ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 17: Rapper Nicki Minaj performs onstage at Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash: Pop Up … [+] Edition at Philips Arena on June 17, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/WireImage)
The U.S. music business has completed another tracking week (as of Friday morning, April 28), and soon the updated charts and data will be revealed. As always, there’s competition to see which new releases can start off highest on every Billboard ranking, but there is one race in particular that has two of the most massive and dedicated fan bases in the industry holding their breath to see who will come out on top.
New singles by Suga of the band BTS and Nicki Minaj are both vying for the top spot on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart. This weekly ranking displays the tunes that actually sold the most copies in the U.S., which is different from the more closely-watched Hot 100. The Hot 100 is compiled using streaming, radio, and sales data.
Suga’s “Haegeum” was released at the same time as his new solo album, D-Day, and it serves as the latest focus from the set. Meanwhile, Minaj joined pop singer Kim Petras on the tune “Alone,” which is hoping to become a summer breakout smash. There are reasons why either one might win, and it’s impossible to say at the moment which one has the edge.
For his part, Suga is a member of the biggest vocal band on the planet. BTS has claimed 11 No. 1 hits on the Digital Song Sales chart, and on his own, Suga has nabbed another two, meaning he’s reached the summit a total of 13 times. His previous single “People Pt. 2” with fellow South Korean star IU debuted at No. 1 earlier in April, and now he’s looking to add a fourteenth ruler to his discography.
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Minaj has already expanded her total number of Digital Song Sales chart leaders in the past few weeks. In fact, she currently dominates the tally with her collaboration with fellow rapper Ice Spice. As their single “Princess Diana” debuted at No. 1 a few days ago, she is seeking to replace herself in first place. On top of that, her solo single “Red Ruby da Sleeze” opened at No. 1 only a few weeks back.
Throughout her career, Minaj has accrued 14 No. 1 singles on the Digital Song Sales chart. She’s tied with Rihanna for the second-most among all acts, behind only Taylor Swift. That’s just one more champion than Suga, including his solo music and his work with BTS.
Both stars have shown that when they have new music out and they promote it properly, their enormous fan bases will turn up and buy, sometimes purchasing several copies or working together as a group to ensure their favorite comes out on top.
The No. 1 bestselling song in America may be revealed on Monday (May 1) or perhaps Tuesday (May 2), depending on whether it breaks the top 10 on the Hot 100 or not. Luminate should present the raw data to some in the music industry and Billboard around that time, determining a winner. At present, the race seems to be solidly between the two artists, and they may very well occupy the highest two spaces next week.
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