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 April 22), one of the biggest rock bands of all-time hopes to score their seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 – but it still has to get through today’s top country artist to do so.  

Metallica, 72 Seasons (Blackened): Metallica’s first original album in seven years arrives with no shortage of hype or promotion. The band released four songs in advance of the 12-track set’s April 14 release (including the Mainstream Rock Airplay-topping lead single “Lux Eterna”), held a four-night residency on Jimmy Kimmel Live! during its release week, and even launched a Metallica Logo Generator website last Thursday, which allowed fans to make versions of the cover titled after themselves to share on social media.

And of course, as one of the best-selling bands in rock history, Metallica has no shortage of physical options available for 72 Seasons. There are six vinyl variants for purchase, including standard black, an midnight violet-colored indie store exclusive, a red smoke-colored Target exclusive, a yellow and black swirl-colored Walmart exclusive, and both a smoky black-colored yellow and a black splatter-colored fan club exclusive. There are also two cassette options: a widely available transparent yellow variant, and a smoky black-colored Spotify exclusive.

Will it all be enough to unseat Morgan Wallen’s reigning five-week No. 1, One Thing at a Time – which earned 167,000 equivalent album units in its sixth week atop the chart? It may be close: Metallica should have a clear sales advantage, but without a major streaming hit on the set, it will of course be lagging behind Wallen’s juggernaut in that area (which also has 36 tracks to stream, rather than 72 Seasons‘ 12). The metal gods do have history on their side – their last six official studio albums have all topped the Billboard 200, dating back to their 1991 self-titled blockbuster.

IN THE MIX

Yung Bleu, Love Scars II (Moon Boy University / EMPIRE): Yung Bleu broke out at the beginning of the 2020s as one of the most promising rising singer-rappers, thanks to the Drake-assisted hit “You’re Mines Still” from his successful Love Scars: The 5 Stages of Emotions EP. Three years and a couple studio albums later, he’s back with that mini-set’s sequel – this time a 15-track effort with features from Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign and Tink, as well as an Acoustic Deluxe edition featuring four unplugged bonus cuts.

Waterparks, Intellectual Property (Fueled by Ramen): They’ve never had conventional hit singles on radio or streaming, but pop/rock trio Waterparks have been one of the more consistently performing rock acts of the past decade, notching three consecutive albums in the Billboard 200’s top half. This month’s Intellectual Property looks to make it four for four, with four different vinyl variants, four different CD releases and even a pair of cassette options looking to help its cause.  

Ice Spice, Like..? (10K Projects/Capitol): Rap phenomenon Ice Spice’s debut EP has been a fixture on the Billboard 200 since debuting at No. 7 in early February, ranking at No. 187 on this week’s chart (dated April 22). The six-track set should make a sizable jump this week, however, following the Nicki Minaj-assisted remix to Like..?’s “Princess Diana,” which has been one of the best-selling and best-streaming new songs since its Friday release — metrics that will count towards the EP’s totals.