KPop Demon Hunters returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming the first K-pop album ever to spend more than one week atop the chart and making Billboard history. THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 2196 — Pictured: (l-r) Musical guests Rei Ami, Ejae, and Audrey Nuna of “KPop Demon Hunters” perform on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 — (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is the No. 1 album in America again this week. The set lifts from the runner-up space on the ranking of the most consumed albums and EPs in the country to the top spot. As it climbs, the blockbuster makes history as the only K-pop album to manage more than one stay on the Billboard 200’s throne – a feat that many of the biggest names in the style, including figures like BTS, Stray Kids and Blackpink – have yet to manage.
How Many K-Pop Albums Have Hit No. 1 in America?
A total of 21 albums that can be classified as K-pop have ruled the Billboard 200. Until now, none of them had managed to spend more than a single turn running the show. KPop Demon Hunters finishes that streak thanks to the immense popularity of multiple singles, as well as continued consumption across all important metrics that feed into where a title lands on the Billboard 200.
How Do K-Pop Albums Hit No. 1?
K-pop albums — especially those coming from the biggest names in the genre — are known for earning lofty debuts on the Billboard charts, particularly the Billboard 200, thanks to impressive first-week sales. Super fans of the genre have demonstrated their love of supporting their favorite acts by purchasing new releases, typically on physical, collectible formats.
Those sales make for a grand start, but what usually helps a title stay in lofty positions on the Billboard 200 for long stretches of time is continued playing on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, and that’s where most K-pop projects fall short. KPop Demon Hunters has turned out to be an anomaly, as it has remained a streaming favorite for months.
Cardi B’s Am I the Drama? Makes Room for KPop Demon Hunters
RIVERDALE, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Cardi B attends Cardi B “Am I The Drama” meet and greet at DBS Sounds on September 22, 2025 in Riverdale, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
WireImage
Last week, Cardi B’s Am I the Drama? debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The full-length — the second from the hip-hop superstar and her first in seven years — doubled her total number of champions on the list and ensured that her winning streak remained perfect. This frame, Am I the Drama? falls to No. 3, making room for KPop Demon Hunters to rebound to the top spot.
What K-Pop Acts Claim the Most No. 1 Albums?
Among all K-pop acts, Stray Kids lead with the most No. 1s on the Billboard 200. The group has sent seven releases to the chart, and all of them have debuted in first place. BTS follows closely with half a dozen leaders. Ateez is the only other K-pop act with more than one No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as the group has now ruled twice. Five other K-pop acts — SuperM, Blackpink, Tomorrow X Together, NewJeans, and Twice — have all notched just a single leader so far.
KPop Demon Hunters Easily Beats the Competition
During the most recent tracking period, KPop Demon Hunters shifted 103,000 equivalent album units in the United States. That number comes from Luminate, the music industry organization that gathers sales and streaming data, which then powers the Billboard charts.
KPop Demon Hunters was the only album to move 100,000 units in the past tracking frame, as Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem, which follows at No. 2, shifted 88,000.
KPop Demon Hunters Hits No. 1 on Several Charts
The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is both a top-streamed title and a bestseller, which helps it rank at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The set’s lift mimics its performance on other charts, as it improves from No. 2 to No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums ranking, while also pushing from No. 7 to No. 4 on the Top Album Sales list.
The soundtrack also debuts at No. 4 on the Vinyl Albums ranking after finally being released on wax.
“Golden” Remains a No. 1 Smash Globally
Multiple hits are powering streaming activity for KPop Demon Hunters, but “Golden” continues to stand out as the biggest of the bunch. That track is once again the No. 1 song in America and on both of Billboard’s global rankings. “Golden,” which is credited to the fictional girl group Huntr/x as well as vocalists Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, also commands both the Digital Song Sales and Streaming Songs charts.
KPop Demon Hunters Rules the Hot 100 With Multiple Hits
For several weeks now, KPop Demon Hunters has claimed multiple spaces inside the top 10 on the Hot 100, which is an uncommon feat for a soundtrack. This frame, three of the 10 biggest tunes in America come from the animated film, as “Soda Pop” and “Your Idol” — which are both credited to Saja Boys and the five men who voice them, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, and Samuil Lee — dip to Nos. 7 and 10, respectively, after the two spent time inside the top five.
Nine tunes from KPop Demon Hunters appear on the Hot 100, and once again, almost all of them are top 40 successes.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/10/11/kpop-demon-hunters-makes-k-pop-history-as-it-returns-to-no-1/
