What U.S. chart did Beyoncé's Lemonade debut atop?

Beyoncé’s Lemonade debuted atop the Billboard 200.

Released on April 23, 2016, Lemonade opened at number one in the United States with 653,000 album-equivalent units, including 485,000 pure album sales. The Billboard 200 combines album sales, track-equivalent sales, and streaming activity, so it measures overall album performance rather than radio play.

The debut was significant because it gave Beyoncé her sixth consecutive studio album to open at number one. That streak made her the first artist in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut at the top of the chart. Lemonade also produced an unusual singles-chart achievement: all 12 tracks entered the Billboard Hot 100 in the same week.

A common mix-up is confusing the Billboard 200 with the Hot 100. The Hot 100 ranks individual songs, while the Billboard 200 ranks albums and equivalent consumption. Pop Airplay and Top 40 are radio-oriented song charts, not the album chart Lemonade led.