BTS ties Japan chart record

BTS added another week atop Billboard Japan’s Hot Albums chart in an update published on May 20, with “ARIRANG” returning to No. 1 for a seventh total week. Billboard Japan said the chart covered the May 11 to May 17 tracking period, and fan accounts on X quickly circulated the result as a record-tying milestone. The chart move keeps “ARIRANG” in the middle of an unusually durable run in Japan for the group’s fifth album, which Billboard Japan has described as BTS’s first comeback album in about three years and nine months. The outlet said the 14-track release includes the lead song “SWIM.” ### How did BTS get back to No. 1 this week? Billboard Japan said “ARIRANG” ranked first on streaming for the week even as it placed 21st in CD sales with 1,395 copies and fifth in downloads with 277. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) That mix was enough to lift the album back to the top of the composite Hot Albums ranking. The chart combines multiple consumption signals rather than relying only on physical sales. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) Billboard Japan’s chart pages list Hot Albums separately from Top Albums Sales and Download Albums, underscoring that the No. 1 Hot Albums position reflects a broader measure of performance. ### What exactly is the record BTS tied? Billboard Japan’s May 20 item confirmed that “ARIRANG” reached a seventh total week at No. 1 on Hot Albums. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) The social-media framing around a tied all-time record came from fan accounts rather than from the Billboard Japan article itself. Because Billboard Japan’s chart report cited the seventh No. 1 week but did not specify the title of the record-holder in the material reviewed here, the verifiable point is narrower: BTS has reached seven total weeks at No. 1 on the chart with “ARIRANG.” (billboard-japan.com) ### Who was behind BTS on the latest chart? Billboard Japan listed HANA’s “HANA” at No. 2 after rising from third place the previous week. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) ILLIT’s “MAMIHLAPINATAPAI” was No. 3, followed by the compilation “超かぐや姫!” at No. 4 and Mr.Children’s “産声” at No. 5. The same top 10 also included Yorushika’s “二人称,” BABYMONSTER’s “[CHOOM],” King & Prince’s “STARRING,” Sakanaction’s “sakanaction,” and Mrs. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) GREEN APPLE’s “ANTENNA.” ### How long has “ARIRANG” been a factor on the chart? Billboard Japan reported on April 15 that “ARIRANG” had already logged a fourth straight week at No. 1 for the April 6 to April 12 tracking frame. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) In that earlier week, the album posted 6,300 CD sales, 1,300 downloads and another No. 1 finish in streaming. That earlier report showed the album opening a gap of more than two times the points of the runner-up, according to Billboard Japan. (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) By May 20, the album was still leading the overall chart on streaming, even with lower weekly sales and download totals. ### Where can readers track the next update? Billboard Japan’s charts page listed the latest Hot Albums update under the date May 14 when crawled, while the news report cited the chart release published on May 20. (billboard-japan.com) The site’s charts hub is where the next weekly rankings for Hot Albums, Top Albums Sales and other categories are posted. BTS, HANA and ILLIT were the top three albums named in the latest published Hot Albums report, and Billboard Japan’s next weekly refresh will show whether “ARIRANG” moves beyond seven weeks at No. 1. (billboard-japan.com) (tvfan.kyodo.co.jp) (billboard-japan.com)