Stray Kids Achieve Historic Milestone with Their New Album HOP Debuting at No. 1 on Billboard 200: Stray Kids have made a remarkable entry on the Billboard 200 albums chart, securing their sixth No. 1 spot with the release of HOP, which debuted at the top on the list dated December 28. This achievement sets them apart as the first musical group in the nearly 69-year history of the Billboard 200 to debut at No. 1 with their first six chart entries. The Billboard 200 has been releasing weekly charts since March 1956, and this milestone highlights Stray Kids’ growing influence in the music industry.

Previous Chart-Topping Albums by Stray Kids: A Recap of Their Success: Prior to their latest triumph, Stray Kids previously reached the top of the Billboard 200 with their albums ODDINARY and MAXIDENT in 2022, as well as ROCK-STAR and 5-STAR in 2023, alongside ATE earlier in 2024. This consistent performance illustrates the group’s ability to captivate audiences and maintain their popularity, further establishing their reputation as a leading force in the global music scene.

Stray Kids Tie with Major Acts for Most No. 1 Hits in the 21st Century: With their sixth No. 1 album, Stray Kids now share the record with iconic groups such as BTS, Linkin Park, and the Dave Matthews Band for the most No. 1 albums among groups on the Billboard 200 this century, specifically since the year 2000. This achievement further emphasizes their significant impact and contribution to the music industry, showcasing their competitive edge among contemporary artists.

Strong First Week Sales Propel HOP to the Top: The album HOP debuted with an impressive 187,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States for the week ending December 19, as reported by Luminate. This strong performance was primarily driven by traditional album sales, demonstrating the group’s ability to attract a loyal fanbase who eagerly purchase their new music upon release.

Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas Continues to Charm Audiences as It Returns to the Top 10: Alongside Stray Kids, Mariah Carey’s beloved holiday album Merry Christmas has re-entered the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for the seventh consecutive holiday season, climbing from 14 to 10 on the chart. Originally released in 1994, this album features the iconic track “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has become a seasonal favorite, previously peaking at No. 3 during its initial run.

Understanding the Billboard 200: How Albums Are Ranked in the U.S.: The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums in the U.S. each week based on comprehensive consumption metrics, which Luminate compiles. These equivalent album units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit represents one album sale, or corresponds to 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from the album. The complete chart for December 28, 2024, will be available on Billboard’s website on Tuesday, December 24. For the latest updates and news, be sure to follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

A Closer Look at HOP’s Impressive Sales Breakdown: Out of HOP’s 187,000 first-week equivalent album units, the album sales accounted for 176,000 units, allowing it to debut at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart. Additionally, streaming equivalent album units totaled 10,000, which translates to an impressive 14.83 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs, while track equivalent album units contributed 1,000. This impressive performance underscores Stray Kids’ widespread appeal across various music platforms.

Collectible CD Variants Drive Sales for HOP: The strong sales of HOP were enhanced by the album’s availability in seven distinct CD variants, each containing collectible items such as photocards, posters, stickers, and trading cards, including various randomized items. These exclusive variants were made available through retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and the act’s official webstore. Of the album’s total sales, CD sales constituted a substantial 171,000 units, while digital downloads comprised 5,000, demonstrating the enduring popularity of physical album purchases among fans.

Stray Kids Break Records and Set New Standards in the Billboard 200: Previously, Stray Kids were tied with the late rapper DMX as the only performers to see their first five chart entries debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with DMX achieving this feat between 1998 and 2003 with his albums It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998), Flesh of My Flesh Blood of My Blood (1999), …And Then There Was X (2000), The Great Depression (2001), and Grand Champ (2003). This record highlights the exceptional trajectory of Stray Kids within the highly competitive landscape of the music industry.

HOP Marks a Significant Achievement as a Non-English Language Album: As HOP primarily features Korean language tracks, it becomes the 27th mostly non-English language album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and the fourth of 2024. Earlier this year, three other mostly Korean-language albums also debuted at No. 1, including ATEEZ’s Golden Hour: Part.2 on the November 30 chart, Stray Kids’ own ATE on the August 3 chart, and TWICE’s With YOU-th on the March 9 chart. Out of the 27 mostly non-English language albums that have topped the chart, 18 are primarily Korean, five are mostly (or entirely) Spanish, one is mostly Italian, one is completely French, and two are a blend of Spanish, Italian, and French. Notably, 23 of these albums have achieved No. 1 status since 2018, marking a significant rise in the global influence of K-pop artists.

Analyzing the Top 5 Rankings on the Latest Billboard 200 Chart: The current top five of the Billboard 200 includes several former No. 1 albums: Kendrick Lamar’s GNX remains steady at No. 2 with 100,000 equivalent album units earned, reflecting a 20% decline. Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department has dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 with 85,000 units, a substantial 65% decrease. Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet has moved up to No. 4 with 69,000 units, indicating a 9% decline. Michael Bublé’s Christmas has climbed from No. 7 to No. 5, earning 68,000 units, which is a 10% increase, showcasing the seasonal appeal of holiday music.

Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas Compilation Reaches New Heights: The latest holiday album to make an impact in the top 10 is Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas compilation, which has moved up two spots to achieve a new peak at No. 6 with 65,000 equivalent album units, reflecting a 15% increase. The Wicked film soundtrack has fallen from No. 6 to No. 7 with nearly 65,000 units, a 13% decrease. Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft has risen from No. 9 to No. 8 with 62,000 units, reflecting an 11% increase, while Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess has climbed from No. 11 to No. 9, earning 56,000 units with a 12% increase.

Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas Rounds Out the Top 10 with Holiday Spirit: Closing out the top 10 is Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas, which has jumped from No. 14 to No. 10 with 56,000 equivalent album units earned, marking a 22% increase due to a gain of 10,000 units—the largest unit increase on the chart. This beloved album returns to the top 10 for the seventh consecutive holiday season, having peaked at No. 3 during its initial chart run in 1994, just after its release.

Luminate Ensures Accurate Chart Rankings Through Rigorous Data Review: Luminate, the independent data provider for the Billboard charts, conducts a meticulous review of all data submissions used to compile the weekly chart rankings. This organization reviews and authenticates data, partnering with Billboard to remove any suspicious or unverifiable data based on established criteria before final calculations are published. This thorough process ensures the integrity and accuracy of the Billboard 200 rankings, providing a trustworthy resource for music fans and industry professionals alike.