It’s been a week of milestones, surprises, and chart-topping triumphs in the music world, as the soundtrack to Netflix’s animated sensation KPop Demon Hunters has stormed to No. 1 on both Spotify’s Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. For fans of the genre and chart-watchers alike, this moment marks not just a victory for the film’s infectious music, but also a rare feat in the history of the music industry.
According to Billboard, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack finally clinched the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart dated September 20, 2025, after an extraordinary seven nonconsecutive weeks languishing at No. 2. That’s the longest wait for an album to move from second to first place on the Billboard 200 in nearly half a century. The last time an album endured such a lengthy stay in the runner-up position before hitting No. 1 was in 1977, when Linda Ronstadt’s Simple Dreams spent nine weeks at No. 2 before finally reaching the summit.
But what makes KPop Demon Hunters’s journey even more compelling is how it mirrors and diverges from these legendary stories. The album debuted at No. 8 in late June and, as reported by Yonhap, steadily climbed the chart as the animated film’s popularity exploded worldwide. Week after week, it hovered tantalizingly close to the top, only to be edged out by Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend—itself a critical and streaming hit. Yet on its twelfth week of release, the soundtrack surged past Carpenter’s album, propelled by a 7 percent boost in equivalent album units, totaling 128,000 in the week ending September 11, 2025.
What fueled this late-breaking momentum? Billboard points to a pair of clever strategies: the rollout of sing-along screenings across the United States and the re-release of a deluxe edition of the album. These moves not only reignited fan enthusiasm but also drove both streaming numbers and physical sales, giving the soundtrack just the push it needed to finally claim the top spot.
Meanwhile, on Spotify’s global charts, KPop Demon Hunters proved its staying power yet again. As reported by Spotify’s weekly recap, the soundtrack returned to No. 1 on the Albums Chart, dethroning Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend after just one week at the summit. On the singles side, the album’s standout track “Golden” by HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI, and the KPop Demon Hunters cast, held fast at No. 1 with a staggering 54 million streams—nearly 20 million more than the week’s No. 2 song, sombr’s “Back to Friends.”
This streaming dominance is more than just a statistical quirk. “Golden” has also held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for four consecutive weeks as of September 15, 2025, according to Yonhap. That kind of cross-platform supremacy is rare, especially for a soundtrack tied to an animated film. In fact, KPop Demon Hunters is the first animation soundtrack to top the Billboard 200 in three and a half years, following Encanto’s run in 2022.
The rest of the Spotify Top 20 this week reads like a who’s who of current pop and K-pop royalty. Carpenter’s “Tears” landed at No. 4 with 32 million streams, while Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” made a remarkable leap, jumping 13 spots to No. 12. KATSEYE’s “Gabriela” also made waves, surging from No. 38 to No. 16. Other notable entries include Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” at No. 13, Jin’s “Don’t Say You Love Me” at No. 7, and Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile” at No. 9. The diversity and global reach of these artists underscore the increasingly international flavor of today’s pop charts.
But while KPop Demon Hunters celebrates its historic ascent, it’s worth remembering the competitive context. The soundtrack spent seven nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, a feat matched only by a handful of albums in history. Billboard notes that Celine Dion’s Falling Into You and Let’s Talk About Love each spent five weeks at No. 2 before eventually reaching No. 1 in the 1990s. The all-time record for most weeks at No. 2 without ever reaching No. 1 still belongs to Stray Cats’ Built for Speed, which spent an agonizing 15 weeks in the runner-up spot back in 1982-83, blocked by the likes of Men at Work’s Business as Usual and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
For the KPop Demon Hunters team, this moment is not just about numbers, but about breaking new ground for animation and K-pop in the global music market. The film’s soundtrack, featuring a mix of established stars and rising talents, has resonated with listeners worldwide, blending catchy hooks, dynamic production, and the kind of infectious energy that’s become synonymous with the genre. The album’s success is also a testament to the power of multimedia synergy—where a hit film can drive music sales, and vice versa.
Elsewhere on the Billboard 200, K-pop boy group Stray Kids continued their own impressive run. Their latest studio album, Karma, ranked No. 8 for the week ending September 11, 2025, with 32,000 album units, down four spots from the previous week. Karma debuted at No. 1 and has remained on the chart for three consecutive weeks, further highlighting the genre’s enduring popularity.
For fans, industry insiders, and artists alike, the rise of KPop Demon Hunters marks a watershed moment. It’s a reminder that persistence, creative marketing, and a little bit of showbiz magic can turn a near-miss into a chart-topping phenomenon. As the music landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the boundaries between film, music, and global pop culture are blurrier—and more exciting—than ever.
With new records set and old ones revisited, this week’s charts tell a story of patience, strategy, and the ever-changing tastes of listeners worldwide. If history is any guide, the next big surprise might be just one stream away.
