Throughout the 2010s, Kendrick Lamar emerged as one of the most popular artists in North America. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was a massive success, and 2017's DAMN took his career to even greater heights.

Over recent months, his impact has gone global. His highly-publicized clash with Drake, highlighted by Not Like Us, and his Super Bowl performance have brought his sales and streams to new levels. In this article, we take a detailed look at the rapper's numbers to assess the scope of his success.

Looking at the big picture: Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California, grew up in a city synonymous with gang violence and hip-hop culture. The only child of parents who relocated from Chicago to escape their own troubled environment, Lamar was named after Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations. His upbringing in Compton, amidst the influence of West Coast rap legends like Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre, would shape his artistic vision from an early age.

In 2003, Lamar released his first mixtape, Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year), under the moniker K-Dot. The mixtape demonstrated his potential and earned him a local following. Soon after, he joined the independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), where he began honing his craft and collaborating with other emerging artists.

Early career and Section.80 (2010-2011)

Lamar's career took a significant step forward with the release of his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, in 2010. The project gained attention beyond the West Coast and hinted at his lyrical depth and storytelling ability. Building on this momentum, Lamar dropped his first studio album, Section.80, in 2011. Released through TDE, the album debuted and peaked at #113 on the US Billboard 200, and went on to sell upwards 100,000 units.

Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and mainstream breakthrough (2012-2013)

In 2012, Kendrick Lamar released Good Kid, M.A.A.D City through a joint venture between TDE, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album, often described as a short film, chronicles Lamar's teenage years in Compton. Singles such as Swimming Pools (Drank) (#17) and Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (#32) achieved commercial success, while the album as a whole earned widespread critical acclaim.

It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 241,000 sales. At that point, it was the biggest bow by a male artist in over two years since Drake's Thank Me Later. It was blocked from the top by Taylor Swift's Red, which had the largest debut in ten years.

To Pimp a Butterfly: redefining hip hop (2015)

After a relatively quiet period, Lamar returned in 2015 with his third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly. The project was a departure from mainstream hip-hop norms, incorporating jazz, funk, and spoken-word elements. It delved into themes of racial identity, mental health, and empowerment, with tracks like Alright becoming anthems for social justice movements.

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, as well as in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. Widely regarded as a masterpiece, To Pimp a Butterfly demonstrated Lamar's ability to push creative boundaries and use his platform for meaningful discourse, putting conscious rap on top of the charts. That same year, he also featured on Taylor Swift's #1 single Bad Blood.

His popularity was so high at that point among hip hop fans that even the outtakes compilation untitled unmastered topped the US charts upon release.

DAMN. and Pulitzer recognition (2017-2018)

Lamar’s next studio set, Damn, arrived in 2017 and marked another evolution in his career. The album balanced introspective tracks with radio-friendly hits, producing singles like Humble, DNA, and Love. The album achieved massive commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and earning Lamar his first number-one single on the Hot 100 with Humble. Stealing the show for most of the year, Damn ended as the #1 album of the year in the US.

Beyond its commercial performance, the album was ranked as the best album of the year by most notables publications, from Billboard to Pitchfork to Rolling Stone to Complex. On top of that, it received the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018, making Lamar the first non-classical or jazz artist to receive the honor. This accolade underscored his status as one of the most significant artists of his generation.

Black Panther and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2018-2022)

In 2018, Lamar curated and contributed to the soundtrack for Marvel’s Black Panther. The album featured collaborations with SZA, The Weeknd, and other prominent artists, blending African-inspired sounds with contemporary hip-hop. Both All the Stars and Pray For Me made the US top 10, while the album was another chart topper.

After a five-year hiatus since his last traditional album, Lamar returned with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in May 2022. The double album delves into deeply personal topics, including therapy, family dynamics, and self-reflection. While not as successful as its predecessor, the album revealed the increasingly global reach of the rapper as it topped the charts in the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in addition to the expected English-speaking markets. Singles N95, Silent Hill, and Die Hard were added to his tally of US top 10s.

Drake's beef, GNX and Superbowl (2024-Present)

In 2024, Lamar ignited a feud with Drake by delivering a sharp line on Future & Metro Boomin's #1 song Like That "motherfuck the big three, n****, it's just big me". The verse was a response to a J. Cole lyric that referred to Lamar, Drake and himself as the "big three" among the best rappers of their generation.

What followed was a series of diss tracks from both sides, culminating in Lamar’s devastating blow with Not Like Us. Despite the severity of its accusations, the track became a mainstream hit, peaking at #1 in the US and severely damaging Drake's reputation.

While media outlets were quick to declare Lamar the victor in the feud, fan support solidified his triumph when he released his album GNX in November. Even without physical pressings, the album debuted with 319,000 equivalent album sales in the US, and dominated the Hot 100, occupying the entire top five. The lead single Squabble Up led the charge, followed by TV Off and Luther.

