BTS has once again achieved a career high.
The group’s fifth album, ‘Arirang’, released on the 20th, sold 4,169,464 copies in its first week, according to album sales tracking site Hanteo Chart on the 27th. This figure marks a new personal record for the group.
This figure significantly surpasses the 3.37 million first-week sales of their fourth album, ‘MAP OF THE SOUL: 7’, which was released in February 2020. The new album achieved million-seller status approximately 10 minutes after its release and sold 3.98 million copies on the first day alone, marking the highest first-day sales for any album released in 2026. This explosive sales performance demonstrates the high anticipation among global music fans for BTS’s return.
On the global music platform Apple Music, the album topped the charts in 102 countries and regions, including the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Mexico, as of the 21st. By the 27th, it had claimed the number one spot in 115 countries and regions, confirming a global ‘Arirang’ fever. Notably, the new album garnered the highest number of first-day streams among all BTS albums.
Simultaneously, BTS became the most streamed artist on Apple Music on the release day. The title track ‘SWIM’ held the number one position for six consecutive days (March 20-25) on Spotify’s ‘Daily Top Songs Global’.
BTS’s influence is equally prominent in the Japanese music market. ‘Arirang’ debuted at number one on Oricon’s ‘Weekly Combined Album Ranking’ for March 30, marking the group’s seventh chart-topping album. It also achieved the highest weekly sales among overseas artists this year, additionally topping key Oricon charts such as the ‘Weekly Album Ranking’ and ‘Weekly Digital Album Ranking’.
Executive produced by Bang Si-hyuk, the album delves into BTS’s identity and the universal emotions encountered while living life.
The title track ‘SWIM’ conveys a message of empathy and comfort to listeners worldwide, expressing the determination to keep moving forward amidst life’s challenges.
Image source: Big Hit Music
