Madonna's 'Confessions II' tops US and UK charts, sets multi‑decade record

Madonna’s new album Confessions II debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 134,000 equivalent units, marking her 10th US chart‑topping album and the first of the 2020s to reach the summit. The week included the largest dance‑album sales year‑to‑date, her biggest streaming week ever and the strongest pure‑sales week in over a decade. In the United Kingdom the record entered at No. 1, giving Madonna her 13th UK‑chart‑topping album and making her the first American female artist to achieve No. 1 albums in five different UK decades (80s‑20s). The album also led the UK vinyl chart, equalling Elvis Presley’s 13 UK No. 1s. Internationally the record entered the charts at No. 1 in Australia and across most of Europe, and peaked at No. 2 in Germany. Critics responded positively; Metacritic assigned an 84/100 score based on 17 reviews, calling it one of her strongest recent works. To celebrate the release, Madonna performed a free “Club Confessions” show at New York’s Knockdown Center, drawing long lines and featuring guest DJs Stuart Price and Honey Dijon. The combined commercial success and historic chart milestones place Madonna alongside The Beatles, Drake and Taylor Swift as one of the few artists with ten No. 1 albums on both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts.