BABYMETAL debut at #39 on the Billboard 200, putting them in rare company

After its success in Japan, BABYMETAL‘s recently released album, ‘METAL RESISTANCE‘, is in the news for debuting at #39 on the Billboard 200 chart. That’s significant because it makes them the second-highest Japanese artist to ever make it onto the chart, behind only Sakamoto Kyu at #14 after his timeless hit “Ue Wo Muite Arukou” (“Sukiyaki“) went “viral” overseas. It probably helped that their performance on ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert‘ sorta went viral on YouTube, clocking in just shy of 2.5 million views as I’m writing this, becoming one of the most popular videos on the show’s channel within a week. They also now rank higher than any K-pop act has, with 2NE1 leading the way on that front at #61 followed by EXO at #95.

And it’s not just America either, as they are charting all over Europe…

BABYMETAL also became the become highest-charting Japanese band ever on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart, with “Metal Resistance” landing at No. 15. It has also charted in France, Germany and Japan.

…and they’re also in the top 10 in Australia.

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I don’t want to overstate the importance of this like BABYMETAL are some mainstream name all over the world now or something, but for all the thirst Asian acts have had for success in West, it’s difficult to pretend it’s not amazing that BABYMETAL are now improbably one of the most relevant Asian music acts in the regions.