A ninth straight chart-topping debut
Stray Kids' 10th EP, 'THIS & THAT,' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 369,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending Aug. 13, including 357,000 in traditional album sales, according to a Billboard chart preview published on Aug. 16. The figure marks the group's biggest sales week to date.
Extending a streak that began in 2022
With the new EP, Stray Kids became the first act in the nearly 70-year history of the Billboard 200 to debut its first nine charting albums at No. 1. The run started with the 2022 EP 'Oddinary' and continued with 'Maxident,' '5-Star,' 'Rock-Star,' 'Ate,' 'SKZ-HOP HIPTAPE: HOP,' 'KARMA' and 'SKZ IT TAPE: DO IT.' The group had previously set the mark at six consecutive No. 1 debuts before extending it to seven, eight and now nine.
How the result compares
The ninth No. 1 gives Stray Kids nine chart-topping Billboard 200 albums, tying the Rolling Stones for the second-most among groups in the chart's history; the Beatles hold the group record with 19. Stray Kids also remain the group with the most Billboard 200 No. 1 albums among K-pop acts and among all acts that debuted after 2000.
The group's reaction
Speaking on Instagram on Aug. 16, member Bang Chan called the news "the most exciting news ever," thanking fans known as STAY. Felix added that the group was "deeply grateful for all of your support," while Seungmin closed a message that included Korean remarks by saying, "Thank you for enjoying all our different sides, from this to that. We hope you look forward to spending the rest of the year with us as well."
What remains uncertain
Billboard's report does not specify any subsequent chart milestone or release scheduled by Stray Kids beyond Seungmin's reference to "the rest of the year" with fans.
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