It's Eminem's turn to try and knock Taylor Swift off the top of the Billboard 200

The contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top Advertising sign charts and the strategies behind their efforts. Next week (for next Billboard 200 due July 27), Taylor Swift's Billboard 200 reign faces its biggest challenger in the form of Eminem's latest alter-ego-killing.

Eminem, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope): If you're a regular reader of The Contenders and you're rolling your eyes at yet another 'Could [Non-Taylor Swift Artist] Finally Knock Taylor Swift From Atop the Billboard 200?' type title, it would be hard to blame you. In the past three months, we've seen such accusations leveled by the likes of Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, and (most recently) Zach Bryan, and all of them ultimately failed: Swift's Department of Tormented Poets has now reigned uninterrupted on the chart for a full 12 weeks, becoming the longest No. 1 of her career and tying Morgan Wallen for the longest consecutive reign of the decade.

But this week, Swift faces a challenger unlike any she's faced poets lifetime – from one of the few artists of this century who can reasonably claim to be in the same galaxy of commercial success. Eminem, one of the best-selling solo recording artists of all time – with two RIAA diamond-certified albums to his name and an astonishing 10 consecutive No. 1 sets on the Billboard 200, a streak dating back to the 2000s The Marshall Mathers LP – returns this week with his first new album in four years. Additionally, the set aims to be something of a career book for the veteran rapper as he rocks The Death of Slim Shady – I was supposed to kill the alter-ego persona that helped make him a superstar a quarter of a century ago.

The album is already off to a strong start on streaming, with each of its 19 tracks – aside from the 24-second skit “All You Got” – debuting in the top 100 of Spotify's Daily Top Songs USA chart after Friday (July). 12) release, and most of them remain in the area in the middle of the week. Additionally, the set already has a pre-certified smash in lead single “Houdini” — which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June and is still hovering around the top 20 — and another more modest hit on Big Sean and BabyTron team up with “Tobey,” which gains 95-27 on the chart in its first full week of release.

The flow should make up most of it The Death of Slim Shady's consumption, as the album has not yet been released in physical form. (Its CD release is currently scheduled for release on September 13th, with cassette and vinyl due on October 25th). However, there were two D2C digital editions of the album available for purchase, both available for a limited time before the set was released, both with their own exclusive bonus track – one featuring “Kyrie & Luka” (featuring the 2 Chainz) and one with “Like My Shit” (featuring FIFTEENAFTER) — and a third is out today, with bonus tracks and a new “Steve Berman” skit.

Eminem's previous album, 2020 Music to be murdered by, moved 279,000 in its first week, without the benefit of an advance single or a narrative career-spanning hook. If the latest rapper debuts again with a number in the 200,000s, it would mark a bigger week than Swift has had for Poets from its fifth week at the top, for the chart week dated June 1. And if Em manages to secure No. 1 with Death of Slim Shadyhis 11th straight No. 1 brand new album would reunite Ye (ex-Kanye West) — who extended his own run earlier this year with Ty Dolla $ign Vultures 1 — for the longest such streak in Billboard 200 history.

taylor swift, Department of Tormented Poets (Democracy): There are cards left for Taylor Swift to play to maintain her already historic streak Poets runs atop the Billboard 200? With the remastered exclusive CD variants of Swift's album shipping last week – helping Poets to fend off Zach Bryan's first full week in six figures The Great American Bar Sceneand securing Swift her first 12-week run at No.1 – and a truly formidable rival arriving this week with Eminem's latest, it's certainly the best chance the smash will finally concede the top spot.

Still, there's more history for Swift to make with another frame at the top of the chart: a 13th straight week at No. 1 would make it just the second album to reign that long on the 200 after its debut, equaling that set nearly half a century ago by Stevie Wonder's Songs in the key of life. Never count Taylor Swift out until every last sale and stream is counted.

IN THE MIX

ENHYPEN, Romance: Unspeakable (Belift/Genie/Stone): In a less busy week, we might have been talking about whether South Korean pop group ENHYPEN was headed for their first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. The band's second full-length in Korea follows last year's Orange Blood The EP, which launched ENHYPEN into the top five of the chart, is available for purchase on a staggering 17 different CD variants — including exclusives to Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and the band's webstore. All with collectible paper ephemera including photo cards, stickers and a poster – plus a pair of vinyl releases.

Megan Moroney, I'm fine; (Sony/Columbia): While Megan Moroney has yet to score another radio hit on the scale of 2022's “Tennessee Orange,” the country singer-songwriter has built up an impressive following, which seems poised to pay off with her sophomore full-length. I'm fine; The set is off to a strong start in both sales and streams, with the addictive title track topping DSPs and the album being sold in three deluxe CD sets and three different vinyl editions, including a signed edition exclusive to her store. .

Claire, Charm (Clair Records): After reaching the Polydor/Republic top 20 in 2021 with the second album SlingClairo went independent – ​​self-releasing their third album Charm the manufacture. The singer-songwriter, born Claire Cottrill, doesn't seem to be suffering commercially for her move: The hottest album already has a streaming hit on single “Sexy to Someone” and looks poised for impressive first-week sales — helped by eight vinyl variants of different colors and four CD box sets, three with a t-shirt and one with a scarf – as well as perhaps her best Billboard 200 appearance.