[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] "ARIRANG," the fifth studio album by the "global idol" group BTS, has been named one of the most successful albums in the UK during the first half of this year.

The UK Official Charts announced “The Official Biggest Albums of 2026 So Far” on the 16th (local time). This ranking is compiled by aggregating physical CD sales, digital downloads, and audio and video streaming figures from January through the present.
On this chart, BTS’s “Arirang” ranked 20th. The list includes a large number of classic albums by world-renowned artists such as Oasis, Queen, and Michael Jackson. Only six artists—including BTS, Drake, Harry Styles, and Olivia Rodrigo—made it onto the chart with albums released this year.
BTS’s “Arirang” debuted at No. 1 on the UK’s “Official Albums Top 100” (dated March 27–April 2) in its first week of release. Since then, the album has consistently remained in the “Top 40,” and following their recent world tour concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, its ranking surged sharply, reaching No. 21 on last week’s chart (July 10–16)—a 16-spot jump from the previous week.
Meanwhile, BTS released the Korean version of “NORMAL,” a track from *Arirang*, on the 17th. As of 9:00 a.m. on the 18th, the song topped the iTunes Top Songs charts in 69 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and Brazil.
BTS will wrap up the European leg of their world tour with concerts at the Stade de France in Paris on the 17th and 18th. They will then head to the U.S. to perform at the halftime show for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup final on the 19th at New Jersey Stadium in New York alongside pop stars Madonna, Shakira, and Justin Bieber.