J. Cole’s ‘The Fall-Off’ Tops Billboard 200 for Seventh Time

J. Cole’s latest studio album, The Fall-Off, has debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, marking his seventh No. 1 album. The listing is dated February 21, with the album amassing 280,000 equivalent album units in the United States for the week ending February 12, according to Luminate. This achievement represents the largest opening week for any R&B or hip-hop album in nearly a year.

Significant Sales Milestones

In comparison, the last major release in the genre was from Playboi Carti, whose album MUSIC opened with 298,000 units on the March 29, 2025 chart. J. Cole has previously topped the Billboard 200 with six other albums, including:

• The Off-Season (2021)
• KOD (2018)
• 4 Your Eyez Only (2016)
• 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014)
• Born Sinner (2013)
• Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011)

Breakdown of Album Units

Of the total 280,000 equivalent units for The Fall-Off, the breakdown is as follows:

• Streaming Equivalent Albums (SEA): 166,500 (approximately 169.5 million official streams)
• Album Sales: 113,000
• Track Equivalent Albums (TEA): 500

This album is notable for its availability on vinyl, a first for a J. Cole album coinciding with its digital and streaming release. Vinyl sales accounted for 71% of the first-week total, or about 80,000 units, marking J. Cole’s largest week for vinyl sales ever.

Other Chart Performers

In the Billboard 200’s top 10, Bad Bunny’s albums have achieved impressive growth following his Super Bowl LX Halftime show on February 8. His 2025 release, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, is notable for having its largest week to date, holding the number two position with 250,000 equivalent album units. This marks a 194% increase over the previous week’s sales.

ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR: Part.4 debuted at number three with 200,000 equivalent album units, their highest weekly total to date. Joji’s Piss In the Wind also made a strong showing, arriving at number five with 86,000 equivalent album units. He benefited from deluxe editions with unique offerings, including branded clothing and vinyl varieties.

Upcoming Chart and Data Review

The complete Billboard 200 chart will be available on Billboard’s website on February 18, a day later than normal due to the President’s Day holiday on February 16. Luminate, an independent data provider, rigorously reviews all information for accuracy before releasing the final chart calculations.

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