Stray Kids Hit New Billboard Hot 100 Career High 2026

Can a group really challenge The Beatles’ record? Stray Kids just got one step closer. Their new single “This & That” debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest chart position the group has ever reached.

That’s not the only headline this week. The song’s parent EP also landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking Stray Kids’ ninth chart-topping album on that list. Numbers like these don’t happen by accident, so let’s break down what’s really going on.

Stray Kids Make Billboard History

Stray Kids has built a reputation for consistency, but this week added a new layer of achievement. “This & That” hitting No. 38 on the Hot 100 is their best-ever showing on that singles chart. Meanwhile, the EP of the same name debuted straight at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Why does this matter so much? The Billboard 200 measures overall album performance in the United States, combining sales, streaming, and other consumption data. Topping it once is impressive; doing it nine times puts a group in truly rare company.

Stray Kids now ranks second among all group acts in Billboard 200 history for the most No. 1 albums. Only The Beatles, with 19 chart-topping albums, sit ahead of them. Stray Kids has tied The Rolling Stones for second place, a milestone few could have predicted a decade ago.

Why “This & That” Resonates

According to the band, “This & That” carries “a bold attitude and confidence to pursue what we want without being bound by convention.” That message isn’t just marketing language. It reflects a theme Stray Kids has leaned into throughout their career: refusing to fit neatly into anyone’s expectations.

Have you noticed how many K-pop acts build their identity around self-empowerment? Stray Kids has made that theme almost a signature. Their fandom, known as STAY, has responded strongly to music that feels defiant rather than polished for mass appeal.

This isn’t the group’s first brush with convention-breaking success either. Stray Kids has spent years writing and producing much of their own material through their in-house unit, 3RACHA. That creative control likely explains why their sound keeps evolving instead of repeating a formula that already worked.

Stray Kids Among K-Pop’s Elite

Stray Kids isn’t the only K-pop act making waves on this week’s Hot 100. Jennie of BLACKPINK, teaming up with Australian act Tame Impala on “Dracula,” landed at No. 8. Girl group KATSEYE’s “Animal” charted at No. 30.

Taken together, these results say something bigger about K-pop’s reach. It’s no longer just about one breakout group having a moment. Multiple acts, multiple concepts, and even cross-genre collaborations are now finding real estate on America’s most competitive chart.

For readers wanting to track these numbers as they update weekly, the Korea Times offers ongoing coverage. Stray Kids’ consistent presence within this landscape shows they aren’t a one-hit story. They’re part of a broader, sustained wave of Korean music entering mainstream American listening habits.

What This Means for K-Pop’s Future

So where does Stray Kids go from here? Nine Billboard 200 No. 1 albums is a number that invites comparison to legacy acts, and comparisons like that carry real weight. Tying The Rolling Stones isn’t a small footnote; it’s a marker of longevity most groups never reach.

Success like this can feel purely celebratory, and in many ways it is. But it’s worth remembering that chart records don’t capture everything a group experiences behind the scenes. Sustained global fame brings real pressure, tight schedules, and expectations that don’t ease just because the numbers look good.

What gives this story its warmth, though, is the human element behind the milestone. Seven members, years of collaborative songwriting, and a fanbase that has grown alongside them — that’s not something charts measure directly. The steady climb from rookie group to Billboard mainstay reflects effort sustained over time, not a single lucky break.

Where does Stray Kids go from a No. 38 debut? History suggests upward, but nobody controls a chart completely. What we can say is that Korean music keeps finding new entry points into global listening habits, one song at a time.

What do you think is driving Stray Kids’ growing crossover appeal in the U.S. market?

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