1 album these days indicates popularity, but also the power of release-week shenanigans: As major stars move toward short-notice album-drop strategies rather than extended rollout periods, they look for open windows that will all but ensure they’ll debut at No. 1, none for more than two consecutive weeks. So far, 24 different albums have been No. 1 for 18 weeks - the rapid churn at the top of the album chart has told a rowdier and truer tale about what’s happening in contemporary pop music. If the top of the Billboard Hot 100 this year has been deadeningly constant - Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” has been No.
