Rapper Cardi B Breaks Taylor Swift's Apple Music Record for Most First-Week Streams by Female Artist

[MacRumors]

It's been one week since Cardi B released her debut studio album "Invasion of Privacy," and over that time it's reached more than 100 million streams on Apple Music. According to stats provided by Apple to The Verge, this means that Cardi B has set a new record for first-week streams by a female artist on Apple's streaming music service.

The previous record holder was Taylor Swift and her album "Reputation," which launched late last year. Invasion of Privacy is said to have broken Swift's streaming numbers on Apple Music by the middle of this week, and it's now the "fifth most-streamed album ever" on Apple Music, surpassing both The Weeknd's "Starboy" and Ed Sheeran's "Divide."

Cardi B's record breaking debut comes as Apple Music hit a new milestone in subscribers earlier this week, reaching 40 million paid users across 115 countries. Additionally, there are eight million people on the service's three-month free trial, bringing the total to nearly 50 million users listening to Apple Music, which is closing in on its 3-year birthday this June.

Apple Music has been growing quickly since last summer: there were 27 million subscribers last June, 30 million subscribers last September, 36 million subscribers in February, and 38 million subscribers in March. Adding an additional 2 million subscribers to hit 40 million subscribers in April was Apple Music's fastest growth yet.

Article Link: Rapper Cardi B Breaks Taylor Swift's Apple Music Record for Most First-Week Streams by Female Artist

 

[johnyslats]

Pretty sure Taylor Swift held the album back 3 weeks on streaming services after release. With piracy and genuine album sales in the 3 weeks ahead of its streaming debut we’re hardly comparing like for like here

 

[djcerla]

Apple Music is doing something right.

That's probably why Spotify is bombing me with free long trials emails, and is bundling the service basically with everyone and his dog (at least here in Italy).

 

[Rogifan]

I have no idea who this is. Must be showing my age.

 

[Nicksd84]

I have no idea who this is. Must be showing my age.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone!

https://twitter.com/i/moments/984360767712571392

 

[nfl46]

Yay! I'm so happy for Cardi B! Congrats on the album! DRIP...DRIP!

Shoutout to the SHADY Apple Music upload, with Nicki's new song displaying at the bottom. Lol. Let Cardi B have her moment!

 

[cardfan]

Cardy who? lol

 

[CarpalMac]

Apple Music is doing something right.

That's probably why Spotify is bombing me with free long trials emails, and is bundling the service basically with everyone and his dog (at least here in Italy).

Much like the monopoly with IE being shipped with Windows, at least before the Competition Commission got involved.

People don't need to install an app or even get their wallet out to sign up to Apple music. When you own the OS it is on, it's always going to have a massive advantage.

 

[KazKam]

I have no idea who this is. Must be showing my age.

Same. I never thought it would happen, but it finally did... I'm completely out of touch with new music.

 

[CarpalMac]

Same. I never thought it would happen, but it finally did... I'm completely out of touch with new music.

30 years on I have turned in to my dad.

"It all sounds the same" and to me, like a racket.

 

[ACST]

Why is there a different record for male and female artists? It's music not sports.

 

[itsmilo]

I have no idea who this is. Must be showing my age.

i was going to say the same thing and I am a kardashian hate watcher!

 

[iapplelove]

I know who she is, but can’t name anything she sings.

 

[MikaLoop]

I know who she is, but can’t name anything she sings.

Bodak Yellow?

 

[FightTheFuture]

Much like the monopoly with IE being shipped with Windows, at least before the Competition Commission got involved.

People don't need to install an app or even get their wallet out to sign up to Apple music. When you own the OS it is on, it's always going to have a massive advantage.

If that were true, Microsoft Edge would be the most used web browser.

Apple Music is doing something right.

That's probably why Spotify is bombing me with free long trials emails, and is bundling the service basically with everyone and his dog (at least here in Italy).

Spotify is publicly traded now so there's a push for growth.

 

[Kabeyun]

I have no idea who this is. Must be showing my age.

I have no idea either. I routinely see some hip-hop artist I’ve never heard of step out of his third Lamborghini. I think I keep up reasonably well with cultural changes, so it must be that the genre just doesn’t speak to me.

 

[WWPD]

Who? *goes back to listening to Stone Temple Pilots*

 

[iapplelove]

Bodak Yellow?

Is that the song with the “im a boss, you’re a worker bit@h” line lol ?

 

[justperry]

Stopped reading right after the Title name first word "RAPPER"

Should add a C right before the name, cause that's how it sounds.

Edit: Just listened for 10 seconds at this Bodak Yellow song on Youtube, I wasn't wrong.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

Yay! I'm so happy for Cardi B! Congrats on the album! DRIP...DRIP!

Shoutout to the SHADY Apple Music upload, with Nicki's new song displaying at the bottom. Lol. Let Cardi B have her moment!

Haha yeah I didn't notice until after the fact Nicki's new stuff was on pause when I grabbed the shots.

 

[gnipgnop]

That album art has a distinct Max Headroom vibe to it...which is kind of interesting combined with the title.

 

[Mac Tyson]

Cardi B is a true Cinderella story in a sense. Read up on her rise to fame. It's amazing.

She is a household name. She's performed in SNL, Fallon, etc. Put some respect on her name. lol

You all with the "who is she?" lol - I bet you wouldn't be saying that if she was a white artist.

 

[adamjackson]

Really amazing that she hit 100 million streams on a debut album. It mostly shows two things. Reach of music is at a point now where anyone with broadband or a modern cell phone data speed can access anything they want at any time without limits even for free since so much ends up on YouTube.


It also shows how valuable the network effect is when recording companies and marketing experts decide to get behind one artist. This isn't organic growth. No one finds 100 million listeners on a debut album without a massive marketing effort. It might seem organic but it's not. There are millions of artists on Apple Music I'll never find out about because Apple music is always recommending hip hop to me or anything that i like that isn't something I've already heard. I don't hear about new music until someone like this comes out and some how it's magically recommended to me. It's not some organic algorithm. This is all marketing.

I didn't know who this person was until SNL Saturday. My GF And I skip through SNL performances. I've been doing it since I was a kid and watched the show with my dad. She looks like a mix of Missy Elliot, The Brat and Lil Kim as far as her style, flow and fashion taste. People are still wearing Denim? I'm sure she's talented but there's a lot of marketing behind her if I am hearing about it.

 

[Rogifan]

Cardi B is a true Cinderella story in a sense. Read up on her rise to fame. It's amazing.

She is a household name. She's performed in SNL, Fallon, etc. Put some respect on her name. lol

You all with the "who is she?" lol - I bet you wouldn't be saying that if she was a white artist.

Haha, yeah that’s why my avatar is a picture of...Prince.

 

[5105973]

I have no idea who this is. Must be showing my age.

Um...your avatar shows your age, assuming, that you're like me and became a fan during his heyday in the 80's. However, he was sufficiently talented and creative enough to remain relevant and gain new fans well past the 80's, so maybe you're a much younger fan than I am. I was in my sophomore year of college when I started listening to him...on tape. First on a cheap cassette player and then on a Sony Walkman it took ages to save up for and which I still have.