Proof, the new compilation album by BTS, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated June 25), marking the pop group’s sixth No. 1 album.
According to Luminate, the retrospective, which consists primarily of previously released songs, debuted with 314,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States for the week of June 16. The vast majority of the units were generated by CD record sales.
With ‘Proof,’ BTS Earns Sixth No. 1 Album on the Billboard 200 Chart
The compilation was released on June 10, four days prior to the band’s announcement of an indefinite “hiatus” to pursue solo endeavors. In 2013, the seven-member South Korean group made its debut on the U.S. Billboard list. BTS has fifteen albums on the Billboard 200 chart.
Also in the new top 10, Carrie Underwood earns her tenth straight top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 with the release of her new studio album Denim & Rhinestones in the region. This represents the totality of her charting efforts.
Luminate compiles the Billboard 200 list, which ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units include record sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA) (SEA).
Each unit corresponds to one album sale, ten individual tracks sold from an album, 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand audio and video streams generated by songs from an album, or ten individual tracks sold individually.
The new chart dated June 25, 2022, will be presented in its entirety on Billboard’s website on June 21. Follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on Twitter and Instagram for all chart-related news.
Album sales represent 266,000 of Proof’s 314,000 equivalent album units earned; SEA units represent 36,000 (equivalent to 52.84 million on-demand official streaming of the set’s tracks), and TEA units represent 12,000.
In terms of units won and album sales, Proof is the most successful album week of the year for a group. The only greater week in 2022 was the premiere period for Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, which sold 521,000 units, including 330,000 albums.
The proof was released as a digital download and streaming album with 35 tracks, as well as an enhanced CD record with 48 tracks.
The latter edition contains thirteen exclusive tracks, most of which are demo recordings, not accessible on the digital or streaming album. No additional proof formats, such as vinyl LP or cassette, were issued.
All editions of the album include eight of BTS’ thirteen top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (as of the most recent chart, dated June 18), including three of the group’s six No. 1s (“Dynamite,” “Life Goes On,” and “Butter”).
Proof includes three brand-new tunes, including the lead single “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”.
The CD edition of the album was released in lavish collector packaging, as is usual for many K-pop releases. There are two CD variations available: one for $24 and one for $70. (specific retailers may have sales priced them for less).
Both include the same track listing but have distinct packaging and paper materials (such as booklets and posters).
Each additionally incorporates random components (photocards and postcards). BTS is not a stranger to costly CD albums. The eight-track Be, 2020’s most recent studio album, was initially available in only two retail formats: internet for $9 and CD for $50.)
Proof sold over 266,000 traditional records, while 6,500 digital albums were sold. The remaining total of just over 259,000 was comprised entirely of CD sales.
This is the most CDs sold in a single week in the United States since Adele’s 30 sold 378,000 in its first week (ending Nov 25, 2021; chart dated Dec. 4, 2021).
Comparatively, Adele’s 30 CD was released in three variations: a 12-track normal edition (with a suggested retail price of $11.98), a Target-exclusive pressing with three bonus tracks ($13.98), and a $40 deluxe boxed set containing the standard CD, a T-shirt, and a photo print. The vast majority of 30 CDs were sold in the $11.98 and $13.98 editions.
Proof, which was recorded primarily in Korean, is the fifteenth mostly or entirely non-English language album to reach No. 1 and the third in 2022.
Bad Bunny (with the all-Spanish Un Verano Sin Ti) and Stray Kids both had non-English No. 1s this year (the mostly-Korean Ordinary). BTS has released six of the 15 leaders whose albums are predominantly in a language other than English.
With 129,000 equivalent album units achieved, Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti falls to No. 2 on the new Billboard 200 chart (down 6 percent ). Un Verano Sin Ti is the first album to gain more than 100,000 equivalent album units in each of its first six weeks in nearly four years.
The latest album to do so was Drake’s Scorpion, which sold over 100,000 copies in each of its first seven weeks (July 28-Aug. 25, 2018 charts).
Harry’s House by Harry Styles remains at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 91,000 equivalent album units (down 20 percent ). Twelve Carat Toothache falls 2-4 in its second week with 59,000 copies sold (down 51 percent ).
Future’s former No. 1 I Never Liked You falls from No. 1 to No. 5 with 55,000 sales (down 10 percent ).
Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album is unchanged at No. 6 (52,000; down less than 1 percent), Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers falls 5-7 (42,000; down 23 percent), and Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour is unchanged at No. 8 (52,000). (32,000; down 14 percent ).
Ctrl by SZA leaps from No. 35 to No. 9 after a deluxe version celebrating the album’s fifth anniversary and featuring seven previously unreleased tracks was released on June 10.
The album, which debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the chart dated July 1, 2017, gains 32,000 equivalent album units (up 109 percent ).