Madonna’s Confessions II is a welcome return to form for the Queen of Pop. The superstar’s last several albums debuted in lofty positions on the Billboard charts, but they were not all greeted warmly by critics or even portions of her fan base.
Confessions II, a sequel to Confessions on a Dance Floor, which arrives more than two decades after that blockbuster dropped, faced enormous expectations. Critics and listeners have embraced the highly-anticipated set, which launches at No. 1 on rankings around the world. In America, Madonna leads nearly every Billboard chart she reaches, missing the summit on only one – but even as it misses a clean sweep, the title becomes a big win for Madonna everywhere.
Confessions II Debuts on the Top Streaming Albums Chart
Confessions II debuts at No. 32 on the Top Streaming Albums chart, which ranks the albums and EPs that generate the most streams in a single tracking frame in the U.S. The 50-position list is one of Billboard’s newer rosters, and Madonna reaches it for the first time this week. Confessions II is the first studio album Madonna has released since Billboard introduced the ranking, so it’s not a surprise that she only lands on the roster now.
Madonna Trails Ken Carson, Rylo Rodriguez and Sienna Spiro
Madonna earns the fourth-highest of five debuts on the Top Streaming Albums chart this week. Ken Carson’s Xperiment and Rylo Rodriguez’s S.K.A.T.E. launch inside the top 10 at Nos. 6 and 9, respectively. Pop newcomer Sienna Spiro opens her project Visitor at No. 25, also earning her first win. At the same time, the decades-old Journey’s Greatest Hits starts beneath Confessions II at No. 47. Older collections by beloved musical acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Taylor Swift and Pitbull also return.
Madonna Doubles Her Vinyl Chart No. 1 Total
Confessions II debuts at No. 1 on multiple Billboard-published rosters this frame, including the Vinyl Albums chart. As it arrives, the electronic dance collection earns Madonna her second champion on the format-specific ranking. She first reached the summit in September 2022 with Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones, a compilation featuring remixed versions of the 50 songs she sent to the top of the Dance Club Songs chart.
Madonna has placed a dozen projects on the Vinyl Albums ranking, and seven have cracked the top 10. Her previous studio full-length, Madame X, peaked at No. 4, while Rebel Heart missed ruling by only one space when it climbed to No. 2 more than a decade ago.
Here are all of Madonna’s top 10 albums on the Vinyl Albums chart.
- Confessions II
- Finally Enough Love
- Like a Virgin & Other Big Hits! (EP)
- Madame X
- MDNA
- Rebel Heart
- The Immaculate Collection
Confessions II Rules Several Other Billboard Rankings
Madonna also debuts her new set at No. 1 on the Top Dance Albums and Top Album Sales charts. Confessions II becomes her fourth leader on the genre-specific list, where seven of her 12 career appearances have reached the top 10.
On the Top Album Sales chart, which measures only traditional purchases, Madonna earns her ninth No. 1. She has placed 29 projects on the sales-only ranking, 17 of which have broken into the highest tier.
Madonna Makes History on the Billboard 200
Perhaps most importantly, Confessions II starts its time at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the main albums ranking in the United States. The tally details the most-consumed full-lengths and EPs in the country, and both sales and streams can help a project dominate.
The follow-up album becomes Madonna’s milestone tenth leader on the Billboard 200. She is only the third woman in history to reach double-digit No. 1s, joining Barbra Streisand, with 11, and Taylor Swift, who leads all female acts with 15.