It’s crazy to think that Jay-Z’s first album sold under 50,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 23 on the Billboard.

Since then, from ’96 to his last release, Everything Is Love with Beyonce, Hov has dropped 13 solo albums four collabs, one live album five compilations, one soundtrack and two EPs.

Hov has the second most number-one albums of all time (14), just tailing The Beatles, and holds the number one spot for most consecutive number-one studio albums with 11. He’s also one of the best-selling rappers of all time .

From his monumental debut album, Reasonable Doubt , to 2018’s Everything Is Love , here are the rankings for Jay-Z’s first week album sales.

Note: you can also check out our rankings for Jay-Z’s best-selling albums of all time .

Reasonable Doubt – first week album sales

Greatest Rap Album Opening Lines Of All Time Reasonable Doubt

Released: June 25, 1996

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Priority

First week album sales : 43,000

Billboard 200 position: 23

Singles: “Dead Presidents”, “Ain’t No Ni**a”, “Can’t Knock the Hustle”, “Feelin’ It”

Features: Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige, Jaz-O and The Notorious B.I.G.

Everything Is Love (as The Carters) – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Everything Is Love

Released: June 16, 2018

Label: Parkwood, Sony, Roc Nation

First week album sales: 123,000

Billboard 200 position: 2

Singles: “Apeshit”

Features: Pharrell Williams, Quavo, Offset, and Ty Dolla Sign.

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 – first week album sales

Greatest Rap Album Opening Lines Of All Time Vol 1

Released: November 4, 1997

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 138,000

Billboard 200 position: 3

Singles: “(Always Be My) Sunshine”, “The City Is Mine”, “Wishing on a Star”

Features: Puff Daddy, Lil’ Kim, Babyface, Foxy Brown, Sauce Money, Too $hort.

Unfinished Business (with R. Kelly) – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Unfinished Business

Released: October 26, 2004

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Rockland, Jive

First week album sales: 215,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Big Chips”, “Don’t Let Me Die”

Features: Memphis Bleek, Foxy Brown, Twista, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh.

The Best of Both Worlds (with R. Kelly) – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Best Both Worlds

Released: March 19, 2002

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Rockland, Jive

First week album sales: 223,000

Billboard 200 position: 2

Singles: “Honey”, “Get This Money”, “Take You Home with Me a.k.a. Body”

Features: Beanie Siegel, Lil’ Kim and Devin the Dude.

4:44 – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales 4 44

Released: June 30, 2017

Label: Roc Nation

First week album sales: 262,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “4:44”, “Bam”, “Family Feud”

Features: Frank Ocean, Damian Marley, Beyoncé and Gloria Carter.

Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Vol 2

Released: September 29, 1998

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 352,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Can I Get A…”, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”, “Money, Cash, Hoes”, “Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)”

Features: Memphis Bleek, Big Jaz, DMX, Too Short, Ja Rule, Amir, Foxy Brown, Kid Capri, The LOX, Beanie Sigel and Sauce Money.

Collision Course (with Linkin Park) – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Collision Course

Released: November 30, 2004

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Machine Shop, Warner Bros., Def Jam

First week album sales: 368,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Numb/Encore”

Features: N/A

The Blueprint – first week album sales

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Blueprint

Released: September 11, 2001

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 427,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Jigga That Nigga”, “Song Cry”

Features: Eminem.

American Gangster – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales American Gangster

Released: November 6, 2007

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 425,861

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Blue Magic”, “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)…”, “I Know”

Features: Beanie Sigel, Lil Wayne, Pharrell, and Nas.

Watch the Throne (with Kanye West) – first week album sales

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Watch The Throne

Released: August 8, 2011

Label: Def Jam, Roc Nation, Roc-A-Fella

First week album sales: 436,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “H•A•M”, “Otis”, “Lift Off”, “Ni**as in Paris”, “Why I Love You”, “Gotta Have It”, “No Church in the Wild”

Features: Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé and Mr Hudson.

Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Vol 3

Released: December 28, 1999

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 462,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)”, “Things That U Do”, “Anything”, “Big Pimpin'”

Features: Amil, Beanie Sigel, Mariah Carey, Juvenile, Memphis Bleek, UGK, Dr. Dre.

The Black Album – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Black Album

Released: November 14, 2003

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 463,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Change Clothes”, “Dirt off Your Shoulder”, “99 Problems”

Features: Pharrell Williams.

The Blueprint 3 – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Blueprint 3

Released: September 8, 2009

Label: Roc Nation, Atlantic

First week album sales: 476,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”, “Run This Town”, “Empire State of Mind”, “On to the Next One”, “Young Forever”, “A Star Is Born”

Features: Kanye West, Rihanna, Drake, Kid Cudi, Young Jeezy, J. Cole and Alicia Keys.

Magna Carta Holy Grail – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Magna

Released: July 4, 2013

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Roc Nation, Universal

First week album sales: 528,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Holy Grail”, “Tom Ford”, “Part II (On the Run)”

Features: Justin Timberlake, Nas, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean and Beyoncé.

The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Blueprint 2

Released: November 12, 2002

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 545,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “’03 Bonnie & Clyde”, “Hovi Baby”, “Excuse Me Miss”

Features: Faith Evans, The Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Rakim, Truth Hurts, Beyonce, Sean Paul, Big Boi, Killer Mike, Twista, Kanye West, M.O.P., Beanie Siegel, Scarface, Young Chris, Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Gunz, Peedi Crakk, Pharrell.

The Dynasty: Roc La Familia – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales The Dynasty Roc La Familia

Released: October 31, 2000

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 557,789

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”, “Change the Game”, “Guilty Until Proven Innocent”

Features: Beanie Sigel, Pharrell, Memphis Bleek, Scarface, R. Kelly, Freeway.

Kingdom Come – first week album sales

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Kingdom Come

Released: November 21, 2006

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

First week album sales: 680,000

Billboard 200 position: 1

Singles: “Show Me What You Got”, “Lost One”, “30 Something”, “Hollywood”

Features: John Legend, Beyoncé, Usher, Ne-Yo.

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