Stray Kids scores third No. 1 on Billboard 200

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, background info, Enhypen's ranking in paras 4-13)

SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy group Stray Kids has claimed No. 1 on U.S. Billboard's main albums chart for the third time in their career with their third studio album "5-Star."

The 12-track album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart for this week with 249,500 equivalent album units earned in the United States, Billboard said in a chart preview Sunday (U.S. time). The latest chart will be released Tuesday.

This made the group the second K-pop act to record more than two No. 1 on the chart after BTS. "Stray Kids first entered the chart in March with the EP "Oddinary" and then again in October with the EP "Maxident."

The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S., measured by equivalent album units comprising physical album sales and other digital sales records.

Debuting in 2018, the eight-piece group has been known for its intense stage performances and unique music style.

Of the 249,500 equivalent album units earned by "5-Star," album sales comprise 235,000, making it the best-selling album in the U.S. for a week this year, Billboard said.

This is also the biggest sales week for any title since Taylor Swift's "Midnights" sold 1.14 million units in its first week last year, it added.

"5-Star" has 12 tracks of various genres, led by the song "S-Class," produced by members Bangchan, Changbin and Han. The album also includes "DLC," "FNF," "Hall of Fame," "Item," "Super Bowl" and "Topline."

"'5-Star' is mostly in the Korean language but includes some English lyrics. It is the 19th mostly non-English language album to hit No. 1, and the third of 2023, following Karol G's 'Manana Sera Bonito' and Tomorrow X Together's 'The Name Chapter: Temptation,'" Billboard said.

"5-Star" secured 5.13 million copies in preorders and sold 4.62 million copies in the first week after its release on June 2, based on data from Hanteo Chart, a leading local tracker of album sales, setting records in both categories in K-pop history.

Meanwhile, K-pop boy group Enhypen notched its second top 10 on the Billboard 200, and its highest charting effort yet, as "Dark Blood" debuted at No. 4 this week, according to Billboard.

The fourth EP from the band dropped on May 22 and earned 88,000 equivalent album units with album sales comprising 85,000.

The septet first cracked the top 10 with its third EP, "Manifesto: Day 1," ranking at No. 6 in August.

sshim@yna.co.kr
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