With Eminem’s latest album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, moving 793,000 units in its first week and topping the highest first week sales for hip-hop albums in 2013, I want to take a look back to see how this compares with previous first week album sales records.

I compiled the top 5 biggest first week sales in hip-hop history and there were no surprises there – 50 Cent, Lil Wayne and Kanye West show up twice while Eminem clinches the top spot.

kanye-west-graduation

5. Kanye West, Graduation

Release Date: 9/11/2007

First week album sales: 957,000

Label: Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam

Lil-Wayne-Tha-Carter-IV-first-week-album-sales

4. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter IV

Release Date: 8/29/2011

First week album sales: 964,000

Label: Young Money / Cash Money / Universal Republic

tha-carter-iii-first-week-album-sales

3. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III

Release Date: 6/10/2008

First week album sales: 1,006,000

Label: Cash Money / Universal Motown

50-cent-massacre

2. 50 Cent, The Massacre

Release Date: 3/8/2005

First week album sales: 1,141,000

Label: Aftermath / Interscope / Shady

Eminem-The-Marshall-Mathers-LP-first-week-album-sales

1. Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP

Release: 5/23/2000

First week album sales: 1,760,000

Label: Aftermath / Interscope / Shady

Share:
Written by Stop The Breaks
Stop The Breaks is an independent music marketing company focused on showcasing independent hip-hop artists. Our goal is to help motivate, inspire and educate independent artists grinding around the world. We provide branding, content marketing, social media, SEO and music promotion services.