From a poor black kid in Brooklyn raised by his mother to climbing up the ladder of Forbes' billionaires lists, Jay-Z has defied the odds to become one of the most successful and influential artist in the world.

Looking at the big picture: Jay-Z

Before the fame

Shawn Corey Carter, or as we all know him, Jay-Z, was born on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York City. By the age of 12, his father had left the family house, leaving his mother Gloria Carter alone with four kids. He dropped out of high school early on. No bright future in sight for the young man.

In the late 1980s, Jay-Z turned to the streets, becoming involved in the distribution of narcotics. It was a period defined by the harsh realities of his surroundings and the choices he made to navigate them. The challenges of that environment cultivated resilience and a street-smart mentality, attributes that would later play a role in his rise to prominence.

While the specifics of this phase of Jay-Z's life are often alluded to in his lyrics, it's essential to acknowledge that this chapter served as a crucial backdrop to his subsequent artistic and entrepreneurial endeavours. It underscores not only the complexity of his personal narrative but also the transformative power of his journey – a journey that propelled him from Brooklyn's gritty streets to becoming an influential force in the global entertainment and business landscape.

Jay-Z's evolution from street-level entrepreneurship to a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur mirrors a larger narrative of triumph over adversity. This theme is one that has been sewn throughout the content of his discography.

Breakthrough and rise to fame

Jay-Z's ascent to fame is a remarkable journey that unfolds through a series of groundbreaking albums, each contributing to his status as a hip-hop icon. In particular, 1995 saw a major turning point as Jay-Z established his independent label Roc-a-Fella records and released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996, which showcased Jay-Z's lyrical prowess and laid the foundation for his future success.

This was followed by a string of critically acclaimed albums, including In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997) and Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998), the latter featuring the hit single that propelled him into mainstream consciousness.

In 1999, Jay-Z was featured on the lead single of Mariah Carey's 7th studio album Rainbow, Heartbreaker. At the time it was the most expensive music video to be filmed for a single at a whopping 2 million dollars (3.7 million dollars when adjusted for inflation in 2024), and it featured a cartoon animation that showed a caricature of Mariah that was holding a sign with the words "Jay-Z coming in two weeks" on it.

The single went on to garner Mariah her 14th #1 and for Jay-Z his first #1 Billboard Hot 100 song when it reached the chart's pinnacle on October 9th, 1999. It remained in the top position for two weeks.

Urban music's Bonnie & Clyde

Another woman crushing US charts in late 90s was no other than global pop and RNB superstar Beyoncé, as the Destiny's Child's leader. Jay-Z's marriage to her has been a captivating and complex narrative that unfolded under the spotlight of public scrutiny.

But how did Jay-Z manage to woo Beyoncé? Well it began in 2000 when they began talking, she was just 18 years old and he was 12 years her senior! According to Beyoncé, they formed a friendship first over the course of 1.5 years between 2000 and 2001.

During this period, both artists were very active on studio. For Jay-Z, the new millennium witnessed the release of The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000) and the highly influential The Blueprint (2001), which not only solidified his place in hip-hop history but also showcased his ability to adapt and innovate within the genre. It also kicked a famous 5-years long feud with fellow rap star Nas after the diss track Takeover.

The new pair then first collaborated on Jay-Z's 03 Bonnie & Clyde in 2002 - which included Beyoncé's vocals and a music video filmed on location in Mexico. Then came their collaboration on Beyoncé's solo-career-beginning smash Crazy in Love in 2003 off of her debut album. On his end, continuing his prolific output, Jay-Z dropped The Blueprint 2 in 2002, and then The Black Album in 2003, initially billed as his retirement from solo recording.

After the release of Crazy in Love and its following wins at the 2004 Grammys for Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration; Jay-Z and Beyoncé made their relationship public by attending the red carpet of the 2004 MTV VMAs together. In between their different personal and professional milestones, the power couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2008, creating a union that extended far beyond the realms of music.

Iconic rapper turns business guru

Jay-Z's retirement from recording came as a shocker from the outside, but his entrepreneurial acumen extends far beyond the mic, with Roc Nation standing as a testament to his prowess in shaping the entertainment industry.

