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Donda 2: West's Bold Play Against Streaming Giants
30 Apr
Summary
- Donda 2 exclusively released on the $200 STEM Player in February 2022.
- Over 100,000 STEM Player units were sold, totaling over $1.3 million in one day.
- Billboard deemed Donda 2 ineligible to chart due to its merch bundle policy.
In February 2022, Kanye West introduced a disruptive approach to music distribution with the release of Donda 2. Instead of utilizing standard digital streaming platforms, West opted to make the album exclusively available on his own STEM Player, a device he sold for $200.
West claimed significant success for this unconventional method, stating that over 100,000 units of the STEM Player were sold, resulting in sales exceeding $1.3 million within the first day of its announcement. The STEM Player offered interactive features, allowing fans to remix songs and upload the album to their computers.
However, this unique release strategy meant Donda 2 was ineligible to chart on Billboard. The music publication clarified that the album violated their merchandise bundle policy, as it was sold in conjunction with the STEM Player. West, however, viewed this exclusion as a triumph, asserting his independence from traditional industry evaluation systems. The LP featured collaborations with notable artists such as XXXTentacion, Don Toliver, and Travis Scott, among others.
