Netflix’s animated feature KPop Demon Hunters has delivered another groundbreaking moment in music, as its official soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for the very first time. The milestone comes after weeks of momentum and marks a major achievement for both the film and its fictional K-pop ensemble.
Deluxe Edition Pushes Album to the Top
The soundtrack had previously lingered at No. 2 for seven nonconsecutive weeks, unable to secure the top spot. That changed following the Sept. 5 release of a deluxe edition, which included bonus tracks and the album’s first physical CD version. According to Luminate, the album earned 128,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. this week, a surge that propelled it to the top of the chart.
This is the first movie soundtrack to top the Billboard 200 since Disney’s Encanto, which dominated for nine nonconsecutive weeks in 2022. The success underscores the growing influence of animated films — and particularly music-driven ones — in shaping mainstream pop culture.
Huntr/x’s “Golden” Breaks Records on Hot 100
The soundtrack’s leading single, “Golden” by Huntr/x, continues to dominate the Billboard Hot 100, where it has now spent five consecutive weeks at No. 1. This achievement makes it the longest-running chart-topper ever by an animated act, breaking the four-week records previously held by The Archies’ “Sugar, Sugar” (1969) and The Chipmunks’ “The Chipmunk Song” (1958).
Huntr/x — a fictional girl group voiced by artists EJAE (as Rumi), Audrey Nuna (as Mira), and REI AMI (as Zoey) — has become a cultural phenomenon in its own right, blending the popularity of K-pop with the accessibility of an animated universe. Their success is not just a novelty but a reflection of how fictional acts can break into real-world charts with dedicated fanbases and viral momentum.
Multiple Hits in the Top 10
Beyond “Golden,” the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is producing multiple hits simultaneously. For the fourth straight week, it has placed four tracks in the Hot 100’s top 10:
- “Your Idol” by Saja Boys climbs back to No. 4.
- “Soda Pop” by Saja Boys also returns to its peak at No. 5.
- Huntr/x’s “How It’s Done” rises to a new high, landing at No. 8.
This sustained presence highlights the project’s broad appeal and mirrors the impact of other animated franchises like Encanto and Frozen, which blended storytelling with chart-dominating soundtracks.
Other Billboard Chart Movers
The week also brought notable gains for other major releases. Justin Bieber’s Swag leapt from No. 17 to No. 4 on the Billboard 200 following the addition of 23 new tracks in a deluxe expansion. Meanwhile, Sombr’s I Barely Know Her broke into the top 10 for the first time, landing at No. 10.
A Cultural Moment for Animation and Music
The success of KPop Demon Hunters represents more than just a chart victory. It shows the growing crossover between animation, streaming platforms, and global pop music, particularly in the K-pop space where fandoms drive massive engagement. For Netflix, this achievement reinforces its ability to launch multimedia franchises that compete not only in film but also in music.
With Huntr/x setting records on the Hot 100 and the soundtrack hitting No. 1, KPop Demon Hunters has established itself as both a box-office and Billboard powerhouse, cementing its place in pop culture history.
