On Friday (May 6), Drake did the double on the UK’s Official Charts, taking the No.1 album and No.1 single with Views and One Dance respectively.
The Canadian artist broke his own record with One Dance, racking up the most streams in a single week for a track in the UK with 8.9m.
In the previous week, One Dance recorded 7.9m streams on audio services – overtaking the previous record holder, Adele‘s Hello, which managed 7.3m at its peak.
Meanwhile, Views just broke another all-time UK streaming record, becoming the most-streamed No.1 album in history – despite being locked to Apple Music exclusivity.
Views claimed 12,232 equivalent album sales from streaming in the week – meaning tracks from the record were streamed at least 1.2m times.
“From where we are standing the views are looking pretty spectacular.”
Beyonce’s Lemonade, the previous record-holder, clocked up 9,985 equivalent album sales from streams in its opening week – meaning tracks from the record were streamed at least 1m times.
(The all-time UK week one album streaming record is Justin Bieber’s Purpose, released in November last year, but it didn’t land at No.1 – behind held off by One Direction.)
Drake’s material is signed to Universal‘s Cash Money in the US, but is released through Island Records in the UK market.
Island is celebrating something of a golden run in the UK, having now claimed the last eight weeks atop the Official Singles Chart with Mike Posner’s I Took A Pill In Ibiza (4 weeks), followed by One Dance (4 weeks).
Island President Darcus Beese summed up the label’s mood about Drake:
“A million plus in the US week 1, a simultaneous UK No. 1 single and No. 1 album, streaming records tumbling by the week – first Adele’s record, then his own and now Beyonce’s… and we have only just begun.
“From where we are standing the VIEWS are looking pretty spectacular.”
The result gave Island a 24.6% UK market share on artist albums last week, more than anyone else in the business.
In terms of singles, the company took a 22.1% weekly UK market share, only behind Sony‘s RCA Label Group, who claimed 22.5%.Music Business Worldwide
