The surprise (or accidental?) drop struck again Sunday when Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album To Pimp a Butterfly released a week early. Tracks from the album were streamed on Spotify 9.6 million times during its first day, setting a new global Spotify record for first-day streams.
Such unmatched numbers were likely caused by the chaotic iTunes release in which the album was not actually available for download until well into Monday. Available on Spotify almost immediately, listeners were most probably pushed to the streaming service to consume the album.
The socially conscious inner dialogue of Lamar’s experiences as a black man is not an easy album for a listener to wrap his or her head around, but critics raved about the bold messages and complicated lyrics. Perhaps the complexities and eloquent reviews led listeners to take in To Pimp a Butterfly in mass quantities.
Regardless, the album contributes to what looks to be a great year in hip hop, and is definitely worth a listen (or maybe a few). Stream it here.