Taking a break from his music career due to mandatory military service, BTS’s J-Hope remains a chart sensation in America. Despite his absence, his music continues to perform remarkably on the Billboard charts. This week, his latest album’s continued success rewrite his best solo showing on the important and competitive Billboard 200 chart as devoted fans rally behind him.
J-Hope’s album Jack in the Box has achieved an impressive feat by entering the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. This list ranks the most popular albums and EPs in the US. The title comes in at No. 6 on the latest ranking, and according to Billboard, the album’s equivalent album units have soared to 50,000, an astonishing 5,100% increase from the previous week. Out of this total, 47,000 units are direct album purchases.
What makes J-Hope’s achievement even more impressive is that Jack in the Box isn’t new. The album actually made its debut on the Billboard 200 the previous summer upon its initial release. Back then, it was exclusively available for digital streaming and purchase, which seemingly held it back.
J-Hope and his team recently re-released the album as a special version, which has named the Hope Edition. This expanded offering includes additional tracks, including instrumentals and live recordings from J-Hope’s performance at Lollapalooza.
The surge in interest came from fans being able to physically own Jack in the Box this time around. While fans initially streamed the album a year ago, its availability in physical format has struck a chord. This shift has not only made the album one of the bestsellers of the week in the US but also propelled it to new heights on the all-encompassing Billboard 200, which takes into account sales and streams.
Jack in the Box now marks J-Hope’s first appearance in the Billboard 200’s top 10 as a solo artist. While the album initially reached No. 17 on the chart, it slipped off after just one week. This time around, it’s made a remarkable comeback, securing its biggest week ever and doubling its chart presence.
As a member of BTS, J-Hope has already scored seven top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. Of that sum, all but one went all the way to No. 1, making the septet one of the most successful vocal groups in U.S. history.