BTS is proving that the power of a physical album is still alive and well. Their record‘ARIRANG’made a big jump on the Billboard 200 this week, climbing from number 26 to number 9. The driving force? A new picture disc vinyl edition that dropped on July 17, complete with two bonus tracks that fans couldn’t get anywhere else.
The numbers tell the story: 40,000 equivalent units sold in the US, up 62% from the previous week. Vinyl purchases alone accounted for 12,500 of those units, a massive 398% increase. The chart momentum was also fueled by promotion for the group’s new single‘Normal’and their halftime performance at the FIFA World Cup final, which brought the album back into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Gracie Abrams debuted at number one on the Top Album Sales chart with‘Daughter From Hell,’and Motionless In White came in at number two with‘Decades.’
This kind of chart activity shows that fan loyalty can still move the needle in a big way, especially when artists create something special for their audience. Whether you’re into K-pop or not, there’s something to admire about a fanbase that shows up like that. What about you — would you buy a special-edition vinyl of your favorite album, or are you all-in on streaming these days?
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
