(ATTN: UPDATES with more details of chart review in paras 5-7; ADDS photo)
By Shim Sun-ah
BTS’ new album, “Arirang,” has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the week of April 4, Billboard announced in a chart preview on Sunday (U.S. time). This marks the group’s highly anticipated return after a three-year and nine-month hiatus.
This is BTS’ seventh No. 1 album debut on the Billboard 200, following the success of “Love Yourself: Tear,” “Love Yourself: Answer,” “Map of the Soul: Persona,” “Map of the Soul: 7,” “Be,” and their anthology album “Proof.”
The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on equivalent album units, which include physical album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
“Arirang” achieved 641,000 equivalent album units, marking the largest week for an album by a group since Billboard began using the units system in December 2014.
Of the total units, 532,000 came from physical and digital album sales, making it the biggest sales week for an album by a group in over a decade. SEA units accounted for 95,000, BTS’s largest streaming week ever for an album, with TEA units comprising the remaining portion.
“BTS claims the biggest week for an album by units earned since Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ debuted at No. 1 with an historic 4.002 million units on the Oct. 18, 2025-dated chart,” Billboard stated.
The album’s lead single, “Swim,” also has a strong possibility of debuting at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart, surpassing Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” This would make it BTS’s seventh song to reach the top spot.
Produced under the guidance of Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, “Arirang” explores BTS’s identity as a group originating in Korea and the universal emotions they’ve experienced throughout their journey. “Swim” is described as an upbeat alternative pop song reflecting on life’s challenges, with lyrics co-written by RM, the band’s leader.
The seven-member group released their 14-track album on March 20 and celebrated with a free concert in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square the following day, performing for tens of thousands of fans.
Earlier on Friday, “Arirang” also debuted at the top of the British Official Albums Chart Top 100, while “Swim” secured the No. 2 position on the Official Singles Chart Top 100.
