Hip-hop star Drake has done it once again, with another No. 1 album to add to his catalog. Drake's fifth album, "Scorpion," is the latest to accomplish the feat, thanks to a successful streaming launch. That streaming promotion helped the "Scorpion" album smash through records for music streaming that have never been seen before. It also provided fans with some interesting new tidbits of information and a few "stings" directed toward critics or rivals.

Drake's streaming success

According to CNN, Drake's record label, Republic Records, has announced that "Scorpion" hit a major milestone with over one billion streams.

What makes the number so impressive is that it's the first and only album to have crossed that total in just a week's time. The album was launched initially on Apple Music, an exclusive subscriber service. However, it soon followed with a release on the Spotify and Tidal music services. Not long after, "Scorpion" hit the iTunes Music Store and other digital platforms for download.

The Drake "Scorpion" album release includes 25 total tracks with just a few featured guests. However, there are two legends in music, as Jay-Z and Michael Jackson have vocals on two separate songs. The album moves between hip-hop tracks, with Drake rapping to more R&B-style cuts for fans to enjoy. Drake also fired off some replies towards his critics and fellow artists Pusha T and Kanye West.

That always helps when it comes to streaming.

In addition, Drake confirmed rumors he has a son on two tracks and has even sparked a new dance craze called the "In My Feelings" challenge. It has led to various people posting videos online to participate in the challenge. NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. is just one of many who participated already, according to CNN.

No. 1 on Billboard 200

Not only did Drake's "Scorpion" album break through those streaming records, it also achieved chart success. On Sunday (July 8), Billboard reported that the newest release had debuted at No. 1 on their "Billboard 200" album chart.

Drake's album will be at the top of the Billboard 200 for the July 14 chart, which is released on Tuesday (July 10).

He had a total of 732,000 album units earned for the week that ended on July 5, with 160,000 of those reportedly "traditional album sales." That means streaming helped out quite a bit, as expected, with the big week Drake had there.

Billboard notes that Drake achieved several distinctions along with the new streaming records he set. It was the biggest week for any R&B/Hip-hop album in over two years. For those wondering who the last artist was to achieve such success, it was Drake two years ago, with "Views."

The report indicates this is Drake's eighth No.

1 album so far in his successful music career. However, he's still trailing one of his guest stars, as Jay-Z has 14 No. 1 albums under his belt. It may soon become similar to those LeBron James chasing Michael Jordan for "G.O.A.T. status" conversations, which has some irony, as LeBron James and Drake had an NBA controversy as well.
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