His new LP ‘Long Live Love’ launches at No.1 on Top Gospel Albums.
Kirk Franklin becomes the first artist to simultaneously top all five Billboardgospel charts: Top Gospel Albums, Hot Gospel Songs, Gospel Airplay, Gospel Streaming Songs and Gospel Digital Song Sales.
Franklin posts his 13th No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums, as Long Live Love arrives atop the June 15-dated tally with 20,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week, according to Nielsen Music. He first reigned with Kirk Franklin and the Family beginning Dec. 11, 1993, and his 13 leaders are the most of all acts since then; Fred Hammond follows with 10 in that span.
The new set’s lead single, “Love Theory,” leads the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart for a 19th week. It tops Gospel Airplay for an eighth week and Gospel Streaming Songs for a second frame (1.1 million U.S. streams). On Gospel Digital Song Sales, the new album’s “OK” takes over at the top.
“I am extremely grateful that after all of these years I still have a chance to reach people with my music,” Franklin says. “I’m humbled by the historic moment.”
“OK” also flies 21-6 on Hot Gospel Songs, netting Franklin his record-extending 15th top 10. Marvin Sapp ranks second with 11, followed by James Fortune & FIYA and Tasha Cobbs Leonard (10 each).
Franklin previously topped four gospel charts simultaneously on lists dated May 18. Before that, Koryn Hawthorne scored such a quadruple honor atop four surveys dated July 28, 2018.
SOURCE: Billboard
