Stray Kids & Other K-pop Groups Dominate U.S. CD Sales

• K-pop groups accounted for five of the top ten best-selling CDs in the U.S. in 2025, with Stray Kids taking three places just behind Taylor Swift.
• Multiple album editions, photobooks, and unique merchandise transform K-pop CDs into collectible cultural experiences that encourage more fan purchases.
• Streaming in the U.S. surpassed 1.4 trillion in 2025, with physical sales still contributing significantly.

K-pop fans were surprisingly eager to buy discs in 2025, in a market increasingly dominated by streaming, providing an interesting account of fan activity in terms of physical album sales. As per Luminate's year-end data, Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl was the best-selling CD album in the United States in 2025, with almost 2 million copies sold in the format, but K-pop groups took five of the other nine spots in the top ten, depicting a rare level of lead for non-U.S. acts.

K-pop Dominates U.S. CD Sales

K-pop boy band Stray Kids took three slots after Taylor Swift with KARMA at No. 2 (524,000), DO IT at No. 3 (456,000), and 合 (HOP) at No. 6 (223,000). Additionally, ENHYPEN, ATEEZ, KATSEYE, and TXT were also included in the rankings, showcasing K-pop's physical market power. The full list of the top-10 best-selling CDs in the U.S. is down below:

1. Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl (1,957,000)
2. Stray Kids – KARMA (524,000)
3. Stray Kids – DO IT (456,000)
4. ENHYPEN – DESIRE : UNLEASH (261,000)
5. ATEEZ – GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3 (223,000)
6. Stray Kids – 合 (HOP) (223,000)
7. KATSEYE – BEAUTIFUL CHAOS (186,000)
8. The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow (176,000)
9. Travis Scott & JACKBOYS – JACKBOYS 2 (170,000)
10. TXT – The Star Chapter: TOGETHER (168,000) 

According to industry analysts, physical media continues to be an area where loyal fanbases can have a significant impact in an era where streaming accounts for the majority of consumption. As per Luminate's year-end forecast, U.S. on-demand streaming topped 1.4 trillion in 2025, up approximately by 4.6% from the previous year. Meanwhile, physical sales, especially vinyl, continued to rise modestly.

Collector Culture Drives K-pop's Market Edge

K-pop's CD chart success can be attributed to both conscious collector incentives, different versions, photobooks, and other additional items, as well as a global fan environment that increasingly views physical releases as cultural experiences. Stray Kids, for instance, was the top-selling foreign artist across all media formats (physical and streaming), moving hundreds of thousands of units in addition to its physical release. As for the top-10 best-selling albums in the U.S. in 2025 (physical + streaming), the list is as follows:

1. Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl (3.985 million)
2. Stray Kids – KARMA (585,000)
3. The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow (543,000)
4. Stray Kids – DO IT (460,000)
5. Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend (431,000)
6. Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet (413,000)
7. Kendrick Lamar – GNX (399,000)
8. Soundtrack – KPop Demon Hunters (366,000)
9. Morgan Wallen – I’m the Problem (329,000)
10. Lady Gaga – MAYHEM (292,000)

As global touring grows with BTS and other K-pop groups’ rankings, fan engagement becomes more monetized through physical records. This dominance of K-pop on the U.S. CD chart reveals a structural advantage, especially in a streaming-dominated sector, as the genre continues to succeed where ownership is still important. Physical sales continue to be an area where passionate fanbases may drive significant numbers, transforming album releases into huge commercial and cultural events.