Seventeen leads K-pop best-selling albums in 2023

Photo from @pledis_17/X

In 2023, continuing into the current year, Taylor Swift broke records with the most weeks in Billboard 200’s Top 10 in the last 60 years, had the most wins for Album of the Year at the Grammys, generated billions for her Era’s world tour and named the biggest artist of 2023 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

Now, the music scene witnessed a K-pop revolution in the same year, as revealed by IFPI’s latest album chart. Among the top 10 best-selling albums, five were from K-pop groups, with Seventeen’s “FML” taking the crown.

#1: @pledis_17 – FML

#1 for the 1st time in IFPI's Global Album Chart it’s K-Pop phenomenon SEVENTEEN. The band's 10th EP "FML" was a global hit, breaking K-Pop album sales records on release, & was a hit in the US & globally.

Congrats SEVENTEEN, you're #1!👏#GlobalAlbumChart pic.twitter.com/QLbwyI6bcI

— IFPI (@IFPI_org) February 27, 2024

The organization’s year-end albums chart for 2023 showcases the worldwide phenomenon of K-pop. The list, announced on Feb. 27 (PST), marks a milestone for the “Super” and “Hot” hitmakers, clinching their first IFPI Global Album Award.

The award recognizes their worldwide sales across streaming, downloads and physical formats throughout 2023, leading other hits like Stray Kids’ “5-Star,” Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing At a Time,” and even Taylor Swift’s chart-toppers “Midnights” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”

According to IFPI’s post, “The band’s 10th EP “FML” was a global hit, breaking K-pop album sales records on release, and was a hit in the US and globally.”

The success of “FML” isn’t just about streams but also solid album sales. Released in April 2023, it became the most pre-ordered long play in K-pop history, hitting number one in South Korea and Japan and grabbing second place on the Billboard 200.

#2: @Stray_Kids – 5-STAR

“5-STAR”, the 3rd Korean-language studio album and 4th overall from K-Pop band Stray Kids, proved their most successful globally to date, peaking at #1 in charts the world over from S. Korea, to France, Poland, Portugal and the US.#GlobalAlbumChart pic.twitter.com/FHDYMFCwK5

— IFPI (@IFPI_org) February 27, 2024

And it’s not just Seventeen making waves. Stray Kids and NCT Dream also rocked the top 10, with NCT Dream at 6th place for “ISTJ” marking the first SM Entertainment (their company) act to debut on the list.

“ISTJ” was the 6th best-selling album worldwide during 2023 (via. IFPI).

NCT DREAM becomes the first SM Entertainment act to rank among this list. pic.twitter.com/dvUev7OLFw

— NCT DREAM Charts (@chartsnctdream) February 27, 2024

Stray Kids, like Seventeen, also has two entries with “5-Stae” at No. 2 and “Rock-Star” at No. 9. Plus, K-pop acts like Zerobaseone and IVE left their mark at No. 18 and No. 20 respectively and BTS’ Jung Kook at No. 14.

In a nutshell, the dominance of K-pop in both streaming and album sales underscores its unrivaled cultural impact and its status as a driving force shaping the future of the global music industry.