Executive Overview
In a landmark achievement that further solidifies their status as global cultural icons, K-pop powerhouses Stray Kids have once again rewritten music history. On Sunday night, August 16, the eight-member supergroup learned that their latest studio release, THIS & THAT, had officially debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This monumental victory marks the group’s ninth consecutive chart-topper, extending an unprecedented streak that began with their 2022 breakout album, ODDINARY.
The accomplishment is not merely a reflection of the group’s enduring popularity; it is a masterclass in modern commercial dominance. According to tracking data from Luminate for the tracking week ending August 13, THIS & THAT amassed a staggering 369,000 equivalent album units in the United States alone. This figure represents the biggest tracking week of the year for any album by units, as well as the highest sales week of Stray Kids’ career, fueled by 357,000 traditional album sales.
With this ninth consecutive No. 1 debut, Stray Kids have accelerated past ordinary industry metrics to join the rarified air of all-time music legends. The group now ties with rock-and-roll royalty The Rolling Stones for the second-most No. 1 albums among groups in Billboard 200 history, sitting safely behind only The Beatles. Furthermore, they have extended their record as the act with the most No. 1 debuts among groups this century, permanently etching their name into the annals of contemporary pop music history.
Detailed Chronology: From ODDINARY to THIS & THAT
To understand the magnitude of Stray Kids’ current triumph, one must trace the trajectory of their meteoric rise on the global charts. Formed under JYP Entertainment, the octet—comprising Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N—spent years cultivating an intensely loyal fanbase known as STAY. Their relentless dedication to self-production, boundary-pushing musical experimentation, and deeply vulnerable lyricism ultimately laid the foundation for an unprecedented commercial coup.
The journey to chart supremacy commenced in March 2022 with the release of their sixth EP, ODDINARY. Defying industry expectations for a foreign-language release entering the U.S. mainstream, the record seized the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. It was a watershed moment: not only was it their first entry on the chart, but it immediately claimed the pinnacle position.
Rather than treating this feat as a ceiling, Stray Kids used it as a launchpad. Subsequent releases—including MAXIDENT, 5-STAR, ROCK-STAR, ATE, and HOP—consistently debuted at No. 1. When HOP entered the charts at the summit, the group officially secured the distinction of being the first act in chart history to debut their first six consecutive Billboard 200 entries at No. 1.
With THIS & THAT, the streak extends to nine. Every single studio project and major EP the group has submitted to the Billboard 200 has opened at the top spot. In an industry defined by volatility and fleeting trends, Stray Kids’ unyielding consistency represents a profound anomaly, demonstrating an unbreakable bond between the artists and their global consumer base.
Supporting Context & Metrics: Decoding the Numbers Behind THIS & THAT
The commercial triumph of THIS & THAT is underscored by a set of extraordinary metrics that highlight both strategic marketing wizardry and consumer fervor. Earning 369,000 equivalent album units in its inaugural week, the eight-track project secured the largest single-week unit haul for any album in the United States thus far in 2026.
A granular breakdown of the data reveals the true nature of STAY’s purchasing power. Of the 369,000 total equivalent units, traditional album sales accounted for an astonishing 357,000 copies. In an era dominated by passive playlist streaming, Stray Kids continue to motivate their audience to engage in physical and digital album ownership on a massive scale.
This sales velocity was strategically amplified by an exhaustive, multi-format rollout. THIS & THAT was made available across an impressive 17 distinct CD and vinyl variants. Recognizing the modern collector’s appetite for tangible memorabilia, each physical variant was bundled with exclusive collectibles, including bespoke photocards, high-quality posters, and custom sticker sheets. To complement the physical offerings, the release also featured eight distinct digital download variants, giving completionist fans multiple avenues to support the record.
Streaming consumption also played a healthy role in the album’s overall unit calculation, though the extraordinary concentration of traditional album sales highlights a rare phenomenon in contemporary pop music: an audience that actively treats album releases as major, tangible events to be collected, celebrated, and preserved.
Official Statements: Gratitude from the Members
True to their reputation for maintaining a remarkably close and transparent connection with their fanbase, the members of Stray Kids took to social media and video statements immediately following the chart announcement to express their disbelief and profound gratitude.
Speaking in unison via an Instagram Story video, the eight members addressed their supporters directly. "Hello all, we are Stray Kids!" they announced, accompanying a post captioned, “9th consecutive Billboard 200 #1 album ‘THIS & THAT’ … Thank you STAY, from the bottom of our hearts.”
Group leader and primary producer Bang Chan elaborated on the monumental nature of the news during a subsequent address. "Today we are excited to share the most exciting news ever," Bang Chan said, his disbelief palpable. "Our most recent album, THIS & THAT, has reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the ninth consecutive time! Unbelievable!"
Vocalist Felix echoed these sentiments, directing his praise entirely toward the global fanbase that has propelled their international expansion. "We are deeply grateful for all of your support. Thank you so much STAY," Felix shared. "Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this incredible milestone. So we’d like to cherish this moment together with you and with everyone, everywhere all around the world."
Concluding the group’s shared reflections with a bilingual message, vocalist Seungmin looked toward the future while honoring the thematic duality of the album’s title. "Thank you for enjoying all our different sides, from this to that," Seungmin said. "We hope you look forward to spending the rest of the year with us as well."
Future Outlook: The RUN IT World Tour and Global Expansion
While celebrating a historic chart milestone is a natural reason to pause, Stray Kids show no signs of slowing down their relentless operational schedule. The release of THIS & THAT and its subsequent chart dominance serve as the opening salvo for a massive, globally expansive second half of the year.
The group’s sprawling 2026 RUN IT world tour is currently in full swing, bringing their renowned, high-octane theatrical performances to massive stadiums across the globe. Following a packed summer schedule that included a celebrated performance at the Governors Ball Music Festival at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City, the itinerary is set to pivot to Asia. On August 29, the tour will touch down for a historic, career-defining engagement at Tokyo’s legendary National Stadium.
Following their takeover of Japan, Stray Kids will cross the Pacific in September for a highly anticipated South American leg. The itinerary includes major stadium and arena dates across Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina, demonstrating the group’s extraordinary cross-cultural appeal in regions with some of the most passionate music consumers in the world.
The Latin American leg will culminate in a massive two-night residency on September 25 and 26 at the prestigious Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City. These performances are projected to draw tens of thousands of screaming fans, cementing the group’s status as a truly borderless phenomenon.
As THIS & THAT continues to dominate international music markets and the RUN IT tour pushes into its most ambitious phases, Stray Kids are operating at the absolute peak of their creative and commercial powers. By continuously breaking records previously held by century-defining Western acts, the octet has proven that K-pop’s global vanguard is not merely participating in music history—they are actively writing it.