At the 2025 Grammy Awards, Not Like Us swept all five categories in which it was nominated, including both Song of The Year and Record of The Year. The following week, Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance became the most viewed halftime show in the US with 133.5 million viewers, boosting his catalog to amazing heights, and further signaling his prominence in the music industry. By February 12, his monthly listeners on Spotify had surpassed 86.6 million, breaking the all-time peak for a rapper, previously held by... Drake.

While it seems clear that there's a new sheriff in hip-hop town, the question remains: how does Lamar compare to his peers from a commercial standpoint? Spoiler alert - he’s holding his own just fine.

Kendrick Lamar album sales

Updated studio album sales & comments

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Lamar has three albums that sold close to 2 million units or more, an impressive feat in today’s market, especially for artists who started too late to cultivate a fan base of physical media collectors.

These figures are particularly remarkable when compared to the sales of these albums in their early months. For instance, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City ranked only #80 on the Billboard Year-End chart in 2012. Yet, it has gone on to outperform that initial showing almost every year since. While the Billboard 200 now includes streaming and track-equivalent sales, this sustained performance is undeniable proof of the album’s status as a modern-day classic.

Even in terms of pure sales, the album’s success is extraordinary. Since the start of the decade, it has consistently sold well over 100,000 copies annually in the US alone and currently outsells legendary records like Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, the Beatles‘ Abbey Road and Pink Floyd‘s Dark Side of the Moon. Meanwhile, Damn and To Pimp a Butterfly follow closely behind in sales.

His debut album Section.80 and side projects Untitled Unmastered and Black Panther: The Album naturally sit in a lower league, with average sales of 420,000 units each. That’s the same figure as Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which had far less time to accumulate significant sales and is not pacing as high as its predecessors.

As for GNX, until this week it was available only via downloads, selling 60,000 units in this format. However, there’s little doubt that its upcoming vinyl release will make a significant impact, as they are on track to top 150,000 globally on their first week.

 Want to compare the act's albums with others?

Kendrick Lamar 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 a 50% piece of the total.

Physical singles

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Up to now, Lamar has yet to release a physical single of his own. Several of his older collaborations came out as collectors, they are YOLO, Set Precedent, Give It 2 U, and Fragile.

Digital songs

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Much like the parent album itself, songs from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City have sold steadily over time.

This longevity explains how Swimming Pools (Drank) managed to achieve 2.8 million sales despite a modest #17 peak on the US Hot 100 and minimal chart presence in other countries. Additionally, three other songs from the album have surpassed the million-sales mark, bringing the total digital sales for this era to over 8 million downloads.

While To Pimp a Butterfly earned widespread critical acclaim, its singles lacked the same crossover appeal as their predecessors. Also, the growing streaming market prevented any chance for the tracks to accumulate significant download sales over time. Hence, the era generated a decent total of 2,6 million downloads, despite none of the tracks from this album reaching the 1-million milestone.

By the time Damn was released, downloads were already becoming less relevant in the industry. Yet, Humble still moved 1.8 million units. Combined with other singles and album tracks, the Damn era has accumulated over 4 million digital sales.

Afterward, the downloads market just kept getting worse. While the Black Panther soundtrack saw solid success in this avenue with 2 songs above 500,000 and a total of over 2 million digital tracks, the follow-up eras Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and GNX each barely generated 100,000 units. On the upside, his 2024 smash hit Not Like Us, arguably his most global solo hit up to now, outsold both aforementioned eras, but this format is so dead in the water that the song's downloads are capped at 155,000 units.

Interestingly, none of these albums include Lamar’s biggest digital hits. His top seller is Bad Blood, the aforementioned collaboration with Taylor Swift, which has moved 4.55 million units. Three additional features have also performed well: A$AP Rocky’s Fuckin’ Problems, Sia’s The Greatest, and Maroon 5’s Don’t Wanna Know.

Altogether, Kendrick Lamar has sold an 44 million downloads and ringtones across his career.

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

HUMBLE. remains Kendrick Lamar’s biggest streaming hit to date, approaching the monumental 3 billion mark on Spotify with a top 40 all-time ranking. It has also crossed nine-digit figures on YouTube. The track has generated a staggering 3.9 million equivalent album sales (EAS) for Damn.

Next in line is his collaboration with SZA, All The Stars, recorded for his side project Black Panther: The Album. The song recently surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify and hit the 800 million mark on YouTube.

Lamar's top 5 streaming hits are rounded out by two classics from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City plus Love. Money Trees is third, with over 2.4 million EAS, while Swimming Pools (Drank) ranks fifth with 1.9 million. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe also makes the top 10. Considering the album was released when streaming was in its infancy, the fact that its tracks combine for over 7 billion is phenomenal.

As for Love, it has impressively emerged as a bigger hit than DNA, which is huge on its own. Both tracks are comfortably over a billion streams, while another Damn single, Pride, is poised to join this club in the future. The Damn album is also his top-performing album on streaming platforms with over 13 million EAS.

