Group KATSEYE's third EP, 'WILD', has claimed the number one spot on the US Billboard main album chart, the Billboard 200. This milestone comes approximately two years after their debut.
Billboard previewed on the 23rd (local time) that 'WILD' will debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart dated August 29. Released on the 14th, 'WILD' recorded 170,000 equivalent album units in the US during the tracking period (August 14 – 20). Billboard noted this as "the biggest weekly sales performance for a girl group since the album equivalent sales metric was transitioned in December 2015."
Having debuted in the US in August 2024, KATSEYE was formed through Hybe's global audition project 'The Debut: Dream Academy', with final members selected through fan voting. Unlike traditional K-pop export models that begin activities in Korea before expanding overseas, KATSEYE is cited as a prime example of Hybe's "multi-home, multi-genre" strategy yielding success in the local market.
Following their debut, KATSEYE successively landed 'Gnarly', 'Gabriela', 'Internet Girl', 'PINKY UP', and 'Animal' on the Billboard Hot 100, and was nominated for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards. They also won three categories, including New Artist of the Year, at the 2026 American Music Awards.
Their second EP, 'BEAUTIFUL CHAOS', peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and has remained on the chart for a cumulative 59 weeks as of the chart dated August 22. Along with topping the US chart, the new release 'WILD' also reached number one in the Netherlands and Belgium, while charting at number two in the UK and France, number three in Ireland, and number four in Germany.
KATSEYE will carry the momentum from the release of 'WILD' into their upcoming 'THE WILDWORLD TOUR', which kicks off in Dublin, Ireland, on September 1.
(Photo: Yonhap News) (SBS Entertainment News, Reporter Kang Kyung-yoon)
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