SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – MAY 20: Minji, Danielle, Haerin, Hanni and Lee Hye-In aka Hyein of girl group … [+]
This week, South Korean girl group NewJeans manage to claim the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with their EP Get Up. While the accomplishment is undoubtedly a cause for celebration, it turns out that their victory was achieved by the narrowest of margins, and they almost didn’t hit No. 1 at all.
While they were always predicted to rule the ranking, the journey to the No. 1 spot was anything but smooth sailing for NewJeans. In a twist that had chart enthusiasts watching online diligently for any news, the girl group found themselves in an exceptionally close race with their competitors. The Barbie soundtrack emerged as their closest contender, closely trailing behind at No. 2. The compilation, featuring tracks from powerhouse artists such as Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and Nicki Minaj, presented a formidable challenge to NewJeans’ bid for the top spot.
The battle between NewJeans’ Get Up and the Barbie soundtrack ended up being a real nail-biter, with the difference between the two albums’ total equivalent album units being a mere 500. While Get Up arrived with 126,500 equivalent units, Barbie started with 126,000.
The Barbie album showcased impressive performance on streaming platforms, garnering significantly more streams than NewJeans’ EP. In fact, it racked up nearly three times as many plays. But it was ultimately the tangible and time-tested physical album sales that tipped the scales in favor of Get Up.
NewJeans managed to land over 100,000 units in pure purchases of Get Up in its debut frame of availability. Notably, 99% of these sales came from traditional CD purchases, which is rarely seen in today’s all-digital music industry.
The announcement of this week’s No. 1 album in America came with an unexpected twist, as a “processing issue” caused a delay in revealing the victor. Speculations and theories circulated online, with some suggesting possible controversies. However, the true cause of the delay may have been the remarkable closeness of the race between NewJeans and the Barbie soundtrack. Billboard may have needed more time to ensure the right champion was named, as going back on it would have been much worse that holding out.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/08/03/newjeans-chart-the-no-1-album-in-americabut-they-almost-didnt/