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Jhené Aiko's 'Westside Whimsy' Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200
Confirmed
In Short: Singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko achieved her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with her album 'Westside Whimsy,' which earned 74,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Sept. 17, according to Luminate.
The album, released on Sept. 11, marks Aiko’s sixth top 10 overall on the Billboard 200, dating back to her first chart entry and top 10, 'Sail Out,' which debuted and peaked at No. 8 in November 2013.
Westside Whimsy is Aiko’s first full-length studio album since 2020’s 'Chilombo,' which debuted and peaked at No. 2 with 152,000 equivalent units and earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
The milestone arrives nearly 13 years after Aiko first appeared on the chart with 'Sail Out' in 2013, and it marks her return to the Billboard 200 after a six-year gap between studio albums.
Westside Whimsy is the first R&B album by a woman to top the chart this year, and it is also the first R&B album to lead the overall albums chart since SZA’s 'SOS' completed its final week at No. 1 in March.
The album includes collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Larry June, Ohma, and Tyga, and it stands out as a significant accomplishment in Aiko’s career.
Aiko’s achievement places Westside Whimsy among a relatively small group of R&B projects that have reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
The album’s success is a testament to Aiko’s enduring popularity and the strong reception from her fan base.
Westside Whimsy’s debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 is a major milestone for Aiko, marking the first time she has topped the chart.
The album’s success is a significant accomplishment for Aiko, who has been building her career over the past decade.
Aiko’s success with Westside Whimsy is a testament to her consistent growth and the impact of her music on the R&B genre.
What this adds
Westside Whimsy is the first R&B album by a woman to top the chart this year, and it marks Aiko’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
The album’s success is a testament to Aiko’s enduring popularity and the strong reception from her fan base.
Aiko’s achievement places Westside Whimsy among a relatively small group of R&B projects that have reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Background
Singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko has achieved her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with her album 'Westside Whimsy,' released on September 11, 2026.
Westside Whimsy is the fourth studio album by the American singer and songwriter Jhené Aiko. It was released on September 11, 2026, by ArtClub International and Def Jam Recordings.
What's confirmed
- The set earned 74,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Sept. 17, according to Luminate.
- Related Céline Dion Hops Atop a Car to Sing With Crowd of Fans in Paris Carrot Top Hospitalized After Reported Suicide Attempt, Cancels Weekend Shows Gnarls Barkley Back on the Road for First Time in 18 Years: See the Dates Explore Jhené Aiko See latest videos, charts and news Westside Whimsy marks the singer-songwriter’s sixth top 10 overall on the Billboard 200, dating to her first chart entry and top 10, Sail Out, which debuted and peaked at No. 8 in November 2013.
- The new set is Aiko’s first full-length studio album since 2020’s Chilombo, which debuted and peaked at No.
What's still developing
- The only other R&B set to hit No. 1 in 2026 was Bruno Mars’ The Romantic (March 14 chart). (R&B albums are defined as those that are eligible for, or have charted on, Billboard ’s Top R&B Albums chart.) Westside Whimsy was released on Sept. 11, after it was announced on Sept. 8.
- In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
- Jhené Aiko is officially on the verge of achieving the biggest Billboard 200 milestone of her career.
- That album later received an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammys, making it one of the defining releases of her career.
- It felt like an unusually quiet release week, and Jhené took full advantage.
- The result gives Aiko her first chart topping album and adds another significant accomplishment to a career that has already included multiple top 10 releases.
- The project is the first album by a female R&B artist to reach No.
- Still in heavy promo mode for the critically acclaimed LP, Aiko’s lifted the… Read More Music 2 15th Sep Prediction [Billboard 200]: Jhene Aiko’s ‘Westside Whimsy’ on Pace to Become Her First #1 Album Jhene Aiko may have dropped her fourth studio album, ‘ Westside Whimsy,’ with little notice on Friday ( September 11 ), but that didn’t stop hungry fans from quickly lapping up what the R&B diva was serving up.
- For, the R&B songbird’s fourth studio album, ‘Westside Whimsy,’ has premiered at #1 on the coveted count, making good on earlier predictions and delivering a major career milestone.
- Per the latest iteration of the tally, the 20-track project earned 74,000 equivalent album units in the United States during its opening week.
- Released with just days of advance notice, ‘Westside Whimsy’ features the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Tyga, and OHMA, while the campaign has already birthed the ‘Nothing Nice to Say’ visual.
- Jhene Aiko may already be marching toward the summit of next week’s Billboard 200 with her somewhat surprise-dropped album ‘ Westside Whimsy,’ but that doesn’t mean she’s resting on her laurels.