With the release of Olivia Rodrigo’s (20) debut album Sour, released on May 21, 2021, there was a groundbreaking success for her. So when Rodrigo announced the release date, September 8, 2023, of her sophomore album, GUTS, expectations were high. 

Three singles preceded Sour’s release, which entered the top three of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her first single, “Driver’s License,” topped the chart and propelled Rodrigo to mainstream prominence. Sour broke the global Spotify record for a female artist’s biggest opening week for an album. It topped the charts in several countries, including the U.S. Billboard 200, and was one of the best-selling albums of 2021. This debut album even landed Rodrigo three Grammys. Sour and “Drivers License” won Best Pop Vocal Album and Pop Solo Performance, respectively; Rodrigo also won Best New Artist.

According to Billboard, her sophomore album, GUTS, debuts atop the Billboard 200 chart, “scoring the singer-songwriter her second No. 1 set, following her 2021 debut Sour. The new album starts with 302,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending September 14″ which marks the fourth-largest week for any album in 2023 and Rodrigo’s best week yet. With both Sour and GUTS having debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Rodrigo is the first female artist to start atop the chart with two first chart entries in nine years. 

 GUTS is on track to become one of the most successful albums this year. Rodrigo’s first studio album debuted with 60.5 million streams on Spotify, while GUTS  has already reached 60.4 million. The project is currently #1 globally, and all its tracks have earned a spot in the top 40. Rodrigo has received positive feedback with the reviews, and she’s been celebrating the success of her sophomore album.