Stray Kids Achieves Sixth Billboard 200 No. 1 with “HOP,” Setting a Historic Record of Six Consecutive Chart-Tops

Stray Kids established a historic milestone by claiming the top spot on the Billboard 200 with their album “HOP.” This release reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart dated December 28, 2024, marking their sixth overall No. 1 on that chart. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that they have become the only artist in nearly 69 years of the Billboard 200’s history to have all six of their debut albums reach the top position. Stray Kids previously achieved five No. 1s with “ODDINARY” and “MAXIDENT” in 2022, “ROCK-STAR” and “5-STAR” in 2023, and “ATE” at the beginning of 2024, adding “HOP” to this total. “HOP” recorded 187,000 equivalent album units in its first week, of which 176,000 were attributed to actual album sales. This strong performance was driven by the sales of seven different CD versions, each including collectible items such as photo cards, posters, stickers, and trading cards. Out of the total sales, 171,000 were physical CD sales while 5,000 were digital downloads. With this achievement, Stray Kids now joins BTS, Linkin Park, and Dave Matthews Band as one of the artists with the most Billboard 200 No. 1s in the group category since 2000. Previously, the late rapper DMX was the only artist to have all five of his debut albums reach number one from 1998 to 2003, but Stray Kids have extended this record to six albums. This success for Stray Kids is attributed to a combination of consistent musical quality and innovative marketing strategies. By utilizing a collectible CD sales approach, they managed to achieve notable results in the otherwise declining physical album market, thereby demonstrating the importance of building a strong brand-based fan community.