From BTS to ENHYPEN: How HYBE Scored Three Billboard 200 No. 1s

K-pop group ENHYPEN has topped the Billboard 200 for the first time. With BTS and KATSEYE also reaching No. 1 earlier this year, HYBE has now produced chart-topping albums by three acts from different labels in 2026.

Billboard reported on Aug. 30 that ENHYPEN's eighth EP, "THE SIN : BLISS," will debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated Sept. 5. The group had previously placed six albums in the chart's top 10 but had yet to reach the summit.

Since debut, ENHYPEN has built its identity around a vampire-themed "dark fantasy" universe. The group connects its music, performances and visual content through an ongoing narrative, while its fandom, ENGENE, actively interprets and expands on the story. This continuity, combined with the group's growing fanbase, has helped sustain its rise on the chart.

BTS, under Big Hit Music, delivered HYBE's first Billboard 200 No. 1 of the year. The group's fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," debuted atop the chart dated April 4 with 641,000 equivalent album units. It marked BTS's seventh No. 1 and the biggest week for an album by a group since Billboard adopted its equivalent album unit system in 2014.

The result highlighted the broad audience BTS has developed over the course of its career. The seven members' shared musical journey, chemistry and messages have continued to resonate with listeners across regions and generations.

KATSEYE, the global girl group launched by HYBE and Geffen Records, followed with its third EP, "WILD," which topped the Billboard 200 dated Aug. 29. That same week, the group placed "Animal" at No. 24, "Hootie Frutti" at No. 31 and "PINKY UP" at No. 81 on the Hot 100. "ICONIC BY MISTAKE," a special collaboration with LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT, also entered the chart at No. 94, bringing KATSEYE's total to four charting songs.

KATSEYE was formed through the "K-pop methodology" spearheaded by HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk. The group combines the members' diverse cultural backgrounds with accessible pop music and performance-driven production. Its success suggests that HYBE's "Multi-home, Multi-genre" strategy, which applies its production system across different regions and genres, is gaining traction in North America.

BTS, KATSEYE and ENHYPEN belong to different labels and have distinct musical identities. Their respective paths to No. 1 show that HYBE's recent chart success has not relied on a single formula. Instead, the company has pursued separate global strategies tailored to the strengths of each act.