The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming charts dated Sept. 2), Travis Scott goes for his fourth week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart with his massive Utopia, while Hozier looks to earn his second consecutive debut atop the chart with new effort Unreal Unearth.  

Travis Scott, Utopia (Catcus Jack/Epic): It’s been three weeks, and Travis Scott is still not only ruling the Billboard 200 with his Utopia, the album posted a whopping 185,000 units in its latest frame – with a mighty 99,000 in sales, an very high number for an album in its third week out, and a 169% gain from the week before. The sales boost probably comes from his webstore (limited time) discount on the double-LP set from $50 to $5, resulting in 93,000 in vinyl sales last week – the biggest vinyl sales performance for a hip-hop or R&B album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991.  

Scott’s sales are expected to stay strong – likely helped by another discount code, released and circulated among fans in time to impact this chart week — along with its streaming numbers, with four songs from the album still in the top 25 of Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart. The combination of sales and streams should make it tough to depose this week, without a new contender expected to put up particularly big numbers in both categories, and Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time – still No. 2 on the chart this week, after 15 weeks at No. 1 – no longer posting units in the six digits.  

Hozier, Unreal Unearth (Rubyworks/Island/Columbia): Despite not scoring a major crossover hit since his No. 2-peaking Billboard Hot 100 smash “Take Me to Church” in 2014 – and only releasing one new album during the rest of the 2010s — Irish singer-songwriter Hozier has maintained both a devoted following and a major chart impact. His sophomore album, 2019’s Wasteland, Baby!, debuted atop the Billboard 200, while his 2023 single “Eat Your Young” debuted at No. 67 on the Hot 100.  

That song is on Hozier’s third album, Unreal Unearth, released on Aug. 18, and available on both CD and vinyl (including exclusive signed editions of both, already sold out on his webstore). The album is Hozier’s biggest-sounding to date, and will be supported by an upcoming U.S. tour that sees him playing some of the largest venues of his career. However, the kind of ticket bundles that helped power Wasteland to No. 1 won’t count towards the totals for Unearth, since Billboard changed its bundling rules in July 2020 – making it that much tougher to catch Utopia.  

J-Hope, Jack in the Box (Big Hit): The 10-track debut from BTS alum J-Hope has already appeared in the top 20 on the Billboard 200, entering at No. 17 in July 2022. But Jack in the Box is due to re-enter the chart next week – likely at a higher peak – thanks to the CD release of its deluxe HOPE Edition. The reissue, which makes for the first time the set will be released on CD, contains five bonus tracks (including a pair of instrumental versions of Jack tracks and a trio of live versions from J-Hope’s 2022 Lollapalooza set), as well as a photo and lyric book, sticker packs and more collectible goodies.  

IN THE MIX 

Jihyo, Zone (JYP/Republic): J-Hope isn’t the only member of a massive K-pop group likely to impact the Billboard 200 this week: Jihyo, of star nonet TWICE, released her solo debut set on Friday with the seven-track EP Zone. While the EP is not expected to score major streaming numbers, it should sell well – helped by the sale of three versions of the mini-album (“Z,” “Y” and “O”) on JYP’s webstore, dispatched at random per each order, and each containing different collectible elements (like lyric books, posters and bookmarks).  

Russ, Santiago (Diemon/Columbia): After breaking through in the late ‘10s with hits like “What They Want” and “Losin Control,” Russ has kept up a steady chart presence, hitting the Billboard 200’s top five with both 2018’s Zoo and 2020’s Shake the Snow Globe. The rapper/singer looks to make it three in a row next week with latest album Santiago – though the set features no Hot 100 hits or star features, with its only guest appearances coming from cult Bay Area rapper Rexx Life Raj and acclaimed singer-songwriter Bibi Bourelly.  

Quavo, Rocket Power (Capitol/Motown/Quality Control): The Migos rapper’s first album since the death of groupmate (and nephew) Takeoff may not sell as well as this week’s other big releases, since a physical release is not yet available. But it should put up pretty respectable streaming numbers for its 18 tracks, including Hot 100 hit “Turn Your Clic Up” (featuring Future), multiple cuts featuring the late Takeoff, and several more paying tribute to the hip-hop great.