BTS has once again rewritten the record books, as their fifth studio album ARIRANG secures a third consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200—a historic first for any K-pop act.

According to Billboard’s latest chart preview released Sunday (U.S. time), ARIRANG successfully held onto the top position, outperforming major global releases including Morgan Wallen and Ye’s Bully. The achievement not only highlights BTS’s sustained dominance in the U.S. market but also marks a significant milestone in the globalization of K-pop.

No K-pop artist has previously managed to remain at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks. While the soundtrack for KPop Demon Hunters previously reached the summit for two non-consecutive weeks, BTS has now set a new benchmark for consistency and impact on the chart.

The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums in the United States based on a combination of metrics, including physical album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). For the latest tracking week, ARIRANG recorded 124,000 equivalent album units. Although this reflects a 34 percent decrease from the previous week, the numbers remain strong enough to maintain its top position in a competitive market.

Breaking down the figures, 71,000 units came from traditional album sales, both physical and digital. Streaming equivalent albums contributed 50,000 units, while TEA made up the remaining portion. The balanced performance across multiple consumption formats underscores BTS’s wide-reaching appeal across both dedicated fans and general listeners.

This milestone carries even greater significance when viewed in a broader industry context. BTS is now the first group in 13 years to spend at least three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The last group to achieve a similar feat was Mumford & Sons with their album Babel, which accumulated five non-consecutive weeks at the top between 2012 and 2013.

Billboard also noted that ARIRANG is the first album in recent history to spend its first three weeks at No. 1 since Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl, which dominated the chart for seven consecutive weeks starting in October 2025. Such comparisons further emphasize the scale of BTS’s current success.

Originally released on March 20, ARIRANG debuted at No. 1, becoming BTS’s seventh album to achieve this feat—a testament to their consistent chart power over the years. The album’s lead single, Swim, also made waves by debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, before settling at No. 2 in the following week.

Beyond its commercial achievements, ARIRANG carries a deeper artistic message. According to their agency, the 14-track album explores BTS’s identity as artists who began their journey in Korea while navigating universal emotions and experiences. The project blends traditional Korean influences with global sounds, reflecting both their roots and their evolution on the world stage.

As BTS continues their global expansion through music and their ongoing world tour, this latest milestone reinforces their position not only as K-pop leaders but as one of the most influential acts in the global music industry today.