KATSEYE scores its first No. 1 on Billboard 200
KATSEYE / Courtesy of HYBE
The latest album of U.S.-based K-pop girl group KATSEYE has debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart for the first time.
Billboard said in a preview of this week's chart on Sunday (U.S. time) that Katseye's third EP, "Wild," took the top spot on the Billboard 200 with 170,000 equivalent album units, outpacing Phoebe Bridgers' "Lost Weekend" and Stray Kids' "This & That."
It marks the first time KATSEYE has reached No. 1 on the chart since the group debuted in 2024 through HYBE's U.S. partnership with Geffen Records.
KATSEYE is the fourth K-pop girl group to top the Billboard 200 since 2020, following BLACKPINK with "Born Pink" in 2022, NewJeans with "Get Up" in 2023 and TWICE with "With You-th" in 2024.
The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical and digital sales, as well as streaming and digital track downloads converted into album sales.
Of the 170,000 units earned by "Wild," album sales accounted for 145,000, according to Billboard.
Released on Aug. 14, "Wild" explores accepting every facet of one's inner self while pursuing instinct and freedom.
HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, British pop star Ed Sheeran, and producers Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin were among those who took part in the album's creation.
The EP had earlier become KATSEYE's highest-charting release in Britain, debuting at No. 2 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100 released Friday (local time).
KATSEYE was formed through "The Debut: Dream Academy," a survival program jointly launched by HYBE and Universal Music Group's Geffen Records. The group made its U.S. debut in 2024 and has released hit songs, including "Gnarly" and "Gabriela," earning a best new artist nomination at this year's Grammy Awards.
Before KATSEYE, BLACKPINK, NewJeans, TWICE, BTS, SuperM, Stray Kids, Ateez and Tomorrow X Together had reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 among K-pop acts, while the original soundtrack album for Netflix's global hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters" also led the chart.
Meanwhile, Stray Kids' "This & That" fell two places from the previous week to No. 3 with 82,000 equivalent album units.