The 'World Cup + Vinyl' Effect Pays Off: BTS's 'Arirang' Reenters Billboard Top 10 [View King]

BTS's fifth full-length album, Arirang, has made a comeback on the U.S. Billboard main album chart, the Billboard 200. The boost is believed to have come from the release of a special vinyl edition and the excitement surrounding the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Billboard said in a chart preview article on the 26th local time that Arirang ranked No. 9 on the Billboard 200 dated August 1. That marked a jump of 17 places from No. 26 the previous week. The rebound was driven largely by the release of a special vinyl edition that added two bonus tracks, "Voice Message: Love Song" and "Normal." The vinyl sold the equivalent of 40,000 copies this week and helped push the album up the chart. Billboard also said BTS's recent halftime show performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final appears to have affected album sales. On the 19th, BTS appeared as a co-headliner alongside pop stars Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber in the first halftime show ever held in World Cup history, and performed their megahit "Dynamite." At the time, Billboard praised the group for delivering explosive energy with a song that had reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Entertainment outlet Variety also lauded the performance, saying BTS lit up the halftime show with its dynamic rendition of "Dynamite." The chart rebound appears to have been completed as increased album sales from the special vinyl release combined with the buzz surrounding the World Cup halftime show. Released in March, Arirang debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed at the top for three consecutive weeks. Four months after its release, it has now reentered the top 10, once again underscoring BTS's global influence.