Drake’s three surprise albums are already shaping up to dominate the charts, with ICEMAN pulling in the biggest projected numbers while HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOUR are still expected to post huge debuts of their own.
The Toronto superstar stunned fans by releasing not one, but three albums at once — ICEMAN, HABIBTI, and MAID OF HONOUR — despite initially teasing only the icy-themed project. Now, early first week sales projections suggest the move could shake up the Billboard 200 in a major way.
According to Kurrco on Twitter, ICEMAN is currently expected to lead the charge with an estimated 480K-520K units in its first week. The strong projection isn’t too shocking considering the album’s lengthy rollout, the hype created by singles and leaks, and the fact that many fans were eager for Drake to return to a more rap-focused sound.
Meanwhile, the R&B-heavy HABIBTI is reportedly on pace to earn between 110K and 130K album-equivalent units in its debut week. Out of the three releases, this project appears to be getting the most universally positive response, with listeners praising Drake’s emotional melodies and the album’s focus away from beef-related narratives.
On the other hand, the more experimental and dance-driven MAID OF HONOUR is projected to move around 115K to 135K units during its opening week. While some fans weren’t sold on its pop influences and playful direction, others appreciated the album for feeling fresh, energetic, and creatively bold.
Combined, the three projects are currently projected to bring in somewhere between 705K and 785K album-equivalent units in their first week alone. Fans will still have to wait for the official Billboard numbers to see where the albums and their songs ultimately land on the charts.
Some fans are now theorizing that Drake may have used this massive rollout as a way to fulfill and possibly exit his deal with UMG. The speculation comes amid his ongoing legal issues with the label, which he previously sued for defamation over the release of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” Meanwhile, the OVO camp is still fighting to overturn the dismissal of that lawsuit.
Whatever the real strategy behind the trilogy was, it’s clearly making an impact. Between the huge commercial projections and the renewed praise for Drake’s versatility as an artist, there’s going to be plenty for fans and critics to unpack in the coming weeks. Some supporters have even started referring to the three-project run as “H.I.M.,” a nickname inspired by this triple release — and with numbers like these, it’s easy to understand why.
