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HOLLYWOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

Stray Kids Don’t Just Keep

Hitting No. 1, Their Albums Are
Getting Bigger And Bigger
Hugh McIntyre Contributor

Jun 18, 2023, 05:00pm EDT

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Stray Kids have dominated the Billboard 200

chart with their latest album, 5-Star. The title’s
explosive debut not only secured them another
No. 1 spot but also solidified their position as
one of the most popular and successful acts in
America today.

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5-Star marks Stray Kids' third consecutive No. 1

album on the Billboard 200. Their ascent to the
top began in the spring of 2022, and since then,
their success has only grown, with each
subsequent release garnering larger and larger
sales sums. The band's trajectory has been a
steady climb, and the sky's the limit for their
future sales and chart performance.

00:09 01:12

In March 2022, Stray Kids made history as one

of the few South Korean groups to achieve a No.
1 album on the Billboard 200 with their EP
Oddinary. Although their debut at the top was
an accomplishment in itself, it wasn't
considered one of the most remarkable
showings of the year. It opened with 110,000
equivalent units shifted.

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Before the end of 2022, Stray Kids proved that

their initial success was no fluke. Their album
Maxident secured their second No. 1 spot,
doubling their total number of chart-topping
albums. With 117,000 album-equivalent units,
including an impressive 110,000 in pure
purchases, Maxident showcased the band's
popularity and dedicated fanbase were both
growing.

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Stray Kids Can Conquer Billboard's

Albums Chart-Here's What They Have To
Dominate Next
By Hugh McIntyre

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The release of 5-Star has blown away all

previous sales records for Stray Kids. The album
debuted at the summit of the Billboard 200 with
a staggering 249,500 equivalent album units,
surpassing the combined sales figures of their
previous two chart-toppers. In fact, the album
sold more copies on CD in the U.S. alone than
their previous No. 1 EPs did across all
consumption formats.

The monumental success of 5-Star translates

into the biggest sales week of 2023 and the
fourth-largest week for any album released this
year. Stray Kids outperformed formidable
competitors, including fellow K-pop act
Tomorrow X Together and Karol G, both of
whom also achieved chart-topping positions
earlier in 2023.

While it is too early to predict the specifics of

Stray Kids' next album, there is a strong
precedent to believe that it could follow the
same trajectory and debut at No. 1 on the
Billboard 200 with even greater sales figures
than 5-Star. The band's consistent upward
trajectory suggests that their future releases will
continue to captivate audiences and dominate
the charts, cementing their status as one of the
industry's most successful acts.

MORE FROM FORBES

Stray Kids Occupy One-

Third Of The Entire World
Songs Chart This Week
By Hugh McIntyre

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Hugh McIntyre

I am a music journalist based in New York City.

My byline has appeared in The Huffi… Read More

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