SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – DECEMBER 16: South Korean boy group Stray Kids attend the 2022 KBS Song … [+]
This week, the top two bestselling albums in the U.S. come from K-pop boy bands. Stray Kids secure the No. 1 spot with their latest album, 5-Star, while Enhypen’s Dark Blood makes an impressive debut in second place. Although the two South Korean acts are in close proximity on the chart, there wasn’t really a competition between them.
5-Star makes a grand entrance at No. 1 on this week’s Top Album Sales chart, which specifically ranks the bestselling album in the U.S. This particular chart focuses solely on album sales, unlike the Billboard 200, which considers other consumption methods. With over 235,000 copies sold, Stray Kids easily claim the highest position, according to data shared by Luminate.
Following closely behind Stray Kids is Enhypen’s Dark Blood EP. While it performs exceptionally well in terms of sales, it does fall short of competing with 5-Star. Dark Blood enters the Top Album Sales chart at No. 2, having sold just over 85,000 copies.
That means that Stray Kids’ latest album outsells Enhypen’s new release by more than two and a half times.
As expected, 5-Star not only tops the Top Album Sales chart but also debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. With one of the largest opening frames of the year, the album’s sales heavily contribute to its placement on this significant chart. It is common to see the title that claims the top spot on the Top Album Sales list dominate the all-consumption Billboard 200 as well. Meanwhile, Dark Blood enters the Billboard 200 at No. 4, marking Enhypen’s highest placement to date.
Stray Kids celebrate their third No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart with 5-Star, solidifying their position as one of the top acts coming from South Korea. Their consistent success in album sales has also translated into just as many triumphs on the Billboard 200. Enhypen narrowly misses out on securing their second chart-topper on the purchase-only tally. They previously achieved this feat with Manifesto: Day 1, less than a year ago.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/06/16/stray-kids-beat-enhypen-several-times-over-for-the-bestselling-album-in-america/