Pop Smoke becomes the only US rapper this millennium to claim an Irish Number 1 debut album with Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon

Pop Smoke’s debut album Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon enters this week’s Official Irish Albums Chart at Number 1.

The Brooklyn rapper’s posthumous collection was the most streamed album of the week and becomes the first debut album by a US rapper to top the Official Irish Charts this millennium. The only other rappers to claim Number 1 debut albums in Ireland since 2000 are Brits Stormzy in 2017 with Gang Signs & Prayer, and KSI earlier in 2020 with Dissimulation. Pop Smoke is also the only act to ever claim a posthumous debut album in Ireland.

MORE: Ireland's Official Top 50 biggest albums of 2020 so far

Pop Smoke also becomes the first act in over four years to claim a posthumous Number 1 album. The last artist to do it was Leonard Cohen in November and December 2016 with You Want It Darker, although the collection first went to Number 1 ten days before his death. The last album to first go Number 1 following an artist's passing was David Bowie's Blackstar in January 2016.

Pop Smoke’s second mixtape Meet The Woo 2 returns to the Top 50 this week at Number 29, a new peak.

Also this week, British soul singer Paul Weller claims the bestselling album of the last seven days with On Sunset at Number 4, his first Top 5 album in 15 years.

See the full Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50

© IRMA