Album earns most streams on services globally
Travis Scott’s 19-track Utopia is already setting records, with Apple Music confirming the biggest first day streams of an album in 2023, and Spotify naming it the biggest streamed record in 2023 on its first day with 128 million streams, and 79 million in its second day which is bigger than the first day of any other rap album in 2023. The record has been streamed over 330 million times on Spotify worldwide since its release on Friday, July 28th.
Circus Maximus, the film directed by Scott, Gaspar Noe, Valdimar Jóhannsson, Nicolas Winding Refn, Harmony Korine, Kahlil Joseph, sold out AMC theaters in seconds, prompting thousands of screenings added to theaters across America.
Utopia finds Travis Scott at the height of his powers as a performer, songwriter, producer, and collaborator proving once again that nobody sounds like Scott. It continues to enshrine him as the culture’s foremost sonic innovator, and is set to be one of 2023’s biggest records.
Utopia is currently available at shop.travisscott.com and is available alongside five unique album covers as a part of vinyl, CD and merchandise box sets.
The Houston rapper was set to headline a Utopia concert at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt last weekend, but was canceled due to “complex production issues,” according to Live Nation Middle East. However, multiple reports indicate the concert was canceled after the Egyptian Musicians Syndicate, which issues permits for events, revoked the permit due to “the artist’s positions, the syndicate found images and documented information on the strange rituals he practices, which go against our traditions.”
The album dropped the same day the Houston Police Department released a 1,266-page report of the AstroWorld tragedy that killed 10 and left hundreds injured during his performance in November 2021. According to TMZ, Scott was interviewed at his home in Houston days after the event saw more than 50k surged towards the stage while he was on stage with fellow rapper Drake.
Panic ensued which caused people to be trampled and emergency personnel to intervene multiple times. Live Nation reportedly agreed to end the concert early after the Houston Police Department and Fire Department declared a mass casualty event, but the concert continued for another 40 minutes with Scott claiming he wasn’t aware of the severity of the tragedy until afterwards.
In the report, Scott told cops he was on an elevated platform for a few songs when he saw someone waving their hands at him near the stage. That’s when he told the audience to back up so medical personnel could enter the area. He also said he was in a “trance” while on stage and there wasn’t a “high commotion” in the crowd. Scott was advised through his in-ear monitor to wrap the show, although he says no one mentioned the severity of the situation. It wasn’t until the rapper returned to his trailer that he found out people were being treated with CPR and then later about the deaths.
More than 1,500 claims have been filed against Scott, Live Nation and others. Scott and Live Nation promised full refunds for attendees with Scott covering all funeral costs and mental assistance for those affected. However, most victims’ families have denied Scott’s offer.
