BTS Has the Very First K-Pop Album to Spend 1 Year on the Billboard 200

Plus, a history of BTS consistently breaking records on America's main albums chart.

Once again breaking new ground for Korean artists in the U.S., BTS score a major milestone on the Billboard 200 as Love Yourself: Answer spends a full year on America's main albums chart.

BTS' Love Yourself: Answer returns to the Billboard 200 this week, re-entering at No. 165 for its 52nd, non-consecutive week on the chart. This makes the LP the first K-pop album to spend a year on the Billboard 200, far surpassing the longevity of any other act on the tally. After this week, Love Yourself: Answer has now earned 1.1 million total equivalent album units, according to Nielsen Music, making it eligible for platinum certification.

BTS have two albums on the Billboard 200 this week, as their latest chart-topping EP, Map of the Soul: Persona, is at No. 149 this week for its 25th non-consecutive week on the chart.

In terms of chart longevity, BTS first made history on the Billboard 200 way back in 2016, when their full-length album Wings spent two weeks on the Billboard 200 -- a first for a K-pop artist when all others had only managed one week after eight years of attempts.

The guys continued to break their own records with subsequent releases, including the group's Love Yourself: Her (the 2017 EP that has 44 non-consecutive weeks on the chart, the second-most Billboard 200 weeks of any BTS release) and even for their solo releases (member J-Hope saw his Hope World mixtape album score two weeks on the BB200 as well).

Love Yourself: Answer is particularly suited to today's streaming climate, as the compilation album boasts 26 tracks of new songs, plus favorites from past releases Love Yourself: Her and Love Yourself: Tear, into one journey of a record to compile BTS' Love Yourself era. Upon its release, lead single "Idol" hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, while several additional tracks, including "Euphoria" and "I'm Fine," landed on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart showing the range of interest in the songs. Meanwhile, "Euphoria" landed a major synch when it was featured on the Zendaya-starring HBO series of the same name, adding even more interest to the LP when most K-pop albums are focused around one lead single (commonly known as the "title track").

Only this year have more K-pop acts managed to score multiple weeks on the Billboard 200, as the likes of BLACKPINK and SuperM have both managed a month on the chart with their latest releases; Kill This Love peaked at No. 24 and spent four weeks on the chart, while the latter supergroup's self-titled EP earns its fourth week on the tally this week after debuting at No. 1 last month.