Arashi — a five-member Japanese boy band — have topped the list of World’s Best Selling Album of 2019. Defeating K-pop boy band BTS and Taylor Swift, Arashi has become the first J-pop boy band to achieve this milestone.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (which counts full album sales including digital or physical throughout the world) announced Arashi bagged the first position in the list of World’s Best Selling Album of 2019 with a total of 3.3 million units sold across the globe.
Leading the way is the 5×20 All the Best!! the soundtrack, which sold 3.3 million copies, making it the only entry to sell at least three million units. The release is one of four soundtracks on the list, with Lover, Map of the Soul: Persona and A Star Is Born OST also finding their way into the top 10. K-pop outfit BTS take the No. 3 selling 2.5 million copies of Map of the Soul: Persona in the year 2019.
In 2018, BTS bagged the Nos. 2 and 3 spots, selling a combined five million copies of the two chart-dominating full-lengths. The list of the bestselling titles of 2018 was topped by The Greatest Showman soundtrack, which sold 3.5 million copies.
Top 10 Bestselling Albums In The World In 2019
Arashi – 5×20 All the Best!! 1999-2019 (3.3 million units)
Taylor Swift – Lover (3.2 million units)
BTS – Map of the Soul: Persona (2.5 million units)
Lady Gaga – A Star is Born OST (1.2 million units)
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (1.2 million units)
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (1.2 million units)
Ed Sheeran – No.6 Collaborations Project (1.1 million units)
Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next (1 million)
Rammstein – Rammstein (900,000)
The Beatles – Abbey Road (800,000)
It is to be noted that Japan is the second-largest music market across the globe, which is a large contributing factor in their achievement, as well as the fact that the group announced they would be taking a hiatus in 2021. J-pop boy band ARASHI has a huge fan base that helped them to grow since their debut in the year 1999.