Bebe Rexha makes a triumphant return to Billboard’s charts this week with her fourth studio album, Dirty Blonde.
Released on Bebe Rexha/EMPIRE June 12, the set debuts at No. 1 on Top Dance Albums and No. 6 on Independent Albums with 19,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in its opening week, according to Luminate. Of that total, 15,000 were in album sales, as the set also starts at No. 6 on Top Album Sales.
Rexha is the latest artist to rule Top Dance Albums with an independently released project, after Boards of Canada did so earlier this month with Inferno. She’s the first female artist to achieve the feat since Kesha with . (Period) last July.
Rexha also earns her sixth career entry on the Billboard 200 (No. 43), following All Your Fault: Pt. 1 (No. 51; 2017), All Your Fault: Pt. 2 (No. 33; 2018), Expectations (No. 13; 2018), Better Mistakes (No. 140; 2021) and Bebe (No. 132; 2023).
While Rexha has enjoyed success across Billboard’s dance charts with singles, Dirty Blonde marks her first entry on Top Dance Albums. She has charted 19 cuts on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, including seven top 10s and two No. 1s: “Hey Mama,” by David Guetta featuring Rexha, Nicki Minaj and Afrojack (11 weeks, 2015), and “I’m Good (Blue),” with Guetta (55 weeks beginning in 2022).
Rexha has also made one appearance on Hot Dance/Pop Songs, which began last year as Hot Dance/Electronic Songs evolved into a DJ-focused dance ranking. Her collaboration with Faithless, “New Religion,” reached No. 11 this March. The lead single from Dirty Blonde also became Rexha’s fourth No. 1 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay in May, following “I’m Good (Blue),” “If Only I” with Loud Luxury and Two Friends in 2023, and “I’m the Drama” in 2024.
“Going independent was so scary, I honestly thought it was over for me,” Rexha wrote on Instagram when “New Religion” topped Dance/Mix Show Airplay. “But now I’m free and I’m surrounded by people who celebrate and uplift me. Thank you @empire for being my backbone. This feels like a rebirth and the sick thing is, we’re just getting started.”
