Miley Cyrus has claimed her first Billboard 200 number-one album in over a decade with her tenth studio project, Bass Persuades, debuting with 61,000 equivalent album units in the United States for the week ending September 24. Operating under the mononym Miley for this era, the singer achieved her sixth chart-topping LP and her sixteenth overall entry in the top 10.
Quick Takeaways From the Chart Battle
- The Milestone: Bass Persuades marks Miley’s first number-one record since 2013’s Bangerz, joining a rare 2026 cohort of artists achieving a decade or more between chart-toppers.
- The Margin: Miley edged out Ella Langley’s Dandelion, which pulled in just under 61,000 equivalent units to land at Number Two.
- Physical Powerhouse: The opening week was heavily propelled by physical media, including 16 vinyl variants, nine CD versions, six download variants, and a cassette release.
Decoding the Numbers Behind the Bass Persuades Debut
The path to the top of the charts was defined by a fiercely competitive physical and digital rollout. Of the 61,000 equivalent album units earned for the tracking week ending September 24, traditional album sales accounted for a robust 47,000 copies. Meanwhile, streaming equivalent units (SEA) comprised 14,000 units, translating to 14.22 million official on-demand streams of the LP’s tracks.
Miley’s team engineered a massive physical variant strategy to capture collector markets. Among the items made available were 16 vinyl editions—including one packaged with an exclusive bonus track—alongside nine CD choices, with one containing an extra track; six download options featuring bonus material; and a single cassette. This strategy mirrors broader industry trends where physical collectibility drives first-week momentum.
The album arrived on September 18, following the September 3 release of its title track as the lead single, which subsequently debuted at Number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following Something Beautiful—which reached Number Four on the June 14, 2025, albums chart—this record continues her catalog. Reflecting on the project during its early September announcement via social media, Miley shared her creative vision for the era: Music takes hold of us. We feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it out and carry on. It is powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong. Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That’s what the title means to me. Thank you for being a part of making my wildest dreams come true. I sincerely hope you love this album.
How the Top of the Billboard 200 Shook Out
The race for the upper echelon of the charts proved proximity. Ella Langley’s Dandelion held at Number Two with nearly 61,000 equivalent units, trailing Miley. Langley continues to maintain an extraordinary presence across Billboard tallies, with her single Choosin’ Texas
logging a run on the Hot 100 and Digital Song Sales charts.
Elsewhere on the albums ranking, Riley Green debuted at Number Three with That’s Just Me, earning 60,000 equivalent units. Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem held the Number Four spot, while Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love slid from the previous week’s Number Three spot to Number Five.
| Position | Album Title | Artist | Equivalent Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bass Persuades | Miley | 61,000 |
| 2 | Dandelion | Ella Langley | Nearly 61,000 |
| 3 | That’s Just Me | Riley Green | 60,000 |
| 4 | I’m the Problem | Morgan Wallen | — |
| 5 | You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love | Olivia Rodrigo | — |
The Decade-Long Gap and Upcoming Live Return
Reaching the summit of the Billboard 200 places Miley in company for 2026. Following Bruno Mars with The Romantic in March and A$AP Rocky with Don’t Be Dumb in January, she marks the third artist in 2026 to wait at least a decade between number-one records. Her prior stint at the top came thirteen years ago with 2013’s Bangerz. Across her entire catalog—encompassing her work as Miley Cyrus, her mononymous current era, and her foundational Disney soundtrack releases as Hannah Montana—she has now accumulated 16 Top 10 albums.
With the commercial success of Bass Persuades established, attention now shifts to the stage. Set for October 16 and 18, Miley will make a rare return to the stage next month through a two-night engagement at the Hollywood Bowl located in Los Angeles. Special guest Model/Actriz, who makes an appearance on Bass Persuades, is scheduled to perform alongside her during these concerts.
As the industry digests the margins of this week’s chart race, the question remains whether the heavy reliance on multi-variant physical releases will remain the standard playbook for artists looking to reclaim the top spot. Drop a comment below with your thoughts on Bass Persuades and whether you managed to snag one of those vinyl variants.
