BTS Makes K-Pop History: “Arirang” Dominates Billboard 200 for Third Consecutive Week
South Korean global sensation BTS has shattered K-pop records with their album “Arirang,” securing a third consecutive week at No. 1 on the prestigious US Billboard’s main albums chart. This unprecedented achievement marks a historic first for any K-pop act, solidifying the group’s unparalleled influence in the global music industry.
Billboard officially confirmed this remarkable feat on Sunday (US time) in its weekly chart preview. The group’s critically acclaimed fifth studio album successfully defended its top position on the Billboard 200, triumphing over major releases like Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem” and “Bully” by Ye (formerly Kanye West).
Unprecedented K-Pop Milestone on the Billboard 200 Chart
No other K-pop artist has ever achieved a three-week reign atop the Billboard 200, making this a pivotal moment for the genre’s expanding global reach. Previously, the original soundtrack of the animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” held the record for two non-consecutive weeks at the No. 1 spot.
The Billboard 200 chart comprehensively ranks the week’s most popular albums in the United States. This ranking is meticulously measured by equivalent album units, a metric that combines traditional physical album sales with track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
“Arirang” Album Sales and Streaming Performance
In the latest tracking week, BTS’ “Arirang” garnered an impressive 124,000 equivalent album units. While this figure represented a 34 percent decrease from the previous week’s totals, it was more than enough to maintain its leading position.
Delving into the breakdown, 71,000 units stemmed from robust physical and digital album sales. Streaming equivalent album (SEA) units contributed a significant 50,000 to the total, with track equivalent album (TEA) units accounting for the remainder.
BTS Joins Elite Company: First Group in 13 Years to Hold No. 1 for Three Weeks
With this extraordinary accomplishment, BTS has also made history as the first group in 13 years to spend three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the highly competitive Billboard 200 chart. This puts them in an exclusive league of chart-topping acts.
Billboard highlighted the significance of this feat, stating, “The last album by a group to spend at least three weeks at No. 1 was Mumford & Sons’ ‘Babel,’ which had five nonconsecutive weeks atop the list in 2012-13.” Furthermore, “‘Arirang’ is the first album to spend its first three weeks at No. 1 since Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ racked up its first seven weeks atop the list (Oct. 18-Nov. 29, 2025), of its 12 total weeks at No. 1.”
“Arirang” Debut and Album Concept
“Arirang” made an explosive debut at No. 1 last month, becoming BTS’ seventh album to launch at the pinnacle of the chart. The album’s lead single, “Swim,” also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same week, before settling into the second position.
Released on March 20, the 14-track album offers a profound exploration of BTS’ identity as a group rooted in Korea, weaving in the universal emotions and experiences its members have navigated throughout their journey, according to their agency, BigHit Music. (Yonhap)
