Best-selling K-pop albums annually from 2016 to 2021
The Princes of Global Pop, BTS, is the best-selling musical act in South Korea of all time and their albums have sold over 30 million copies. They have the highest number of million-selling albums. Ever since their debut in 2013, they’ve slowly risen to fame and established a stronghold in the Korean music industry.
They’re the highest-selling Korean artists in history and have been producing the best-selling K-pop albums annually from 2016 to 2021. Their newest album, Proof, is also on its way to top the sales charts for 2022.
BTS has been producing the best-selling K-pop album annually since 2016
1) Wings - 2016
BTS’ second Korean studio album, Wings, was the best-selling K-pop album in South Korea in 2016 according to the Gaon chart. The album has over 15 tracks, with the critically acclaimed song Blood Sweat & Tears as the title track.
The album sold over 751 thousand albums in South Korea and over 1.8 million albums worldwide in 2016, earning BTS the title of a million sellers.
2) Love Yourself: Her - 2017
Love Yourself: Her, the first part of BTS’ Love Yourself trilogy, was the best-selling K-pop album in 2017. The album is the group’s fifth EP and has nine tracks on it. DNA, the title track of the album, was the first song to gain mainstream popularity in the western music industry.
The album sold over 1.49 million albums in South Korea, reaching more than 1.23 million copies in a mere 13 days after its release, making it the first album in 16 years to achieve this feat.
3) Love Yourself: Answer - 2018
Love Yourself: Answer is the third and final album from BTS’ Love Yourself series. The compilation album with over 25 tracks was the best-selling K-pop album of 2018. IDOL was the lead single on the album, which showcased the group’s Korean pride.
The album sold over 2.19 million albums in 2018 and topped the album charts in the US, South Korea, Canada and Japan. This was their second no. 1 album in the US.
4) Map of the Soul: Persona - 2019
BTS’ sixth EP, Map of the Soul: Persona, was the best-selling K-pop album of 2019. Boy With Luv is the title track of the seven-track album that broke multiple records and won BTS Song of the Year at major South Korean award shows.
The album sold over 3.7 million albums in 2019, with over 3.2 million albums in one month. Persona became the best-selling album of all time in South Korea, breaking a 24 year old record.
5) Map of the Soul: 7 - 2020
Only BTS can dethrone themselves, and they did exactly that when the group released Map of the Soul: 7. The album was not only the best-selling K-pop album of 2020 but is also the best-selling album of all time in South Korea. ON was the title track for BTS’ fourth Korean-language studio album that had 20 tracks.
It sold over 4.37 million albums in 2020 and was also the highest-selling album globally, according to the IFPI charts, beating out major names in the western music industry. It was their first album to reach number one in all the major music markets in the world.
6) Butter - 2021
Butter is BTS’ CD single that contains two of their Billboard Hot 100 no. 1 English singles, Butter and Permission to Dance.
Despite comprising only two tracks, the album sold over 2.99 million albums in 2021, and has sold over 3 million copies till date, displaying BTS’ popularity and selling power.
BTS’ anthology album, Proof, has sold over 2.75 copies since its release on June 10, making it the best-selling K-pop album of the first half of 2022. The album is on its way to become BTS’ next best-selling album in South Korea.
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