MUSIC
Stray Kids Make Billboard History with 'KARMA' Album
According to Billboard's announcement on August 31, Stray Kids' fourth studio album 'KARMA', released on August 22, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart dated September 6, with approximately 313,000 units sold in its first week in the U.S. This marks the group's seventh consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200, making them the first artist in the chart's 70-year history to achieve this feat.
Stray Kids first topped the Billboard 200 in 2022 with their mini-album 'ODDINARY', followed by 'MAXIDENT', '★★★★★ (5-STAR)', '樂-STAR', 'ATE', and 'SKZHOP HIPTAPE 合 (HOP)'. With 'KARMA', they have surpassed BTS, Linkin Park, and Dave Matthews Band, who previously held the record for the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 in the 2000s.
'KARMA' also set a new personal best for Stray Kids in terms of first-week sales in the U.S., surpassing their previous record of 249,500 units with '★★★★★ (5-STAR)'. This achievement places them third in first-week sales for K-pop albums in the U.S., behind only Morgan Wallen and The Weekend.
The album has also made waves on other global charts. In the UK, 'KARMA' debuted at No. 22 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100, while its title track 'CEREMONY' entered the Official Singles Chart Top 100 at No. 37. Additionally, 'KARMA' topped the charts in France and Germany, and ranked in the top 10 in the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and Lithuania.
Stray Kids have also been nominated for the 'Best Group' category at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA). This marks their first nomination in this category, alongside their fourth consecutive nomination for 'Best K-pop' with 'Chk Chk Boom'.
Meanwhile, Stray Kids have dominated South Korean music shows with their comeback title track 'CEREMONY', winning first place on Mnet's 'M Countdown', KBS 2TV's 'Music Bank', MBC's 'Show! Music Core', and SBS's 'Inkigayo' during the last week of August.
