“Popstar” has delivered Tinashe’s first top 10 album on the Billboard 200. The new record enters at No. 6, overtaking the No. 17 peak of her 2014 debut, “Aquarius,” according to Billboard’s chart report.
She celebrated the result on X on Oct. 5, thanking listeners and describing an emotional response to the news. Victoria Monét also congratulated her.
“Popstar” sets a new chart benchmark
The arrival follows a much lower debut for “Quantum Baby,” which reached No. 199 in 2024. Earlier releases “Joyride” and “Nightride” peaked at Nos. 58 and 89, respectively.
The music milestone comes after two notable singles runs. “Nasty” reached No. 61 on the Hot 100 in 2024. The Disco Lines collaboration “No Broke Boys” subsequently hit No. 36 and led the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for 24 weeks.
A strong critical response
In her Sept. 30 Pitchfork review, Anna Gaca praised the eighth album’s cohesion and its mix of pop, dance and electronic production. She singled out its portrayal of the pressures facing a working entertainer. That assessment is the critic’s view, separate from the record’s measured chart performance.
Archival portrait of Tinashe in 2020. Photo: Tiffany Frances / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).
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