South Korean boy band Stray Kids clinched their ninth Billboard 200 No. 1 with the new album ‘THIS & THAT’. The album opened the week ending Aug 13 with 369,000 equivalent album units in the United States, the group’s biggest week by units. The chart dated Aug 22, 2026, will be posted in full on Billboard’s website on Aug 18. This achievement extends a streak that began with ODDINARY in 2022.
Sales surge and streaming power
Of the 369,000 units, traditional album sales accounted for 357,000, while streaming‑equivalent albums added 11,000 units – the latter reflecting about 12.21 million on‑demand official streams. Track‑equivalent albums contributed another 1,000 units. The Billboard 200 measures consumption by combining album sales, track equivalents (ten tracks equal one album) and streaming equivalents (2,500 ad‑supported or 1,000 paid streams equal one album). The strong physical sales were helped by the album’s release across 17 CD and vinyl variants, each packed with collectible items such as photocards, posters and stickers, some randomized and including signed editions, as well as eight digital download versions.
‘THIS & THAT’ recorded the sixth‑largest week for any album by units in 2026, and posted the second‑largest traditional‑sales week of the year, behind BTS’ ARIRANG, which moved 532,000 units. The album also debuted at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart, underscoring the group’s appeal to fans who still value physical copies.
Record‑setting chart history
All nine of Stray Kids’ Billboard 200 entries have debuted at No. 1, starting with ODDINARY in 2022. In 2024, the group became the first act to launch its first six entries at the top spot, a record they have now extended to nine. This places them level with The Rolling Stones for the second‑most No. 1s among groups, while The Beatles remain ahead with 19. The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular weekly basis in March 1956, making the group’s consistency over a relatively short span especially notable.
Following Stray Kids, Ariana Grande fell to No. 2 after debuting at the summit a week earlier, earning 82,000 units in her second week – a 72% drop. Olivia Rodrigo’s “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” held No. 3 with 72,000 units, down 3%; Ella Langley’s “Dandelion” sat at No. 4 with just over 70,000 units, down 2%; Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem” landed at No. 5 with 70,000 units, down 6%; and Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide” placed at No. 6 with 56,000 units, down 4%. Pooh Shiesty earned his second top‑10 entry as “All Eyes on Shiest” entered at No. 7, released while the rapper awaited trial.
