Debut album from Stray Kids, “5-STAR,” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200

Stray Kids’ debut at No. 1 with 5-STAR caps a busy week in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 albums chart on June 17. Following MAXIDENT and ODDINARY, both of which debuted at No. 1 in 2022, this is the Korean act’s third chart entry and the third to do so.

According to Luminate, the new album launched with 249,500 equivalent album units sold in the United States in the week ending June 8. That denotes the fourth-biggest week, by units acquired, for any album in 2023. Further, of its beginning unit sum, album sales contain 235,000 — the biggest sales week for an album this year, and the greatest for any title since Taylor Swift’s Midnights sold 1.14 million in its first week (Nov. 5, 2022-dated chart).

Five additional albums make it into the top 10 of the new Billboard 200 albums chart: Whitsitt Chapel by Jelly Roll debuts at No. 3; ENHYPEN’s Dark Blood bows at No 4 after its Cd release on June 2 (it was given using streamers and digital download on May 22); Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse by Metro Boomin soundtrack flies in at No. 7; But Here We Are by the Foo Fighters debuts at No. 8; Moneybagg Yo’s Hard to Love debuts at No 10.

The region hosts the newest arrivals in more than two and a half years, dating back to the chart released on October 10, 2020, when six albums also made the top 10.

Luminate compiles the Billboard 200 chart, which ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States based on multi-metric consumption in equivalent album units. Album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA) are all included in units. Each unit represents one album sale, 10 individual album tracks sold, 3,750 ad-supported official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album, or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official streams. On Tuesday (June 13), the complete new chart with a date of June 17, 2023, will be made available on the website of Billboard.

Album sales account for 235,000 of 5-STAR’s 249,500 equivalent album units, SEA accounts for 14,000 (equivalent to 19.55 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), and TEA units comprise 500.

As Stray Kids have seen their first three entries on the Billboard 200 all debut at No 1, the final act additionally to have its first three chart entries all debut atop the list was Harry Styles, with his first three solo albums: Harry Styles (2017), Fine Line (2019) and Harry’s House (2022).

In the same way as other K-pop releases, the CD edition of 5-STAR was given in collectible Cd packages (18 total, including special features for Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and a signed edition in the group’s webstore), each containing a standard set of bonus items and randomized elements (photo cards, mini posters, sticker sets, photo books). In addition, there were four different digital versions of the album that could only be purchased through the band’s website. These versions cost $6.99 and included different covers and bonus voice memos from each of the eight members of the band.

CDs made up nearly all of 5-STAR’s first-week album sales (98%; 231,000), with approximately 4% coming from sales of digital albums (approximately 4,000). There was no other retail format for the set, like vinyl or cassette.

The majority of 5-STAR’s lyrics are in Korean, but there are some in English as well. After TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: Temptation (one week, February 11) and Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito (one week, March 11), it is the 19th mostly non-English language album to reach No. 1.

According to the most recent list, which was published on June 10, Stray Kids have yet to have a song appear on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, which is based in the United States. The act has indented four entries on the Billboard Global 200, and seven titles on the Billboard Global 200 Excl. U.S. chart, which rank the most popular songs around the world, and globally excluding the U.S., respectively.

With 117,000 equivalent album units sold, Morgan Wallen’s former leader One Thing at a Time is a non-mover at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (down 7%).

Jam Roll rocks in at No 3 on the Billboard 200 with Whitsitt Chapel, beginning with 90,000 comparable collection units acquired — his greatest week yet and first top 40-charting release. (He had three albums before, none of which reached higher than No. 97.) Album sales account for 63,000 of the new set’s first-week sales, SEA sales account for 25,000, or 33.09 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs, and TEA sales account for 2,000.

A standard CD, a signed CD sold through Jelly Roll’s webstore, a deeply discounted digital album (only $4.20 for a limited time during the tracking week in his webstore), nine deluxe CD boxed sets that included branded merchandise and a copy of the CD, and a “hymnal” Zine/CD package all contributed to Whitsitt’s album sales.

Dark Blood debuts at No. 4 with 88,000 equivalent album units sold, marking ENHYPEN’s highest charting effort to date and the Korean pop group’s second top 10 on the Billboard 200. This marks the act’s best week by units sold thus far. Album sales made up 85,000 units in its first week, SEA sales made up 3,000, or 3.79 million official on-demand streams of the set’s songs, and TEA units made up a small amount.

Like a lot of K-pop releases, the CD edition of Dark Blood came in 17 collectible CD packages, some of which were exclusive to retailers. Each package included a standard set of bonus items and random elements. Dark Blood’s debut on the Billboard 200 comes only after its Compact disc was released, as its digital album and streaming album both dropped on May 22.

Swift’s chart-topping Midnights falls 1-5 on the Billboard 200 with 83,000 identical album units procured (down 70%) and Lil Durk’s Almost Healed plunges 3-6 in its second week (67,000; down 46%).

Metro Boomin’s elegant soundtrack to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse debuts at No. 7 with 66,000 equivalent album units sold. Of that aggregate, streaming equivalent album units involve 62,000 (approaching 83.57 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), album sales contain 3,000 and TEA units include 1,000. This is Metro Boomin’s sixth set of top 10 songs. Future, Lil Wayne, and Nas are among the guests on the album.

With 62,000 equivalent album units sold, Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are, the band’s first album since drummer Taylor Hawkins’ death in early 2022, debuts at No. 8. It is the group’s tenth top ten album. The single “Rescued,” which reached No. 1 on both the Alternative Airplay chart (the band’s 11th leader there) and the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart (its 12th No. 1), served as the album’s lone standout.

SZA’s SOS, which topped the charts, falls 4-9 with 51,000 equivalent album units, which is a 8% drop.

Moneybagg Yo’s Hard to Love debuts at No. 10 with 51,000 equivalent album units sold, making it the sixth and final entry into the top 10. Album sales total 2,500, SEA units total 48,500 (or 66.56 million official on-demand streams of the set’s songs), and TEA units total a negligible amount of that total. It’s the 6th top 10-charting set for the rapper.