Sabrina Carpenter Scores First-Ever #1 Album with ‘Short n’ Sweet’ After Nail-Biting Chart Battle

Sabrina Carpenter is officially on top of the world—or at least the Billboard 200. The pop star’s latest album, Short n’ Sweet, has debuted at #1 on the chart, marking a significant milestone in her music career. With 362,000 units sold (184,000 in pure sales), this is Sabrina’s first time reaching the summit of the Billboard 200, and it’s been a long time coming.

Carpenter’s journey to #1 hasn’t been without its challenges. From her early days on Disney Channel to establishing herself as a formidable pop artist, she’s steadily climbed the ranks of the music industry. Her previous albums have seen varying degrees of success on the Billboard 200: emails I can’t send peaked at #23, Evolution reached #28, and Eyes Wide Open hit #43. But now, Short n’ Sweet has done what none of her previous work could—take the top spot.

However, this victory wasn’t without drama. The battle for #1 was neck-and-neck, with only 1,000 units separating Sabrina from Travis Scott, whose re-released mixtape Days Before Rodeo debuted at #2 with 361,000 units (331,000 pure sales). Initially, it seemed like Scott would come out on top, but a last-minute surge over the weekend pushed Carpenter ahead. According to sources close to Luminate, the music industry’s primary data provider, Scott had the edge early in the week, but Sabrina’s fans showed up in force, propelling her to victory by Monday.

The race was so close that Luminate delayed the official announcement, usually made on Sunday, to ensure all sales were accurately counted. The data provider, which tracks sales from Friday through Thursday, was still receiving updates when the weekend arrived, making the outcome uncertain until the final numbers came in.

For Sabrina, this achievement marks the crowning moment of her career so far. Short n’ Sweet has dominated streaming charts, with the album’s lead single, “Espresso,” becoming an unofficial anthem of the summer. With three songs in Spotify’s global top 10, Carpenter has solidified her place as a pop powerhouse.

The competition with Travis Scott added an extra layer of intrigue to the race. Scott’s decision to re-release Days Before Rodeo on the same day as Short n’ Sweet was no coincidence. The mixtape, originally released in 2014, was made available on all major streaming platforms for the first time, along with a deluxe version that included previously unreleased tracks. Scott’s massive fanbase responded in kind, putting him in direct competition with Carpenter for the #1 spot.

In the midst of this battle, Sabrina gave a nod to Nicki Minaj, who found herself in a similar situation back in 2018 when her album Queen was blocked from the top spot by Travis Scott’s Astroworld. “This one’s for Nicki,” Sabrina tweeted on August 29th, referencing Minaj’s infamous tirade against Scott’s sales tactics, which included bundling merchandise with album sales.

As the week wore on, both Carpenter and Scott released new versions of their albums with bonus tracks, hoping to edge out the competition. Carpenter dropped several versions of Short n’ Sweet with added content, including a demo version of her track “Taste,” while Scott released a live version and a “chopped and screwed” edition of Days Before Rodeo.

In the end, it was Sabrina who triumphed, earning her first #1 album and setting the stage for what’s sure to be a stellar next chapter in her career. As she basks in the glow of her hard-earned success, one thing is clear: Sabrina Carpenter is here to stay.