Drake Tops 2024 Hip-Hop Charts Without Dropping a Single Album

Drake continues to prove why he’s a titan in the music industry, holding down the top spot as 2024’s highest-selling hip-hop artist by album units. What’s even more impressive? The Toronto superstar hasn’t released a new album this year.

According to a recent report from Chart Data, shared on X/Twitter, Drake is dominating the charts purely off the strength of his back catalog. DJ Akademiks weighed in on the numbers, explaining during a stream, “80 to 85 percent of Drake’s current streams is from albums that dropped over six years ago. And I’m being very fair here.” He also noted how frequently releasing music in the past has only boosted the staying power of Drake’s older projects.

Despite Drake’s massive lead, Kendrick Lamar is making waves as well, ranking fourth on the 2024 hip-hop album sales list. Lamar’s success is fueled by his latest release, GNX, which features a star-studded lineup, including SZA, Roddy Ricch, and Wallie the Sensei. The album is projected to debut with over 300,000 total sales, cementing Kendrick’s place among the top hip-hop acts this year.

While Drake hasn’t dropped a solo album in 2024, fans might not have to wait much longer for new music. Reports suggest he’s gearing up for a collaborative project with PartyNextDoor, set to release before the year wraps. However, there’s a potential snag—Drake’s ongoing lawsuit against Universal Music Group. The rapper is accusing UMG of defamation and allegedly inflating the streams for Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us, which could complicate his plans.

With names like Kanye West, Travis Scott, Eminem, and 21 Savage also making the top-selling list, 2024 is shaping up to be a year full of intense competition in hip-hop. Yet, Drake’s ability to dominate without even dropping new material speaks volumes about his legacy and staying power.