BTS's Arirang posts biggest group album week since One Direction

Arirang debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 equivalent album units, including 532,000 pure sales. Those totals are the largest opening week by a group under Billboard's equivalent-album methodology and the biggest group week since One Direction's Midnight Memories (2013).

BTS returned from a roughly four-year hiatus with Arirang, their seventh studio album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 dated April 4, 2026. The album's opening week measured 641,000 equivalent album units, including 532,000 in pure album sales. That performance is the largest opening week by any group measured under Billboard's equivalent-album methodology and the largest group week since One Direction's Midnight Memories in 2013. Reported figures show the totals were driven mainly by physical sales, including a substantial vinyl result. What is reported: - Arirang opened with 641,000 equivalent album units in its first week. - Of that total, 532,000 were pure album sales and 516,000 were physical copies. - The album sold 208,000 vinyl copies across 17 variants, reported as the largest vinyl week by a group in the modern era. - The lead single "SWIM" debuted at number one on the Hot 100, giving BTS concurrent number ones on the albums and singles charts. - Billboard methodology changes in recent years (including reductions in counted digital downloads, exclusion of direct-to-consumer single sales, and removal of YouTube data) affect how current weeks compare with past results. - BTS's world tour launches April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, with U.S. dates beginning April 25 in Tampa, Florida. Summary: Arirang's opening week is reported as the highest group total under the current Billboard methodology and the largest group week since One Direction's 2013 benchmark. The group is scheduled to begin a world tour on April 9, with North American dates starting April 25.