Jhené Aiko Lands First No. 1 Album With 'Westside Whimsy' — SkimNews
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- Jhené Aiko debuted 'Westside Whimsy' at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 74,000 equivalent album units — her first chart-topping album in a career spanning back to 2013.
- 'Westside Whimsy' is the first R&B album by a woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this year, and the first since SZA's 'SOS' in May 2025; the only other R&B album to top the chart in 2025 was Bruno Mars' 'The Romantic.'
- Aiko announced 'Westside Whimsy' less than a week before its release, and the album features Kendrick Lamar, Tyga, and Larry June.
- 'Westside Whimsy' marks Aiko's sixth album to chart on the Billboard 200; her previous release, 'Chilombo' (2020), debuted at No. 2 and earned three Grammy nominations including album of the year.
- 'Westside Whimsy' is the only album this week to debut inside the Billboard 200 top 10, with Ella Langley's 'Dandelion' (≈60,000 units), Olivia Rodrigo, Morgan Wallen, and Noah Kahan rounding out the top five.
Why it matters: Aiko waited 12 years between her first Billboard 200 entry ('Sail Out,' 2013) and her first No. 1 — and she got there with a surprise drop that sold 74,000 units without the lead time her peers typically use. The milestone also ends a months-long absence of women-led R&B albums from the chart's top spot, with SZA's 'SOS' being the last to hold No. 1 back in May.
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