpenter?
With Short n' Sweet continuing its reign at the top, it’s clear that Sabrina Carpenter is cementing her place in the music industry. Whether she’ll be able to maintain this momentum in the coming weeks remains to be seen, but if these first two weeks are any indication, she’s on a trajectory for long-term success. Fans and industry insiders alike will be keeping a close eye on how the album performs, but for now, Carpenter can enjoy her well-earned success.
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