As aforementioned, Jay-Z's foray into business began in 1995 with the creation of independent label, Roc-a-Fella Records. In 1999, he founded the clothing brand Rocawear. He would go on to sell the rights to this brand for $204 million in 2007, while remaining CEO.

In 2004, he quickly issued a couple of collaborative albums with R. Kelly and Linkin Park, then he was appointed president of Def Jam Recordings. There, he launched the career of Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo, and Rihanna. He also returned the favor to Mariah Carey's #1 collab, contributing to her stunning comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi.

He quickly resumed his career and returned with a vengeance, releasing Kingdom Come (2006), American Gangster (2007) and the groundbreaking The Blueprint 3 (2009).

In early 2008, he gave up his role of Def Jam's president, only to continue following this vein of entrepreneurship. He founded Roc Nation in 2008. Roc Nation is a multifaceted entertainment company that spans music, sports, and lifestyle and under Jay-Z's visionary leadership, the company has become a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. The company currently represents some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Rihanna, J. Cole, Megan Thee Stallion and DJ Khaled, among others.

The company's influence also extends to sports management, where it has successfully guided the careers of athletes like Kevin Durant and Saquon Barkley.

However, Roc Nation is just one jewel in Jay-Z's business crown. His subsequent entrance into the world of champagne with the acquisition of Ace of Spades, his ownership stake in the streaming service Tidal, real estate businesses, and his sports-related portfolio showcase his diverse interests and strategic investments.

Hits, a wife, money... and influence

Jay-Z's financial empire is nothing short of awe-inspiring, solidifying his status not just as a musical icon but as one of the wealthiest figures in the entertainment industry. As of the latest available data, Jay-Z's net worth is estimated to be in the ballpark of somewhere north of 2 billion US dollars.

His business endeavours aren't merely financial ventures though; they represent a commitment to shaping and influencing culture on a global scale.

On that matter, music remains a terrific weapon. During the 2010s, Jay-Z brought first a collaborative effort Watch the Throne (2011) with Kanye West, home to the iconic hit Ni**as in Paris, followed by a solo project, Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013). On it, the rapper widely refers to his own hero, the other Brooklyn genius artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat. Jay-Z's profound connection to the art world adds a layer of cultural richness to his multifaceted persona. Known for his lyrical prowess, Jay-Z has seamlessly woven elements of Basquiat's visual artistry into his narrative.

Basquiat, a trailblazer in the Neo-expressionist movement of the 1980s, captured the essence of urban life and social issues through his dynamic and bold canvases. Jay-Z's affinity for Basquiat extends beyond admiration; it's a dynamic fusion of two art forms.

Notably, in his music videos and album covers, Jay-Z has paid homage to Basquiat's distinct aesthetic, integrating the artist's iconic crown motif and evocative imagery. This artistic synergy not only serves as a nod to Basquiat's cultural impact but also highlights Jay-Z's ability to transcend music, engaging with and drawing inspiration from various forms of artistic expression.

Later years

However, his image was at risk in 2014 as his relationship with his wife faced challenges. Rumours of Jay-Z's infidelity surfaced in 2014 when TMZ shared that infamous elevator video where Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles is seen attempting to assault Jay-Z. This casted a shadow over their seemingly picture-perfect partnership.

The couple addressed these issues with remarkable candour through their art, notably in Beyoncé's album Lemonade, where themes of betrayal and redemption took center stage. Alongside his wife's LP release, Jay-Z later released 4:44, an introspective album addressing his own shortcomings and seeking reconciliation which was praised by both critics and fans.

Despite the turbulence, the couple emerged stronger. Their first child, Blue Ivy, had been born in 2012, and they now welcomed twins, Rumi and Sir, in 2017. The next year, their joint LP Everything Is Love served as a musical celebration of love, resilience, and triumph over adversity. Their collaborative efforts showcased a harmonious blend of their artistic talents, reinforcing their commitment to each other both personally and professionally.

