In a fierce battle for the top spot on the Billboard 200, pop titan Ariana Grande is poised to reclaim her throne with a deluxe reissue of her 2024 smash Eternal Sunshine, per billboard.com. As of April 3, the chart race is heating up, with Grande’s latest move threatening to dethrone Playboi Carti’s two-week reign at No. 1 with his streaming juggernaut Music. This week’s edition of The Contenders dives into the strategies driving Grande’s resurgence—and the competition vying to outshine her.
Grande’s Eternal Sunshine, originally released in March 2024, stormed the Billboard 200 with over 200,000 first-week units, per Luminate, and delivered two Hot 100 chart-toppers: “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).” The album has lingered in the chart’s top half for 55 weeks, a testament to its staying power. Now, the Brighter Days Ahead deluxe edition, dropped on March 28, adds six new tracks—including an extended “Intro (End of the World)” and five fresh songs like the Spotify-topping “Twilight Zone.” These additions have reignited streaming fervor, with all six bonus cuts ranking high on the Daily Top Songs USA chart.
But Grande isn’t stopping at streaming. Her webstore is a treasure trove of exclusives: digital downloads of the 19-track reissue, plus instrumental and a cappella versions, each with unique covers. Physical vinyl and CD variants, incorporating three bonus tracks from the 2024 Slightly Deluxe edition, are also up for grabs. To seal the deal, Grande dropped a 26-minute sci-fi short film, Brighter Days Ahead, amplifying the emotional stakes. Will this multi-pronged assault topple Carti’s DSP dominance? It’s a nail-biter, with Grande’s sales muscle squaring off against Carti’s streaming supremacy.
Meanwhile, Canadian rapper Nav enters the fray with OMW2 Rexdale, aiming to extend his streak of five consecutive top-10 Billboard 200 albums. Featuring heavyweights like Metro Boomin, Don Toliver, and Carti himself, Nav’s latest leans on physical variants—signed CDs, vinyl, and deluxe boxed sets with branded merch—plus six digital editions with rotating bonus tracks. Despite in-store signings, the lack of a streaming hit might cap his ceiling, though a top-10 debut feels assured.
Lil Durk’s Deep Thoughts, his first full project since his 2024 arrest on murder-for-hire charges (to which he’s pleaded not guilty), is making waves on streaming platforms. With 17 tracks featuring Future, Lil Baby and Jhené Aiko, all charting in Apple Music’s top 100, Durk’s fanbase remains loyal. Limited to digital downloads, however, its chart fate hinges on streams alone.
Finally, Mumford & Sons’ Rushmere marks the alt-folk band’s return after 2018’s No. 1 Delta. Co-produced by Dave Cobb, the 10-track set boasts a top-five rock radio hit in its title track. Yet, with muted streaming and a commercial peak in the past, their six vinyl variants and four CD editions may not spark a chart-topping revival.
As the Billboard 200 deadline looms for April 12, Grande’s star power and savvy strategy make her the one to watch. Can she outshine the competition again? The charts will tell.
- Featured image: Ariana Grande/Katia Temkin
