This is the seventh time BTS has reached the top 1 on Billboard 200, marking an important milestone for the group after completing military service and fully rejoining the squad. This achievement helps BTS continue to consolidate its position as one of the most globally influential artists today.
According to Billboard data, "ARIRANG" reached a total of 641,000 album units in its first week. This figure includes physical and digital album sales, along with equivalent units from streaming (SEA) and song downloads (TEA).
Notably, the album's net sales reached 532,000 copies - the highest level for a group's album in more than 10 years, and also BTS's new personal record. This achievement helped the group lead the Top Album Sales chart for the seventh time in their career.
In the streaming segment, "ARIRANG" recorded 95,000 SEA units, equivalent to about 95.1 million on-demand listens. This is also the highest streaming number that BTS has ever achieved in the first week of an album release, thereby bringing "ARIRANG" to number 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart.
Billboard commented that the first week sales of "ARIRANG" were the highest since Taylor Swift's album "The Life of a Showgirl", released last year with about 4 million copies.
Previously, this album also topped the official album chart in the UK, showing BTS's strong spread in major music markets. Simultaneously leading both prestigious charts in the US and UK continues to affirm the group's leading position in the international market.
With impressive numbers right in the first week of release, "ARIRANG" is not only a successful comeback of BTS but also shows the stability and persistence in the group's appeal after many years of operation. This is considered one of the most outstanding reappearances of the global music scene in 2026.
