Holiday music reigns supreme on the charts this week, with Mariah Carey’s iconic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” securing its 17th nonconsecutive week at No. 1, marking the third longest run in the song’s history. On the Billboard 200 albums chart, K-pop sensation Stray Kids makes history with their latest album HOP, debuting at No. 1. This marks the group’s sixth consecutive No. 1 debut, setting a new record for the most consecutive chart-topping albums by any artist to start their career.
Stray Kids Make History with HOP Debut
Stray Kids’ HOP album’s No. 1 debut further solidifies their place in K-pop history. The group now holds the record for the most No. 1 debuts by a single artist, surpassing a previous record tied by the late rapper DMX. Stray Kids’ dominance on the charts comes just four months after their previous album ATE also debuted at No. 1, marking a streak of six straight No. 1 albums in just three years.
The majority of HOP’s chart success stems from strong CD sales, contributing to the group’s rapid rise on the Billboard 200. Although K-pop albums often have short-lived chart runs due to a heavy reliance on physical sales over streaming, the success of HOP is a testament to the massive and growing influence of K-pop in the global music scene. In fact, K-pop has made a lasting impact on the U.S. charts, with 27 albums in languages other than English reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 since 2018, two-thirds of which are in Korean.
Top Albums and Holiday Favorites
Following Stray Kids on the chart, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX holds strong at No. 2 for the third consecutive week. Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department drops to No. 3, while Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet climbs from No. 5 to No. 4. Other notable entries in the Top 10 include Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, which rises to No. 8, and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which surges to No. 9.
The rest of the Top 10 is filled with holiday cheer, with Michael Bublé’s Christmas jumping from No. 7 to No. 5, Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas climbing to No. 6, and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas leaping from No. 14 to No. 10. These festive classics are a staple of the season, with Carey’s album continuing to benefit from the enduring popularity of her holiday anthem.
As the year winds down, Mariah Carey and Stray Kids’ chart dominance highlights the continued global influence of holiday music and K-pop, reshaping the landscape of contemporary pop culture.
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