The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack rises to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, joining a small group of animated film albums to lead the chart. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Ken Jeong speaks during Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” A Sing-Along Event at Regal LA Live on August 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Netflix)
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Animated films are known not only for being family-friendly, but for performing exceptionally well at the box office and for producing some of the most memorable songs in film history. Disney and Pixar have made big business out of not just creating blockbuster movies, but also successful soundtracks and countless singles that have sold millions, dominated the charts and won the Best Original Song Oscar. Now, Sony Animation and Netflix are giving those giants are run for their money.
KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix’s animated film that has turned out to be the platform’s most-viewed title ever, joins an exclusive club of some of the most successful soundtracks connected to animated films of all time as it steps up one space in America.
KPop Demon Hunter Hits No. 1
The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack improves on the Billboard 200 this week, rising from No. 2 to No. 1. This frame marks the set’s first as the No. 1 full-length in America, after almost two months of waiting in the runner-up spot behind projects like Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem, Tyler, the Creator’s Don’t Tap the Glass, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend. The latter title falls to No. 2 after opening in first place just last week.
The Lion King, Pocahontas and Frozen
According to Billboard, KPop Demon Hunters is now just the seventh soundtrack attached to an animated film to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The first such title to do so was The Lion King, which ruled for 10 frames between 1994 and 1995. Later in 1995, Pocahontas would double the total number of animated film soundtracks that commanded the competitive list.
Curious George, which is credited to singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, hit No. 1 in 2006. In 2014, Frozen led the charge for 13 frames – the most of all time among animated soundtracks. That blockbuster’s sequel Frozen II also peaked at No. 1 in 2019. The most recent animated movie soundtrack album to hit the top spot is Encanto. Starting in 2022, that album ruled for nine weeks.
Rising Popularity Helps KPop Demon Hunters
For at least two months, every week the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack has been gaining in consumption, as both the full-length and all of its songs are successful in their own right. Luminate reports that in the past tracking period, the soundtrack moved 128,000 equivalent units. That’s a 7% rise from the period before, and according to Billboard, it’s the album’s grandest frame yet.
“Golden” From KPop Demon Hunters
At the same time that the KPop Demon Hunters album conquers, “Golden,” the set’s lead single, is steady at No. 1 on the Hot 100. That tune has now spent five weeks as the biggest track in America, and even longer ruling both of Billboard’s global rankings.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/09/18/kpop-demon-hunters-rewrites-animated-film-music-history/
