In a groundbreaking achievement for the K-pop industry, Seventeen’s album “FML” has been crowned the biggest-selling album globally of 2023 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). This marks the first time the K-pop band has topped the prestigious chart.
According to the IFPI, five of the top 10 albums on the chart were by South Korean acts, representing the best-ever performance for K-pop on the Global Charts.
“FML,” which was released last April, broke records as the most pre-ordered album in K-pop history. The album not only dominated charts in South Korea and Japan but also achieved a top-five position in the United States and France.
The 13-member group’s remarkable achievement was further highlighted as they were honoured with the IFPI Global Album Award for 2023. This accolade is calculated based on an album’s sales across streaming, download, and physical formats worldwide.
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Seventeen’s “Seventeenth Heaven” record, released in October, also made an impressive appearance on the IFPI rankings, securing the number 8 spot. While the rankings did not provide specific figures for total albums sold, the impact of Seventeen’s music on the global music scene is undeniable.
“The global appeal of K-pop continues to extend, and S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino continue to push the boundaries with their concepts, performances, and talent,” stated Lewis Morrison, director of global charts & certifications at IFPI, acknowledging Seventeen’s members.
In addition to Seventeen’s success, fellow South Korean boy band Stray Kids’ album “5-Star” and US country singer Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing At A Time” secured the second and third positions, respectively, on the IFPI’s chart. Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” albums rounded up the top 5.
Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus’ hit single “Flowers” was announced as the world’s best-selling single in 2023 by the IFPI.