Netflix 'KPop Demon Hunters' Soundtrack Hits Billboard 200 No. 1, 'Golden' Tops Hot 100 Four Weeks
The soundtrack to Netflix's animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters" reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for the first time this week, while its lead single "Golden" by HUNTR/X completed four weeks atop the Hot 100 singles chart.
Soundtrack Finally Claims No. 1 After Long Wait
The soundtrack climbed from No. 2 to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart dated September 20, earning 128,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. This achievement came after seven nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2, the longest wait an album has endured in the runner-up spot before hitting No. 1 in nearly a half-century.
The surge followed the album's deluxe reissue on September 5 with additional tracks, plus the wide release of its CD that day. The soundtrack overtook Sabrina Carpenter's "Man's Best Friend," which fell to No. 2.
Historic Four Songs in Hot 100 Top 10
The "KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack made history by becoming the first soundtrack to generate four simultaneous top 10s over the Hot 100's 67-year archives. The four tracks currently in the top 10 are:
- "Golden" by HUNTR/X - No. 1 (four weeks total)
- "Your Idol" by Saja Boys - No. 5
- "Soda Pop" by Saja Boys - No. 6
- "How It's Done" by HUNTR/X - No. 9
This surpassed previous soundtracks like "Saturday Night Fever" and "Waiting to Exhale," which had three simultaneous top 10s.
'Golden' Sets K-Pop Records
"Golden" became only the second K-pop song to spend four weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, following BTS's "Butter" which ruled for 10 weeks in 2021. The track also marked several firsts:
- First female group associated with Korean pop to crown the Hot 100
- First all-woman collective of three or more members to lead in 24 years, since Destiny's Child with "Bootylicious" in August 2001
- First song by an all-woman group to lead the Streaming Songs chart since it began in 2013
HUNTR/X consists of EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, who voice the film's characters Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. EJAE and REI AMI were born in Seoul, South Korea, while Audrey Nuna is from New Jersey.
Netflix Success Drives Music Charts
The animated film became Netflix's most popular original movie to date, spending four weeks at No. 1 on Netflix's Top 10 Movies chart. The film's success directly translated to soundtrack performance, with "Golden" securing a seventh week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart.
KPop Demon Hunters is the seventh animated film soundtrack to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, following Encanto, Frozen, Frozen II, Curious George, Pocahontas, and The Lion King.
Chart Performance Timeline
The soundtrack's journey showed remarkable persistence:
- Week 1: Debuted at No. 8 on Billboard 200
- Weeks 2-8: Seven nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2
- Week 12: Finally reached No. 1 with 128,000 units
The soundtrack also dominated Billboard's Top Movie Songs chart for July 2025, claiming seven of the top 10 positions.
The "KPop Demon Hunters" phenomenon represents a rare achievement in modern music charts, where the soundtrack became the first to top the Billboard 200 in 2025 while simultaneously holding four Hot 100 top 10 positions - a feat no soundtrack had accomplished before.
