Despite Wireless festival controversy, Ye scores strong album launch with ‘Bully’

Kanye West, now widely referred to as Ye, has returned to the Billboard 200 charts with his latest album, Bully, debuting at No. 2 with 152,000 equivalent album units. The performance is notable, given the ongoing controversy surrounding Ye, including backlash over his past antisemitic remarks and his headline booking at London’s Wireless Festival this summer. Album sales accounted for 56,000 units of the total, underlining a loyal fanbase that continues to support him despite public criticism.

However, Ye could not surpass the global K-pop sensation BTS, whose album Arirang maintained its No. 1 position for a second consecutive week, moving 187,000 equivalent album units. ‘Arirang’ has now become BTS’ longest-charting No. 1 release, following a record-breaking debut week with 641,000 units, the largest for a group in over a decade.

Ye’s ‘Bully,’ released on March 28 after several delays, served as a precursor to his sold-out performances at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. During these shows, he performed multiple tracks from the new album alongside past hits, cementing the strong commercial reception. This marks his 14th top 10 album and ends a long-standing streak of No. 1 solo albums, which began with his 2004 debut, The College Dropout, which also peaked at No. 2.

Other notable entries on the Billboard 200 this week include Melanie Martinez at No. 3 with ‘Hades,’ Morgan Wallen slipping to No. 4 with ‘I’m the Problem,’ and Yeat debuting at No. 5 with ‘ADL.’ Luke Combs, Olivia Dean, Don Toliver, Bad Bunny, and Harry Styles round out the top 10, reflecting a diverse mix of genres dominating the charts.

Despite controversy and public scrutiny, Ye’s ‘Bully’ demonstrates that the rapper’s influence on popular music remains significant, with his album achieving strong sales and widespread streaming engagement.