Top July 2022 K-pop Acts: BTS and NCT Dream rule with multi-million album sales
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: With K-pop going global, the Gaon Music Chart, one of the most reputable Korean music charts has rebranded As Circle Chart to represent K-pop’s global influence. They are honoring the top K-pop acts of each month with album sales certificates with badges like platinum and million-seller. We have seen the likes of BTS, Red Velvet, NCT Dream and IVE dominate the chart in the past.
In June, we saw the third generation of K-pop making a comeback with BTS, NCT Dream, Seventeen and GOT7 reclaiming their throne with multi-million and multi-platinum badges for their best-selling albums. Circle Chart teams up with KMCA to honor K-pop albums that cross a minimum of 250k sales and are older than six weeks. This is why fans knew that K-pop acts like BTS, NCT Dream, TWICE’s Nayeon and more would be making the list in July.
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Top June K-pop Acts: 3rd gen groups BTS, Seventeen, NCT Dream and GOT7 dominate the charts
Top May K-pop Acts: Female acts IVE, Red Velvet and Heize dominate Gaon Chart
Circle honors third-gen acts BTS, NCT Dream and TWICE’s Nayeon
On August 11, Circle Chart released the list for July that included K-pop acts that have been awarded album sales certificates. With BTS finally making a comeback after two years and breaking records after records, it is no surprise that their latest album ‘Proof’ was awarded a triple-million badge.
NCT Dream happens to be the next third-gen group that is making the rookie groups fight to make the new generation similarly impactful. 2022 is a good year for NCT Dream as their March album ‘Glict Mode' became the fastest million-seller. The next album ‘Beatbox’ made history as the second-highest sales for a repackaged album despite a delay in shipment. And well, in July, it crossed a million sales making NCT Dream the SM act with the most million certifications from Circle Chart with four million-selling albums.
Nayeon keeps making history as well as she became the first TWICE member to make her solo debut. She also became the first K-pop soloist to chart in the top 10 of Billboard 200 with ‘Im Nayeon’ at #7. She had also topped domestic charts like Circle, Bugs and was in the top 5 of the likes of MelOn, Genie and FLO. She had also become the first female soloist who debuted in the 2020s to win a triple crown on a music show. Well, even the album sales represented her growth as 'Im Nayeon' has now been awarded a platinum certificate.
Rising stars like TXT and Stray Kids too make waves
TXT is yet again another K-pop group that has been dominating the Circle Chart. While in June, their latest album ‘Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child’ became their first million-selling album, it is their 2020 album that is turning heads now. ‘Minisode 1: Blue Hour’, TXT’s third mini-album has now crossed 750k sales and has been certified triple platinum. Stray Kids is also a regular on the Circle Chart as this time their 2018 album ‘I am WHO’ became a platinum-seller.
Rookie girl groups Kep1er and STAYC also have a good month. Kep1er’s first comeback is now a platinum-seller with the release ‘Doublast’. STAYC too have crossed 250k sales for their second mini-album ‘Young-Luv.com’ which is now platinum. We then have idol actress IU whose single ‘Blueming’ was awarded a platinum badge for 2.5 million downloads. Along with her, Girls’ Generation’s leader Taeyeon’s solo music also seems to be doing well digitally as her lead single ‘Weekend’ is now platinum for 100 million streams.