Is Monday Morning Officially Tyler, The Creator Time Following the No. 1 Debut of ‘Don't Tap the Glass'?

Yahoo

4 days ago

For the second straight year, Tyler, The Creator debuts atop the Billboard 200 with a new album — and for the second straight year, he does it with just over half a week of consumption to his credit.
With just a couple days' notice, Tyler released new set Don't Tap the Glass the morning of July 21 — a Monday, already three-plus days into the Friday-starting tracking week — about nine months after dropping Chromakopia at the same time of the week. And like Chromakopia, which bowed at No. 1 with 299,000 first-week units (according to Luminate), Glass also debuts at No. 1, albeit with fewer units moved (197,000).
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Has Tyler's Monday-release strategy been validated by the back-to-back No. 1s? And will this be his first year ranking among the country's top tier of pop stars? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.
1.debuts at No. 1 with 197,000 first-week units. Is that number lower, higher or about what you would've expected for the album's bow?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady For only four days worth of numbers, that number is very high. It's right in line with what I would think a Tyler release would do at this point. His fans have become unbelievably rabid and cult-like, and will devour anything he drops regardless of what day of the week it is.
Kyle Denis: This is about what I expected. I was hoping it would be able to inch past the 200,000-unit mark, but it's hard to be unhappy with 197,000 units in just four days of tracking.
Angel Diaz: That number is very impressive being that it really didn't have a rollout and Chromakopia dropped less than a year ago. I think this leaves no doubt that Tyler is not only one of the biggest rappers out, but also one of music's biggest acts. He deserves to be mentioned with the likes of Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Drake, Kendrick, etc. He has the numbers to back it up.
Jason Lipshutz: Higher. Even with the understanding that Tyler is unquestionably an A-list star in popular music, earning a nearly 200k first-week bow with a surprise album, in a shortened chart week, less than a year after his last album, represents an over-the-top success. Last year, Chromakopia represented a smash — and one of Tyler's strongest front-to-back listens to date — so to come up with another of those so quickly highlights just how scorching Tyler's current hot streak is at this point.
Andrew Unterberger: Maybe a little lower, just because that Chromakopia number is a full 100k higher. But then again, 197k is still more than Justin Bieber was able to do with a surprise drop in a full week — which is pretty damn crazy to think about when you zoom out on it.
2. Between this and 2024's , it's been two straight early-Monday album releases for Tyler, The Creator. Do you think the responses to the two albums so far justifies this unconventional release strategy for him?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: Absolutely. It also just shows the power of his fanbase. His supporters are following him specifically as an entity, rather than just routinely checking in for new music every Friday. The fans follow Tyler's every move, and with listeners that dedicated it's clear Tyler can keep dropping whatever he wants whenever he wants.
Kyle Denis: Undoubtedly. For two LPs in a row, Tyler has charted the entire tracklist on the Hot 100, pulled in over 100,000 pure sales first-week, and over 90 million opening week on-demand official streams. Already an A-tier music star, Tyler's mid-week releases have allowed him to truly create a spectacle out of his albums that dominates the cultural conversation for the following week and weekend. The tracking week may be shorter, but each album's time in the zeitgeist lasts a bit longer than the timeframe a traditional Friday release might have yielded.
Angel Diaz: I definitely think the response justifies this strategy. Now, as a rap writer, I'm not sure which approach I prefer because we have to come up with knee-jerk reactions whether he drops on a Friday or on a Monday. I do appreciate only having to listen to one project on a release day, though. I would like these surprise albums to drop with all the feature and production credits ready to go too, so that we're not playing guessing games as we try to write about them.
Jason Lipshutz: The Monday release strategy is a curious one for a major artist like Tyler, who could have collected much bigger first-week debuts with a standard Friday drop but instead prioritized issuing his albums on a day of the week with zero other competition. The buzz that both Chromakopia and Don't Tap the Glass generated upon their respective releases makes up for the missed first-week album units, though: this strategy underlines the fact that Tyler cares less about streaming metrics and more about creating an authentic moment for listeners, an anti-commercial artistic philosophy that has surely been compelling for fans.
Andrew Unterberger: Basically. But selfishly, I would like to see him go back to the Friday release on his next one — maybe even with a little more of a promo rollout — just because I want to see what kind of full-first-week number Tyler can pull at his absolute commercial peak.
