Cole's Ten-Year-Old Mixtape Gains Popular Recognition Nowadays
J. Cole commenced his musical journey with a string of mixtapes, each releasing prior to his first number one on the Billboard 200 with his album, Cole World: The Sideline Story. These early projects may not have been commercially successful, but they introduced him to a vast audience and laid the foundation for his ascension to rap stardom, a title he continues to hold.
One of these early releases, Friday Night Lights, has now made it onto the Billboard 200 chart, over 14 years after its initial release. This week, Friday Night Lights debuted at position 147 on the Billboard 200, a list showcasing the most popular albums and EPs in the United States. Luminate reports that the mixtape, which is often treated as an album according to Billboard's standards, shifted 10,600 equivalent units during the tracking period. The majority of these units were attributed to streaming activity, with only a few hundred copies sold.
Cole shared Friday Night Lights in November 2010, when he was still gaining traction in the hip-hop scene. It was his third mixtape, following The Come Up and The Warm Up, released earlier. shortly after Friday Night Lights was unveiled, Cole transitioned from mixtapes to full-length albums, and he's been a chart-topper ever since.
Friday Night Lights marks the tenth title in Cole's discography to reach the Billboard 200. It holds the distinction of being his second-lowest-charting release on this competitive list, ranking just above The Warm Up.
Despite its success on the Billboard 200, Friday Night Lights does not find a place on any other Billboard charts this week. None of Cole's earlier mixtapes, including Friday Night Lights, have appeared on the Top Rap Albums or Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums lists.
Friday Night Lights has seen a resurgence in popularity following Cole's decision to make it available on major streaming platforms. Like many mixtapes from the previous decade, the set was initially distributed only via hip-hop websites, torrenting platforms, and other unconventional sources, which do not impact a title's position on the Billboard charts. With his new podcast, Inevitable, Cole granted fans their long-awaited wish: easy access to the collection.
J. Cole's mixtape, 'Friday Night Lights', was discussed on his latest podcast, providing a nod to its resurgence in popularity. The track's appearance on the Billboard 200 this week is a testament to its enduring appeal, having debuted at position 147, based on Luminate's reports of 10,600 equivalent unit sales mainly driven by streaming activity. Cole's first number one album on the Billboard 200, 'Cole World: The Sideline Story', came five years after the release of 'Friday Night Lights'.
While 'Friday Night Lights' has secured a place on the Billboard 200, it has not managed to chart in any other Billboard categories this week. Despite its success, the mixtape has not featured on the Top Rap Albums or Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums lists.
Fans of J. Cole can now stream 'Friday Night Lights' on major platforms, thanks to a decision made by the rapper himself. Initially, the mixtape was only available through unconventional sources, which do not impact a title's position on the Billboard charts. But with the rise of Cole's podcast, 'Inevitable', and the consequent ease in accessing the collection, the mixtape has experienced a remarkable revival.
