Jhené Aiko has officially reached a career milestone more than a decade in the making. The R&B singer earned her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with “Westside Whimsy.” The project debuted atop the chart dated Sept. 26.
“Westside Whimsy” earned 74,000 equivalent album units in the United States during the week ending Sept. 17. The numbers were reported by Luminate.
Streaming accounted for the overwhelming majority of the album’s opening week. The project earned 70,000 streaming equivalent album units. That total represents 71.33 million official on-demand streams of its songs.
Another 3,500 units came from album sales. Track equivalent album units accounted for the remaining 500. The strong streaming performance also sent “Westside Whimsy” to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Streaming Albums chart.
Aiko celebrated the achievement on Instagram with a message to those who supported the project.
“Thank you for listening,” she wrote. She later added, “What’s mine is ours” and “Congratulations everyone.”
A Milestone Nearly 13 Years in the Making
Aiko’s road to No. 1 stretches back nearly 13 years. She first entered the Billboard 200 in November 2013 with her EP “Sail Out.” The project debuted and peaked at No. 8.
Since then, Aiko has consistently found success on the albums chart without reaching its top position. Her 2014 debut studio album, “Souled Out,” reached No. 3. Her 2020 album, “Chilombo,” came even closer, peaking at No. 2.
“Chilombo” later received an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammy Awards.
With “Westside Whimsy,” Aiko has now collected six top 10 projects on the Billboard 200. The achievement came 12 years and 10 months after her first appearance on the chart.
Billboard reports Solange was the last female solo artist to wait longer between her chart debut and first No. 1. Solange waited 13 years and eight months before “A Seat at the Table” topped the chart in 2016.
‘Westside Whimsy’ Brings Aiko Back Home
Released Sept. 11, “Westside Whimsy” arrived six years after Aiko’s last full-length studio album. The rollout was also unusually quick. Aiko officially announced the album Sept. 8, giving fans just three days before its release.
The 20-track project features several artists connected to the West Coast. Kendrick Lamar appears on “So Good,” while Ab-Soul joins Aiko on “Love Bomb.” Tyga appears on “Like, Whatever.” Larry June is featured on “Neighbors,” while OHMA appears on the closing track, “Golden Coast.”
The album was described by Aiko’s label as a love letter to her hometown of Los Angeles. The project highlights both the city’s musical history and its current sound.
“Westside Whimsy” also carries another distinction.
It is the first R&B album by a woman to top the Billboard 200 in 2026. SZA was the last woman in R&B to reach the summit before Aiko. SZA’s “SOS” returned to No. 1 for its 13th and final week in May 2025.
For Aiko, the latest achievement adds a long-awaited first to a career already filled with chart success. Nearly 13 years after entering the Billboard 200, she finally has its No. 1 album.