Key Takeaways:
- Tyler, The Creator’s latest release is projected to debut at No. 1 with 215,000 units.
- The 10-track project dropped just three days after its announcement.
- Tyler says the album was inspired by the fear of public dancing and the loss of uninhibited expression.
Tyler, The Creator’s DON’T TAP THE GLASS, a quick-strike follow-up to 2024’s CHROMAKOPIA, is off to a massive start. The Odd Future alum’s ninth studio album is projected to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 215,000 units, including 140,000 in pure sales, according to Hits Daily Double.
That number is especially impressive given the rollout: Tyler announced the album on Friday (July 18) and dropped it just three days later (July 21), leaving only four days of tracking in its first chart week. Still, fans showed up by streaming, buying, and sharing the 10-track project at scale.
The album blended dance-floor energy with Tyler’s signature sharp lyricism, along with some important ground rules: “no sitting still,” “leave your baggage at home,” and of course, “don’t tap the glass.” Early standouts include “Sucka Free,” “Stop Playing With Me,” and “Big Poe,” which featured Pharrell Williams and sampled Busta Rhymes’ “Pass The Courvoisier Part II.”
A star-packed video for “Stop Playing With Me” added to the momentum, much in part thanks to cameos from LeBron James, Clipse, and Maverick Carter. Elsewhere, “Sugar On My Tongue” brought a sultry, synth-heavy vibe, while “Don’t Tap That Glass / Tweakin’” referenced Tyler’s six-night run at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena. In unique Tyler fashion, a visit to his Instagram page also revealed retro-styled shorts (including one that requires a password).
In a recent post, Tyler explained the inspiration behind the album’s movement-heavy direction. “I asked some friends why they don’t dance in public, and some said [it was] because of the fear of being filmed,” he shared. “I thought, ‘D**n, a natural form of expression and a certain connection they have with music is now a ghost.’ It made me wonder how much of our human spirit got killed because of the fear of being a meme, all for having a good time.”