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BTS dominates US consumption charts as 'ARIRANG' tops both sales and streaming on debut

Seventh chart-topping album for BTS

BTS ARIRANG

The album’s first-week performance stands out across the industry

Getty Images

Highlights

  • ARIRANG debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
  • Biggest U.S. sales week for a group since 2013
  • Record-setting vinyl sales for a group in the modern tracking era
  • Seventh chart-topping album for BTS

A record-breaking debut in the US

BTS have opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with ARIRANG, marking another milestone in their dominance of the US albums chart.

The record not only claims the top spot but marks the biggest opening week for a Korean artist on the Billboard 200, according to Billboard.


Sales surge unmatched in over a decade

The album’s first-week performance stands out across the industry. ARIRANG recorded the largest U.S. sales week for any group since One Direction released Midnight Memories in 2013.

In total, the album earned 641,000 equivalent album units in the week ending March 26, according to Luminate. This figure was driven largely by 532,000 traditional album sales, alongside strong streaming numbers.

Vinyl boom drives historic numbers

A significant share of the album’s success came from physical formats, particularly vinyl. ARIRANG sold 208,000 vinyl copies in its opening week, setting a new benchmark for a group since tracking began in 1991.

The release also dominated digitally, topping both Billboard’s Top Album Sales and Top Streaming Albums charts, with 95,000 streaming equivalent units, amounting to 99.1 million on-demand audio streams. This marks the group’s biggest streaming week for an album so far.

Extending a chart-topping legacy

With ARIRANG, BTS secure their seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. Their previous chart-toppers include Love Yourself: Tear, Love Yourself: Answer, Map of the Soul: Persona, Map of the Soul: 7, BE, and Proof.

The latest achievement reinforces their position as one of the most commercially powerful groups of the modern era, with a sales week that bridges both physical demand and streaming scale.

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