SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – OCTOBER 08: Hong-joong, Seong-hwa, Yun-ho, Yeo-sang, San, Min-gi, Woo-young and … [+]
Country artist Morgan Wallen has been a dominant force on the Billboard 200 chart in 2023 with his highly successful album, One Thing at a Time. As of the time of writing this article, Wallen’s album has held the top spot for 13 nonconsecutive weeks. For a while it seemed like a sure thing that he would continue his reign for a fourteenth week, but now, a strong contender has emerged, and they may just dethrone Wallen from the coveted No. 1 position.
South Korean boy band Ateez is making a strategic move to claim the top spot on the Billboard 200. Their latest release, The World EP.2: Outlaw, is poised for a notable debut on the chart, and it has the potential to soar all the way to the pinnacle.
HitsDailyDouble, a respected music industry publication and chart predictor, anticipates that The World EP.2: Outlaw will move approximately 100,000 equivalent units in its first week of availability in the United States alone. This is an impressive feat for any artist, especially for a group that is still growing in popularity in America. In comparison, Wallen’s One Thing at a Time is projected to move around 107,000 equivalent units. It is important to note that these numbers are mere projections, and there is always a margin of error involved.
If Ateez manages to surpass Wallen’s sales and secure the top position, they will join the ranks of a select few artists who have accomplished this feat. Throughout 2023, there have been several near-misses on the Billboard 200, with Wallen proving to be an unbeatable force against many stars, including other K-pop favorites.
Ateez has already achieved considerable success on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 3 with their 2022 release, The World EP.1: Movement. Now, it appears that they are on track to surpass their previous peak and potentially become the next K-pop act to dominate the chart. They would join the ranks of esteemed stars such as BTS, Blackpink, Stray Kids, and a few others who have achieved this remarkable milestone if they can hit No. 1, though at this point, it’s a very close race, and either act could come out on top.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/06/23/ateez-could-beat-morgan-wallen-to-no-1-on-the-billboard-200/