Stray Kids, the South Korean K-pop group, has claimed its sixth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with HOP, marking their second chart-topping release this year. The album knocked Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department to No. 3 after its two-week stint at No. 1.
With HOP debuting at No. 1, Stray Kids join Linkin Park, BTS, and Dave Matthews Band in a tie for the most No. 1 albums among groups since 2000. The album, featuring both solo and group performances across 12 tracks, earned 187,000 total units in its first week, according to Luminate. It also led the U.S. sales charts, with 176,000 albums sold.
American fans had the option of purchasing seven different CD variants, each including collectible items like photocards, posters, stickers, and trading cards. This helped boost CD sales to 171,000, with an additional 5,000 digital downloads.
Signed to Republic Records — home to artists like Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande — Stray Kids also topped the chart earlier this year with ATE.
Kendrick Lamar’s GNX holds the No. 2 spot, earning 100,000 equivalent album units in its latest week. Lamar’s surprise album, released on November 22, debuted at No. 1 with 319,000 units sold, one of the biggest first-week numbers of the year.
Other notable chart entries include Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet at No. 4, the Wicked film soundtrack at No. 7, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft at No. 8, and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess at No. 9.
In holiday music, Michael Bublé’s Christmas album is the highest-charting seasonal release, climbing to No. 5 with 68,000 units. Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas is at No. 6, while Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas rises to No. 10, marking its seventh consecutive holiday season on the chart.
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