Jay-Z's ability to reinvent himself while staying true to his roots has been a hallmark of his career, making each album a chapter in a narrative that transcends music, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. His remarkable track record at the Grammys, boasting 24 wins and a record breaking 88 nominations, speaks volumes about his enduring impact on the music industry.

Iconic albums like The Blueprint and The Black Album stand as testament to his musical prowess, each recognized with coveted Grammy accolades. Billboard and Vibe named him the best rapper of all-time.

With a career stretching over three decades, Jay-Z's rise from the streets of Brooklyn to the summit of success isn't just a story – it's an epic saga of talent, grit, and a lasting imprint on music and culture. Jay-Z isn't just a legend; he's one of the faces of hip-hop who made it big and brought us along for the ride.

Today, we will dig into his music catalog to reveal another story of his incredible saga: his place among the all-time best selling artists, and most notably rappers. To do that, we will highlight his records sales from his very first singles to the very last streaming plays he received.

Jay-Z album sales

Updated studio album sales & comments

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Jay-Z has been busy from his 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, to his last one to date, 2018's Everything Is Love as The Carters, a collaborative album with his wife Beyoncé.

During this timeframe, he released no less than 17 albums, 14 of them selling well past a million. His first 9 solo albums even cracked 2 million each. Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life remains his top performer at 6.8 million, followed by the classic The Black Album at 5.4 million.

Both collaborative albums with infamous R&B star R. Kelly got poor results for his standards, with The Best of Both Worlds and Unfinished Business combining for 2.2 million sales.

After his short hiatus, he entered the second phase of his career with Kingdom Come. During this period, The Blueprint 3 and Watch the Throne did the best, at 3.1 million and 2.7 million, respectively, while selling countless singles, more on that later on.

The 2017 album 4:44 dropped sharply at 625,000 sales. This number doesn't include the 1 million copies given away through the partnership with the telecommunications company Sprint. This explains in part the shrinking numbers, the other part being of course the explosion of streaming which mostly ended pure sales. Everything Is Love itself suffered the same fate, selling only 250,000 copies.

In any case, the large amount of million sellers add for some impressive totals, no less than 45 million.

Want to compare the act's albums with others?

Jay-Z songs sales

Below, we list down results from the artist through physical sales, digital sales and streaming.

Please be aware that when the artist is regarded as the lead act, they are rewarded with 100% of these units. However, featured acts share 50% of the total.

Physical singles

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Jay-Z is one of the rare artists who still feel contemporary to this day and have a significant catalog of physical singles. He released nearly 100 of them.

His first big hit was I'll Be, a feature with then top female rapper Foxy Brown. The Hot 100 #7 single single almost a million globally.

Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) really became a ghetto anthem. While its relatively low airplay saw it peak at only 15 in the US, the track moved 850,000 copies there, and nearly as much abroad scoring big sales in the UK (#2) and Germany (#5). He then helped Mariah Carey to move into the urban scene with his contribution on the 2 million selling hit Heartbreaker. This granted him his first US chart topper.

The end of the 90s marked the end of the physical singles market in the US, which obviously diminished sales of later items. The new standard for strong hits was about half a million sales. Among them are his take on R. Kelly's Fiesta, his collabs with Beyoncé '03 Bonnie & Clyde and Crazy In Love, Linkin Park's paired Numb / Encore and Rihanna's led Umbrella.

His career total stands at 12 million physical singles sold.

Digital songs

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Empire State of Mind reigns supreme in the digital sales avenue, with a flashy total of 15 million downloads and ringtones. A blockbuster all over the world, Jay-Z promoted his city of New York as very few people ever did.

Another song that everybody heard on parties for months, Umbrella, is next with over 12 million. A couple of pre-digital era classics follow, Numb/Encore and Crazy In Love. They combine for over 15 million sales. Except for Numb/Encore, these songs were all US #1 singles.

A trio of standout hits came from the same record. The Blueprint 3 is responsible for Empire State of Mind, Run This Town and Young Forever, these tracks greatly contribute to the album total of 30 million digital units.

