Stray Kids Don’t Just Keep Hitting No. 1, Their Albums Are Getting Bigger And Bigger

Stray Kids have dominated the Billboard 200 chart with their latest album, 5-Star. The title’s explosive debut not only secured them another No. 1 spot but also solidified their position as one of the most popular and successful acts in America today.

5-Star marks Stray Kids’ third consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. Their ascent to the top began in the spring of 2022, and since then, their success has only grown, with each subsequent release garnering larger and larger sales sums. The band’s trajectory has been a steady climb, and the sky’s the limit for their future sales and chart performance.

In March 2022, Stray Kids made history as one of the few South Korean groups to achieve a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with their EP Oddinary. Although their debut at the top was an accomplishment in itself, it wasn’t considered one of the most remarkable showings of the year. It opened with 110,000 equivalent units shifted.

Before the end of 2022, Stray Kids proved that their initial success was no fluke. Their album Maxident secured their second No. 1 spot, doubling their total number of chart-topping albums. With 117,000 album-equivalent units, including an impressive 110,000 in pure purchases, Maxident showcased the band’s popularity and dedicated fanbase were both growing.

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The release of 5-Star has blown away all previous sales records for Stray Kids. The album debuted at the summit of the Billboard 200 with a staggering 249,500 equivalent album units, surpassing the combined sales figures of their previous two chart-toppers. In fact, the album sold more copies on CD in the U.S. alone than their previous No. 1 EPs did across all consumption formats.

The monumental success of 5-Star translates into the biggest sales week of 2023 and the fourth-largest week for any album released this year. Stray Kids outperformed formidable competitors, including fellow K-pop act Tomorrow X Together and Karol G, both of whom also achieved chart-topping positions earlier in 2023.

While it is too early to predict the specifics of Stray Kids’ next album, there is a strong precedent to believe that it could follow the same trajectory and debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with even greater sales figures than 5-Star. The band’s consistent upward trajectory suggests that their future releases will continue to captivate audiences and dominate the charts, cementing their status as one of the industry’s most successful acts.

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