A TV series soundtrack in the top ten of the US album charts-that hasn't happened in more than ten years. The music for the hockey series 'Heated Rivalry' debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 released on July 21 (chart date July 25). 41,000 album units came together in the week ending July 17 in the US, exclusively through sales, as Billboard reported citing the market research company Luminate.
The jump was triggered by the physical release on July 10. The album had been available digitally before, but it was the CD and vinyl that brought the numbers needed for the chart position. In addition to eighth place on the Billboard 200, the soundtrack also tops the vinyl charts, the independent record store sales charts, and the soundtrack charts. It lands at number two on the Top Album Sales.
The music has also prevailed here at home. In the Official German Charts released last Friday, Peter Peter's soundtrack debuted at number five. The Official German Charts are compiled by GfK Entertainment on behalf of the Federal Music Industry Association.
Vinyl Best Result of the Year
The result is particularly striking for the record. The two colored vinyl variants sold 28,000 copies in the first week, more than any other soundtrack in the current year 2026. Those who purchased it got more than music: fold-out posters and liner notes by series creator Jacob Tierney are included with both the double CD and the vinyl, plus the record comes with two collectible cards.
Looking back shows how rare such a debut is. The last soundtrack from a TV series to land directly in the top ten of the Billboard 200 was in 2015 for the first season of the Fox series 'Empire', at number one no less.
Techno Meets Singer-Songwriter
Responsible for the music is Canadian composer Peter Peter, born Peter Roy. He became known as a member of the metal and alternative rock band Post-Scriptum; after moving to Montreal, several French-language albums followed, some of which were nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. 'Heated Rivalry' is, according to a statement from the label Milan Records/Sony Masterworks, his first complete original score for a series.
The album comprises over 30 tracks, and the range is considerable. Hard electronics in pieces like "Rivalry and Inferno" stand alongside restrained moments carried by a gentle singer-songwriter voice like It's You or Heartbeat III. The pre-released singles Rivalry and It's You" generated thousands of user videos on social media.
Second Season Coming
'Heated Rivalry' premiered on November 28, 2025 on the Canadian streaming service Crave and was available the same day in the US on HBO Max. In Germany, the series launched on February 6, 2026 on the newly launched HBO Max. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams play hockey professionals Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, two star players of rival teams in the fictional Major League Hockey who conduct a secret relationship off the ice. The source material is the 'Game Changers' novel series by Canadian author Rachel Reid.
Despite a small production and marketing budget, the series posted the most successful global launch of a foreign production on HBO Max. A second season has already been ordered.
