Jungkook of BTS has marked a global success by achieving the highest sales for a K-pop solo album in the United States in 2023. The official accounts 'chart data' and 'About Music', which provide real-time updates on global music charts, reported that Jungkook's 'GOLDEN' finished the year as the top-selling K-pop solo album in the U.S. The album, released in November of last year, accomplished this feat in just two months, showcasing Jungkook's formidable musical power and popularity beyond his fandom.
According to the 2023 annual report 'US Top CD Album Sales' (from December 30, 2022, to December 28, 2023) by Luminate, a music and entertainment industry analysis company, 'GOLDEN' recorded sales of 244,000 copies, ranking 10th overall and first among global male solo artists.
'GOLDEN' set records in its first week of release in the U.S., achieving the highest sales for a K-pop solo album with over 200,000 units. Furthermore, within a month of its release, 'GOLDEN' became the first K-pop solo album in 2023 to surpass 500,000 units in the U.S.
Three tracks from 'GOLDEN' ('Seven', '3D', and 'Standing Next to You') achieved the remarkable feat of selling over 500,000 units each within a year in the U.S., setting a precedent as the first K-pop artist to do so.
'Seven' rapidly reached over one million units in sales in the U.S. within 71 days in 2023, earning Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
'GOLDEN' debuted at number 2 on Billboard's main album chart, 'Billboard 200', tying for the highest-ranking K-pop solo artist, and debuted at number 1 on both 'Top Sales Album' and 'Top Current Album' charts. It also made history as the first K-pop album to enter at number 15 on the 'Top Streaming Albums' chart.
Jungkook's remarkable long-term success with 'GOLDEN' included four consecutive weeks in the top 20 and nine weeks in the top 50 on the 'Billboard 200', demonstrating his powerful staying power.
'GOLDEN' was recognized in major publications like Rolling Stone's 'Best Music of 2023', MTV's 'Record-Breaking Albums of 2023', The New York Times' 'Best Albums of 2023', and Uproxx's 'The Best Albums Of 2023'. Jungkook was also featured in Billboard as one of the 'Greatest Pop Stars of 2023'.
Lastly, 'GOLDEN' topped the '2023 Cumulative Album (Physical) Sales Top 15' chart by the Korea Music Content Association's Circle Chart, selling 2,702,453 copies, making it the top-selling album among all K-pop solo artists, male and female, for the year 2023.