Then, the table highlights a never ending list of hits. No less than 17 are multi-million sellers, from early rap classics like Big Pimpin' to famous collaborations like Holy Grail. The depth of the catalog is quite something indeed as 29 tracks are past a million, while the total of songs selling upwards 500,000 is 61.

Naturally, these add for huge numbers. Over 170 million sales to be exact. Out of them, 115 million come from his lead songs, against 55 million for his features.

Streaming

Audio Streams
– South Korea: Genie streams * 2.20 (consistent with Gaon streaming numbers)
– Japan: AWA streams * 100 / 4 (AWA has 4% of the Japanese streaming market)
– Arabic world: Anghami streams
– Sub-Saharan Africa: Boomplay + Audiomack streams
– Elsewhere: Spotify streams * Spotify market shares based on artists' market distribution

Video Streams
– China* : QQ video streams * 50 if the song is available for audio stream, QQ video streams * 5 elseway (scale built based on known figures for several major artists)
– Elsewhere : Youtube views increased by 10% to account for various local platforms

*since Chinese streaming platforms are mostly video streaming platforms, their streams are weighted on par with YouTube streams.

Audio Stream value – 1,500 plays equal 1 album unit
Video Stream value – 6,750 views equal 1 album unit

Equivalent Albums Sales (EAS) = ( Spotify * ArtistRatio + Genie * 2.20 + AWA * 100 / 4 + Anghami + Boomplay + Audiomack ) / 1500 + ( QQ views* 50(or 5) + YouTube * 1.1 ) / 6750

Top hits

Over the next months, Jay-Z will claim 5 singles with over 1 billion streams on Spotify. Incredibly, they were all released between 2003 and 2011, meaning they are outstanding legacy performers.

The leader is Ni**as in Paris, followed by Empire State of Mind and Numb/Encore. Umbrella and Crazy in Love complete the top 5 despite their EAS being halved as they are features for the American rapper. Both of these crack a billion plays on both Spotify and YouTube. A bit below stands Drunk in Love, with also huge numbers on both sides.

Of course, all these tracks involve famous collaborators, from Kanye West to Beyoncé to Rihanna to Alicia Keys. We need to go below the top 12 to see the first solo songs, namely Hard Knock Life and 99 Problems, on a virtual tie near 300,000 EAS. These are very strong results for 20-25 years old songs. More classics pop up lower down, like Big Pimpin' at 229,000 EAS and Dirt Off Your Shoulder at 163,000 EAS.

Speaking about classics, his critically acclaimed album The Blueprint (2001) lands no song on his personal top 20. The highest is Eminem's duet Renegade. The album is strong overall though, with 6 songs close or over 30 million streams on Spotify, and a total over 600,000 EAS, the hip-hop icon's top score among pre-2003 albums.

It would be easy to deflate the value of all these numbers due to the overwhelming presence of additional artists on most tracks. This is how his catalog is built though. Over the last 15 years, even among Jay-Z' lead singles, only 3 were solo tracks - D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) in 2009, Tom Ford in 2013, and 4:44 in 2017. Only one of these came out during the streaming era, and it was a Tidal exclusive upon release. Inside his main Spotify playlist This Is Jay-Z, only 4 tracks off the first 34 are solo songs.

This reveals both the entrepreneur skills of the singer and his artistic vision as well. Jay-Z knows how to polish songs to perfection, picking the most fitting collaborators to obtain the best final product. Rather than trying to flatter his ego pursuing a big solo hit, he is busy building the most valuable catalog he can.

And he does just that. Despite the absence of a large part of his catalog from Spotify between 2017 and 2019, and his very small output during the streaming era, Jay-Z claims no less than 40 tracks with 100 million streams or more. He is approaching a career total of 20 billion, while he topped 12 billion views on YouTube.

Full catalog breakdown

If you are familiar with the artist's catalog and want to check details of each and every song, you can access to all of them right here.

Keep yourself up to date

Our website provides you a fantastic tool which fetches updated Spotify streams as you request them, use it to watch these results grow day after day!

Jay-Z compilations sales

Assigning compilation sales to original studio albums

How do you understand this table? For example, if we check the The Hits Collection Volume One line, these figures mean it sold 1,100,000 units worldwide. The second statistics column means all versions of all the songs included in this package add for 3,381,748 equivalent album sales from streams across all formats.

