Fictional bands HUNTR/X and Saja Boys from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters now claim six hits on the Hot 100, including four in the top 10. NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 22: (L-R) Rei Ami, May Hong and Arden Cho light the Empire State Building to Kick Off KPOP DEMON HUNTERS Golden Weekend at The Empire State Building on August 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)
Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust
The songs from KPop Demon Hunters have become some of the most successful soundtrack singles in American history, but whether the animated musical film and its accompanying album will make stars of the voices behind the characters is yet to be seen. What’s particularly interesting about the success of KPop Demon Hunters on the songs tallies in America is that both the actors and singers — and the fictional bands created for them — are credited alongside one another.
It’s relatively uncommon for fake musical acts to perform well enough to reach the Hot 100, but this frame multiple such stars — which didn’t exist until a few months ago — score big wins in America on the most competitive tally.
HUNTR/X Leads With “Golden” and “How It’s Done”
Those who have seen KPop Demon Hunters know the movie is all about HUNTR/X, the girl group that sits at the center of the blockbuster, and it is the most successful of all the fictional acts on the charts right now.
The trio returns to No. 1 on the Hot 100 this week with “Golden,” which has now spent two nonconsecutive frames running the show. The same girl group also scores a new top 10 as “How It’s Done” improves from No. 14 to No. 10, hitting the highest tier for the first time.
Two Other HUNTR/X Songs Surge
Another pair of cuts credited to HUNTR/X — as well as Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, who voice the three singers — hit new highs. This week, “What It Sounds Like” and “Takedown” surge to Nos. 20 and 25, respectively.
Saja Boys Claim Two Top 10s
In KPop Demon Hunters, HUNTR/X battles a newly-formed boy band, not just for commercial success and the love of fans, but for all of humanity.
Saja Boys claim just two hits on the Hot 100 – half as many as HUNTR/X – although the fictional boy band sends its entire discography into the top 10. “Your Idol” is steady at No. 4 this frame, while “Soda Pop” comes one space behind as it jumps to No. 5, leaping from tenth place to hit a new all-time peak.
Like HUNTR/X, Saja Boys is a credited act, as are Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo and SamUIL Lee, the men who actually bring the false group to life.
Rumi and Juni’s “Free”
In addition to both of those vocal groups, two characters collaborate on the song “Free,” which also soars to a never-before-seen peak of No. 23 on the current edition of the Hot 100. That track is credited to Rumi and Jinu — the singers in the movie itself — while the vocalists behind those characters, Ejae and Choi, are also named.
Hannah Montana, The Chipmunks and The Archies
At least half of all the made-up musical acts that have reached the Billboard charts are composed of actual people in groups and bands created for TV and film. That roundup includes names like Daisy Jones & The Six, Hannah Montana, The Cheetah Girls, and The Brady Bunch, among others. Several acts made up only of entirely fictional characters, like The Chipmunks, The Archies, and 4*Town, have also scored big hits, even though people only know those names from animated projects.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/08/28/kpop-demon-hunters-sends-four-fictional-music-acts-to-billboards-toughest-chart/
