BTS Makes History with New Album
BTS has made history by becoming the first K-pop act to top the US Billboard 200 albums chart for two consecutive weeks. Their latest album, Arirang, maintained its position at No. 1 in its second week. This achievement highlights the group’s continued dominance in the global music scene.
Arirang is the first studio album released since the K-pop group, consisting of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, went on hiatus in 2022. The members took a break to complete South Korea’s mandatory military service. The album was released on 20 March, followed by a free outdoor concert the next day at Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square. The event was live-streamed on Netflix and was later accompanied by a documentary that captured the group’s return to the studio and preparations for the concert.
According to Billboard, Arirang remained at No. 1 on the main albums chart with 187,000 equivalent album units. Although it dropped 71 per cent from its opening week, when it had 641,000 units, the debut figure included 532,000 units from pure album sales. This marked the largest sales week for any album since Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl launched with over four million units last year.
Despite this drop, Arirang still holds the record for the biggest sales week for an album by a group in more than a decade. The previous record was held by One Direction’s Midnight Memories, which sold 547,000 units in 2013.
This is BTS’ seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, and they were the first Korean act to achieve this milestone in 2018 with Love Yourself: Tear. Additionally, Arirang recorded around 110 million streams on Spotify on its first day, with all of its tracks charting simultaneously on its global chart.
Strong Performance in Other Markets
While Arirang dominated the US charts, Ye’s Bully also released this week but was unable to displace Arirang from the top spot. It opened at No. 2, followed by Melanie Martinez’s Hades at No. 3.
In the UK, Arirang debuted at No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart, while its lead single “Swim” reached No. 2, marking the group’s highest-ever position on the UK Singles Chart. In Australia, the album opened at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and remained there in its second week. Their previous studio album, 2020’s Map Of The Soul: 7, also spent two weeks at the No. 1 spot on the ARIA chart.
Additional Releases and Tour Plans
The group also released the surprise hidden track “Come Over” on Friday, which is only available on the deluxe vinyl version of Arirang. The Gwanghwamun concert marks the beginning of BTS’s return to large-scale touring.
Thousands of fans attended the concert, with many flying in from all over the world to watch on screens, despite not having tickets. The group is set to start their world tour with shows at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi from 9 to 12 April before embarking on an 82-concert tour covering 34 cities around the world until March 2027.
Conclusion
BTS continues to break barriers and set new records in the global music industry. Their recent achievements with Arirang highlight their enduring popularity and influence. As they prepare for their world tour, fans around the world are eagerly anticipating their return to the stage.