The second part (on the right of the table) shows how many equivalent streams are coming from each original album, plus the share it represents in the overall package.

Therefore, the streaming figures convey that songs from The Blueprint 3 equate to 56% of The Hits Collection Volume One tracklist attractiveness. Meaning, it generated 618,000 of its 1,100,000 album sales and so on for the other records.

Raw compilations sales

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The highlight of this list is Collision Course, the mash-ups album released with Linkin Park in 2004. Created in a mere 4 days between Jay-Z and the group's Mike Shinado, the record went on to sell close to 5 million copies, and generated the super smash Numb/Encore. Often regarded as an EP due to its 6-tracks, 21:15 minutes length, we value it as a full release since the record including a 45:01 minutes long DVD, justifying a full price at retail. As this album is not a traditional compilation, nor are the tracks real new recordings, it is assigned in full under the Orphan umbrella.

Both 2001's Unplugged and 2010's The Hits Collection sold about a million, also worth noting is the Blueprint 2.1 compilation which moved 685,000 units. Several music videos and box sets came out through the years too, adding to a total of 8.6 million compilations.

Re-assigned compilation sales – Results & comments

Bonus: Top selling compilations' breakdowns

Bonus: Total album (all types) sales per country

Please note country-specific numbers may miss sales of a few minor releases, although totals are complete.

Jay-Z: career results (CSPC)

Albums results (CSPC)

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Jay-Z never had that blockbuster album that got bigger than himself - maybe for the better. Through the course of his career, he has been able to pile up an incredible amount of successful eras.

Of course, there are some high points, like The Blueprint 3 at 10.6 million sales or Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life approaching 10 million. Acclaimed records The Black Album and Watch the Throne are around 8 millin a piece.

5 million sellers include Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, The Blueprint and The Blueprint 2. The latter two push the Blueprint franchise to 22 million. No doubt he marked his print on the history of US rap music. Every other solo album released from 1996 to 2013 stands somewhere between 2.3 million and over 4 million.

When there are highs, there are lows. The pair of records with R. Kelly and the two most recent efforts average 1.2 million sales. Do not rule out 4:44 and Everything Is Love to gain traction at any point though.

As we saw in this article, Jay-Z has been highly prolific both with studio albums and with additional projects, either solo or as a featured artist. His stand-alone songs powered over 10 million sales, just like his features.

The Brooklyn rapper closes counts on a stunning 98 million equivalent album sales. It's only a matter of months until he hits 100 million, a milestone his wife Beyoncé passed recently as well. No wonder we consider them the most iconic couple in the world.

Jay-Z also performs amazingly in comparison with his fellow rappers. Eminem is the clear leader well past 200 million, while Drake is climbling rapidly now on 150 million. Kanye West recently topped 100 million too, with 2Pac standing at 85 million. This puts Jay-Z on 4th place, completing an amazing quintet of hip-hop legends.

Singles results (CSPC)

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Want to compare the act's songs with other top hits?

Discography results (ASR)

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Records & achievements

• At 97,874,000 EAS, Jay-Z is the 4th best selling hip-hop artist of all-time.
• At 14, Jay-Z has the most US #1 albums for a solo artist, second to the Beatles overall.
• At 13, Jay-Z has the most multi-million selling albums among rappers.
• At 159 weeks, Jay-Z has the longest pre-digital era streak of US Hot 100 presence, from June 26, 1999 to July 6, 2002.
• At 10,600,000 EAS, The Blueprint 3 is the 3rd most successful album from 2009.
• At 8,762,000 EAS, Watch the Throne is the 10th most successful album from 2011.
• At 24, Jay-Z holds the record for the most Grammys by a rapper.
• At 88, Jay-Z holds the record for the most Grammy nominations, tied with his wife Beyoncé.

Dynamic Spotify key performance indicators

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As usual, feel free to comment and / or ask a question!

Sources: IFPI, Spotify, YouTube, Discogs, Billboard.

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