Heated Rivalry Soundtrack Scores Historic Billboard 200 Top 10 Debut
The Heated Rivalry soundtrack just added another milestone to the show’s incredible first season. According to Billboard, the album has debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 following the release of its physical editions, making it the first soundtrack from a television series in more than a decade to debut in the chart’s Top 10.
It’s another reminder that the passion surrounding Heated Rivalry hasn’t slowed down since the series wrapped its first season. If anything, the fandom keeps finding new ways to show up.
According to Billboard, the soundtrack earned 41,000 equivalent album units in its opening week in the United States, with every unit coming from traditional album sales. The release also landed at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums, Indie Store Album Sales, and Soundtracks charts, while reaching No. 2 on Top Album Sales.
Those numbers become even more impressive when you look at the bigger picture. Billboard reports that Heated Rivalry is the first television series soundtrack to debut inside the Billboard 200’s Top 10 since Empire accomplished the feat back in 2015. More than ten years later, a queer love story about two hockey rivals has broken that streak.
We honestly couldn’t imagine a more fitting series to do it.
Part of what made the Heated Rivalry soundtrack so special was how carefully it recreated the emotional journey of the show itself. The collection brings together memorable songs featured throughout the season—including tracks from t.A.T.u., Wolf Parade, and Feist—alongside Peter Peter’s beautiful original score, giving fans the chance to relive some of the series’ most unforgettable moments whenever they hit play.
The physical editions also gave collectors plenty to get excited about. The soundtrack was released across multiple vinyl variants, a two-CD edition and cassette, with exclusive extras like fold-out posters, liner notes from creator Jacob Tierney, and collectible trading cards. The expanded CD release also includes Peter Peter’s complete score, making it the definitive version for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the music of the series.
Fans clearly responded. Billboard reports that the vinyl editions alone sold 28,000 copies during their first week, marking the biggest vinyl sales week for any soundtrack released in 2026.
That kind of support says something much bigger than impressive chart numbers. LGBTQ+ audiences have spent years showing up for stories that make us feel seen, but Heated Rivalry has also found an audience far beyond queer viewers. Watching a romance between Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) resonate this widely—and now seeing fans invest so enthusiastically in its music—feels like another sign that authentic queer storytelling isn’t just finding an audience. It’s building communities that continue celebrating these stories long after the credits roll.
With Season 2 already on the way, this latest achievement only adds to the growing list of reasons to be excited about what’s next for the series.
If you haven’t picked up your copy of the Heated Rivalry soundtrack yet, you can find the available vinyl, CD, and cassette editions through Milano Records. And if you’d like to dive deeper into the chart numbers behind this historic debut, be sure to check out Billboard’s original report, which first shared the news.
Season 1 of Heated Rivalry is available to stream on Crave (Canada), HBO Max (U.S. & Other Regions), Sky (New Zealand, UK), and Movistar Plus+ (Spain). Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Bell Media and HBO Max.
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