Stray Kids Achieve 7th Consecutive No.1 on Billboard with ‘KARMA’
Stray Kids has made history on the U.S. Billboard ‘Billboard 200’ chart with their latest album ‘KARMA’. The album was released on the 22nd and managed to secure the top spot on the chart with an impressive first-week sale of approximately 313,000 copies in the U.S. This achievement marks the group’s seventh consecutive number one album on the ‘Billboard 200’, a remarkable feat that no other artist has achieved in the chart’s 70-year history dating back to March 1956.
The journey to the top began with Stray Kids claiming their first number one spot with the mini-album ‘ODDINARY’ in 2022. Since then, they have gone on to top the chart with six more works, including ‘MAXIDENT’, ‘★★★★★ (5-STAR)’, ‘樂STAR’, ‘ATE’, and ‘SKZHOP HIPTape’. This places Stray Kids among esteemed company in the 2000s ‘Billboard 200’ alongside BTS, Linkin Park, and Dave Matthews Band, solidifying their status as one of the most successful groups on the chart. ‘KARMA’ cements their position with a seventh consecutive number one achievement.
Not only did Stray Kids secure the top spot on the ‘Billboard 200’ with ‘KARMA’, but they also broke their own sales record in the U.S. The album’s first-week sale of 313,000 copies surpassed their previous record of 249,500 copies set by the album ‘★★★★★ (5-STAR)’ in 2023. This places ‘KARMA’ among the top K-pop albums in terms of first-week sales in 2025, even coming in third overall behind Morgan Wallen and The Weekend.
The success of ‘KARMA’ extends beyond the U.S., with the album performing well on international music charts as well. In the UK, the album debuted at number 22 on the ‘Official Album Chart Top 100’, with the title track ‘CEREMONY’ making an appearance at number 37 on the ‘Official Singles Chart Top 100’. Additionally, ‘KARMA’ claimed the number one spot on the latest Top 100 Albums chart and the Official Top 100 Albums chart in Germany released by the French Recording Industry Association (SNEP). The album has also made its mark on various music charts across the globe, including the Dutch Top 100 Albums chart, Swedish Top 60 Albums chart, Australian ARIA Top 50 Albums chart, New Zealand Official Aotearoa Top 40 Albums chart, and Lithuanian AGATA Top 100 Albums chart.
The recognition for Stray Kids’ achievements extends to nomination at the American Popular Music Awards ‘MTV Video Music Awards. The group has been nominated in the ‘Best Group’ category for the first time, following nominations in the ‘Best K-Pop’ category over the past four years. Their presence in the music scene is further solidified by the recent achievements and accolades they continue to garner.
Stray Kids’ comeback title track ‘CEREMONY’ has also been making waves in the domestic music scene, securing the number one spot on various music shows including Mnet ‘M Countdown’, KBS2 ‘Music Bank’, MBC ‘Show! Music Core’, and SBS ‘Inkigayo’. Their achievements on the global stage and at home showcase their growing influence and popularity in the music industry.