Already 8th and climbing fast is Not Like Us, powering over 1.5 million EAS. Despite being released in May 2024, the track is currently experiencing a resurgence thanks to his recent Superbowl halftime performance. It's currently #1 on Spotify's daily global chart gaining over 10 million daily streams. Meanwhile, the 2021 single Family Ties, recorded with his cousin Baby Keem, completes the top 10 and is closing in on a billion streams on Spotify alone.

Other collaborations perform very well, such as Travis Scott’s Goosebumps, which has grown immensely in recent years. Although Lamar is not featured on all versions and receives only 50% of the streams from those he is on, it still accounts for over 1.8 million EAS.

Another major success is Don’t Wanna Know by Maroon 5 featuring Lamar, which has performed exceptionally well. Despite missing the top 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and underperforming in several major markets, it has amassed over 1 billion combined streams and views on Spotify and YouTube, respectively. It's also the leading song on the South Korean platform Genie. This extraordinary figure contributes nearly 700,000 EAS, even with its score halved since Lamar is only a featured artist. The Greatest is in a similar spot, adding nearly 500,000 EAS for Lamar, and is the top performer in Japan (AWA) and China (QQ).

Absent from the top tier are tracks from To Pimp a Butterfly and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. They still have their highlights, most notably Alright (1.2m EAS) and King Kunta (900,000 EAS) for the former, and N95 (700,000 EAS) and Die Hard (500,000 EAS) for the latter. Just like the entire Lamar’s discography, they are impressively consistent. They each accumulated over 3 billion streams on Spotify and over 4 million EAS.

As for Section.80, the independent debut is performing well all things considered. A.D.H.D. (600,000 EAS) stands out, while the 2011 album has accumulated over 1.3 billion streams on Spotify and nearly 2 million EAS.

Despite its very brief life so far, GNX is on its way to join its most successful predecessors. The album is up to 1.7 billion streams on Spotify, with Luther (#25), TV Off (#34) and Squabble Up (#40) already sneaking into his personal top 40.

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!

Kendrick Lamar compilations sales

Raw compilations sales

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So far, the US rapper has no proper compilation. Instead, he released several digital EPs and mixtapes in his early years.

They are all entirely made of orphan songs. Their sales add for over 100,000 units, thanks to Training Day (10,000), C4 (10,000), No Sleep ‘Til NYC (15,000), the EP Kendrick Lamar (20,000) and Overly Dedicated (60,000).

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.

Kendrick Lamar: career results (CSPC)

Albums results (CSPC)

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Both Damn and Good Kid, M.A.A.D City combine for an unbelievable 30 million units. As incredible catalog sellers and stellar performers on streaming platforms, they continue to gain millions every year, ranking among the biggest rap albums of the 2010s.

Next up is Black Panther: The Album. Although Lamar doesn’t perform every song himself, it was entirely his project, akin to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s approach to Hamilton or Moana. At 7.5 million, it’s not out of the question for this soundtrack to cross the 10 million mark in the long run.

Even without mainstream hits, To Pimp a Butterfly (6.9 million) and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (4.5 million) continue to record impressive sales, underscoring Lamar's widespread popularity.

At 2.5 million units, GNX has already surpassed both Section.80 and Untitled Unmastered but is aiming for much more. While it has a long road ahead, it is a strong contender to become another 10-million-seller.

Lamar also benefits greatly from his famous features and standalone songs, which together contribute an additional 16 million EAS to his total.

All told, the US rap genius is now over 71 million equivalent album sales. Among hip-hop artists, he's just behind another West Coast icon 2Pac at over 87 million EAS. While the 16 million gap between the 2 rappers is significant, the current success of GNX and Lamar's impressive pace of generating catalog sales/streams may make it a matter of time before Kendrick becomes one of the Top 5 hip-hop artists of all time, potentially even hitting 100 million EAS in the near future.

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 14,594,000 EAS, Good Kid M.A.A.D. City is the most successful rap album of 2012, the 8th most successful album from 2012, and the 9th most successful rap album from the 2010s.
• At 15,610,000 EAS, Damn is the most successful rap album of 2017, the 5th most successful album from 2017, and the 7th most successful rap album from the 2010s.
• Damn was the #1 album of 2017 in the US according to Billboard's Year-End Charts.
• Damn is the first and only non-classical and non-jazz album to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
• Kendrick Lamar achieved a #1 album in the US every year from 2015 to 2018.
• Kendrick Lamar was nominated for Album Of The Year at the Grammys Awards as a main or featured artist in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023.
• At 93.3 million, Kendrick Lamar has the record for most monthly listeners on Spotify for a rapper.
• At 7,068,877 streams, Not Like Us has the highest daily streams of all-time in the US for a rap song.

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.

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