Stray Kids Earn 9th Billboard 200 No. 1 With 'This & That'

Building beyond the historic launch of their previous project 'Skz It Tape: Do It,' Stray Kids landed atop the Billboard 200 chart dated Aug. 22 with their 10th EP 'This & That.' Evidence highlights commercial dominance as the set earned 369,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Aug. 13. According to Billboard, the release generated 357,000 traditional album sales, marking the act's best sales week ever. This achievement extends an unbroken streak where all nine of the group's Billboard 200 chart entries have debuted directly at No. 1. The milestone cements their position as the act with the most chart-topping albums among groups that debuted after 2000, setting the record for the most No. 1 albums by a group in the 21st century.

Korea Herald reported that Stray Kids became the first act in the chart's 70-year history to debut its first nine charting titles at No. 1. The streak originated with 'Oddinary' and 'Maxident' in 2022 and continued through '5-Star' and 'Rock-Star' in 2023, 'Ate' and 'Skzhop Hiptape: Hop' in 2024, and 'Karma' and 'Skz It Tape: Do It' in 2025. With this ninth leader, Stray Kids tie the Rolling Stones for the second-most No. 1 albums among groups in Billboard 200 history. The Beatles lead all musical acts with 19 chart-toppers on the tally, which began publishing on a regular weekly basis in March 1956.

In a statement released through their agency, JYP Entertainment, the band expressed their gratitude. "We have achieved our ninth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in our ninth year since debut, almost as if it were destined," the group said, describing the milestone as a great honor. Stray Kids credited their fan base, known as Stay, stating, "Above all, we were able to achieve this thanks to Stay, who have supported Stray Kids unwaveringly." The band added that they aim to continue expanding their unique musical spectrum and showcase "the limitless growth of not only Stray Kids but also K-pop."

One notable element is the tight creative direction executed by the group's internal production unit 3Racha, comprised of members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han. According to Yonhap, the production trio oversaw all eight tracks on the EP, establishing a cohesive sound. The mini album centers on its hip-hop-based, groovy title track of the same name, which conveys what the band described as "a bold attitude and confidence to pursue what we want without being bound by convention." Stray Kids remain the only K-pop group to achieve nine No. 1 entries on the Billboard 200, setting a formidable benchmark for global releases.