BTS [Getty Images]
BTS [Getty Images]

BTS's fifth studio album "Arirang," released upon the group's return as a full lineup, has landed on the UK's best-selling albums chart for the first half of 2026.

According to the UK Official Charts' "The Official Biggest Albums of 2026 So Far" top 40, "Arirang" ranked 20th by cumulative sales in the first half of the year.

The upper reaches of the first-half chart were dominated by greatest-hits compilations from legendary pop acts, including Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac and Ed Sheeran. The top 10 featured Olivia Dean, Harry Styles, Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Alex Warren, Sabrina Carpenter, Noah Kahan and Oasis. Of all new releases this year, only six acts broke into the top 20 — BTS among them, alongside Drake, Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo — making BTS the sole K-pop act to achieve the feat.

The Official Charts noted that "Arirang" had surged 15 places on the strength of BTS's world tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, calling it "the highest-charting K-pop project in the UK so far this year."

The top of the first-half album chart was dominated by greatest-hits releases from legendary pop acts such as Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac and Ed Sheeran. The top 10 included Olivia Dean, Harry Styles, Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Alex Warren, Sabrina Carpenter, Noah Kahan and Oasis.

On the companion "Official Biggest Singles of 2026 So Far" top 40, released the same day, "Golden" — the main soundtrack from the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" — came in at No. 8, demonstrating the track's enduring streaming power.

Performed by Lee Jae, O Duri Nuna and Ray Ami under the project group HUNTR/X, the song spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the weekly singles chart last year. That run set a record as the longest-running No. 1 by an animated-film artist in chart history.

"Dracula" by Australian band Tame Impala, featuring a remix contribution from Blackpink's Jennie, settled at No. 14 on the cumulative singles chart, riding a viral resurgence on short-form video platforms.

The Official Charts said the track had "found a completely new lease of life" with Jennie's addition, successfully breaking into the mainstream.

On this week's Official Singles Chart Top 100, "Iconic by Mistake" — a collaboration by HYBE girl groups Le Sserafim, Illit and Katseye — fell 11 places from the previous week to No. 70, though it extended its chart run to five consecutive weeks. "Golden" rebounded four spots to No. 49, extending its chart presence to 56 consecutive weeks, while "Arirang" held at No. 35 on the weekly albums chart for a 17th straight week.


shee@heraldcorp.com