3. Largely due to the album's mid-week release, the album only charts one song in the Hot 100's top 40 ('Big Poe' at No. 33), but launches all 10 tracks onto the Hot 100. Do you see any of them becoming breakout hits from the set, or is it too much about the full album for one track to stand out like that?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: I see 'Big Poe' and 'Sugar On My Tongue' branching out a little bit just because of how infectious they are, but at this point I consider Tyler to be an album guy. His fans come for the full experience of his projects, rather than just for a hit song here and there.
Kyle Denis: I think 'Ring Ring Ring' probably emerges as the breakout hit from the set. It's dance-forward, has legitimate potential for a top 40 radio breakthrough and features a timeless interpolation of Cherrelle & Alexander O'Neal's 'Saturday Love.' I'd also keep an eye on 'I'll Take Care of You.'
Angel Diaz: I'd put my money on 'Stop Playing With Me' and 'Don't You Worry Baby' featuring Madison McFerrin as the breakout hits when the dust settles. However, a 10-track album that clocks in at just under 30 minutes makes it easy for the listeners to press play and let it ride. In a couple years kids are going to hear their parents hit play on 'Big Poe' on a Saturday morning and they're gonna know it's time to clean the house.
Jason Lipshutz: 'Sugar On My Tongue' functions like no other Tyler, The Creator tracks that had preceded it, a dance-funk fantasia with more bounce than something like 'EARFQUAKE' and a more propulsive tempo than anything on Chromakopia. This summer has sorely needed a smash hit like 'Sugar On My Tongue,' and I'm guessing it helps highlight the back half of the season on the charts.
Andrew Unterberger: I'll say 'Stop Playing With Me' just because it's the one that already has a (great) music video. But honestly, 'breakout hit' is always sorta relative with Tyler, and I think doubly so on this surprise 10-track release. I doubt we'll know what the true fan favorite from the set is until we see which song is unexpectedly still appearing on the Spotify daily charts two years from now.
4. Tyler has never dropped albums in back-to-back years before, nor had a release with such a short rollout. Do you think that means the album will ultimately be considered more of a detour/side project for him, or will it ultimately be viewed on the same tier as his highly acclaimed last few sets?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: It feels more like a side project, and with Tyler telling us prior to its release to keep our expectations in check, it's safe to say he feels the same way. Whether it goes on to be as highly acclaimed as his other efforts, only time will tell.
Kyle Denis: I think it depends on how he continues to roll the album out. If the Los Angeles no-phones listening party, the New York City pop-up and the album's striking imagery are anything to go by, it's more likely than not that Don't Tap the Glass ends up as respected as any studio LP from Tyler.
Angel Diaz: At first, I felt like this would be a side thing for him, but given the overwhelming positive reaction it's gotten, I can see some folks holding this tape in high regard because it features some of his best production to date. It's also a lot more fun than Chromakopia.
Jason Lipshutz: While Don't Tap the Glass stands apart from Chromakopia sonically, it's hard to separate the two projects right now — especially considering that Tyler is still touring arenas behind Chromakopia. I think that will change over time, though: this is not a Kid A/Amnesiac situation, where a quick follow-up to an album is clearly composed of material from the same studio sessions, and thus tethered loosely together forever. In a few years, these two albums will sound different enough — and represent different sides of Tyler's artistry — that they won't be linked together by their release-date proximity.
Andrew Unterberger: When it comes to end-of-decade or all-time lists that only have one or two spots max available for Tyler albums, I doubt Glass will be one that they go with. But I do think fans will certainly cherish it — it's just so much fun, so unlike any other release in the rap great's catalog, and such a fantastic showcase of him at the peak of his powers. Most importantly, it just keeps his winning streak going, and the one he's on currently can only be rivaled by a handful of artists in all of popular music.
5. Though he's been an honorable mention in 2021 and 2024, Tyler, The Creator has yet to finish in our Greatest Pop Stars year-end top 10. Should he make the list for the first time this year, or does he still have more to prove?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: He should definitely make the list. At this point Tyler deserves all the accolades. His power in mainstream music is undeniable.
Kyle Denis: Between Chromakopia's success bleeding into 2025, his massive tour in support of that album and now this new phenomenon of Don't Tap the Glass, I'd say his case damn near solidified.
Angel Diaz: I would like to see the list if Tyler isn't top 10 this year, so I can boo it. He's already one of the biggest rap stars in the world, so that automatically makes him one of the biggest pop stars. He writes his own songs, makes his own beats, makes his own clothes, and always has something to say. He should easily be in the conversation in 2025.
Jason Lipshutz: Definitely. Two big albums (with 2024's Chromakopia carrying hits into 2025), a major tour, significant festival headlining slots and buzz worthy pop-culture moments, with still five months to go? I'd be shocked if he doesn't crash his first top 10.
Andrew Unterberger: It's gonna take a hell of an end to the pop year for this to even be in question.
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