10 most streamed K-pop albums of 2022 as per Spotify: BTS' PROOF, aespa's Girls, and more

K-pop boy group, BTS (Image via BIGHIT MUSIC)

With the rise of K-pop fandom, Spotify is turning into a go-to spot for all K-pop fans, leading the way for other audio streamers. Furthermore, K-pop fans appear to enjoy the platform's dedicated K-pop playlists for keeping up with the latest releases, favorite singles, and albums.

Since the beginning of 2022, K-pop groups and soloists have presented fans with bopping hits which have further resulted in bringing impressive sales and music streams. The brand new releases of 2022 - SEVENTEEN's Face The Sun, IVE's Love Dive, etc are currently ruling Spotify charts with staggering stream numbers.

As we enter the latter half of the year, let's take a look at the complete list of the top ten 2022 released K-pop albums with the most streams on Spotify.

10 K-pop albums of 2022 that managed to earn the most love from fans on Spotify

10) Beatbox by NCT Dream - 114 million

Beatbox is the repackaged version of NCT Dream's hit album Glitch Mode. With more than 114 million streams on Spotify, it secures the 10th spot on the list. The repackaged album featured four new tracks and 15 songs in all.

It is a R&B and hip hop record, with Glitch Mode being its most listened song with 21.3 million streams so far.

9) LOVE DIVE by IVE - 117 million

Bringing in the chaebol crush and royal concept with LOVE DIVE, IVE stole hearts with their two-track single album released in April 2022. The titular track mimicking the same name as the album has garnered more than 107 million streams on Spotify, and is still going strong. Meanwhile, in total, the album has 117 million streams so far.

8) First Impact by Kep1er - 124 million

Kep1er made their debut in January 2022, with First Impact, which currently has more than 124 million streams on Spotify. The energetic six-track record is led by the title track Wa Da Da, also the most streamed song from the album with a whopping 124 million plays so far.

7) INVU by Taeyeon - 127 million

With TIME picking INVU as one of the best K-pop albums of 2022 so far, it is not surprising to see the entry on the list. Taeyeon's third studio album has received more than 127 million streams on Spotify till date. The track Weekend is the most popular song among the bunch with 40 million plays so far.

6) I Never Die by (G)-IDLE - 131 million

Marked as the first studio album by the girl group (G)-IDLE, I Never Die was released in March 2022, and is truly a creative masterpiece with songs like My Bag. Due to its popularity, the album has been streamed more than 131 million times on Spotify, with its lead single TOMBOY being the most-played song with 75 million plays so far.

5) The Second Step: Chapter One by TREASURE - 165 million

With only four tracks on the record, TREASURE has scored as a position in the top 5 with their 1st mini album, The Second Step: Chapter One. It has collected 165 million plus streams so far on Spotify, with the tik-tok viral hit song DARARI leading the race with more than 101 million plays.

4) ODDINARY by Stray Kids - 200 million

Topping charts around the world, ODDINARY is a powerful EP by Stray Kids with seven tracks under its belt. The K-pop album has garnered 200 million plus on Spotify, and the lead single, MANIAC, is the most played song with 84 million streams and counting.

3) Girls by aespa - 264 million

The second EP by SM Entertainment's aespa may not even be a month old, but it has already broken multiple records set by the group. With over 264 million streams on Spotify, Girls has nine tracks, with Black Mamba getting the most love from fans with a staggering 136 million plays so far.

2) DIMENSION : ANSWER by ENHYPEN - 360 million

Leading the fourth generation of K-pop with their hit songs and impressive album sales, ENHYPEN are also spreading their craze on the music streaming service. Their latest release DIMENSION : ANSWER currently has 360 million+ plays on Spotify. Their TikTok favorite song Polaroid Love is the most popular of the lot with more than 112 million streams.

1) PROOF by BTS - 10 billion

Taking the first place is the mega-group BTS with their anthology album, PROOF. A best-seller around the world, PROOF has garnered more than 10 billion streams on Spotify. On top of that, among the 35 tracks present on the record, Dynamite is the most-loved song with 1.40 billion plays so far.

About the author

Muskan Jaiswal is a journalist specializing in pop-culture, lifestyle, and Korean entertainment at Sportskeeda. With a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Diploma in Journalism, she began writing as a form of creative expression during the pandemic-related lockdown. She has about four years of experience, working at Otakukart, Movieweb, The Times of India, Aeroplay Entertainment, and Lifestyle Asia, among other organizations.

As a Pop-culture writer, she values presenting reports after a robust fact-checking process on celebrities and other trending topics, which interest people. Among her professional achievements is a feature on eco-friendly practices in K-pop album production. This write-up, which took a week of research, covered a range of sub-topics such as the export-import history of K-pop albums, and shifts in music marketing in that industry.

When not working, she enjoys watching films and discovering indie artists across several music platforms. Her favorite bands include Coldplay, BTS, and CAS.

Know More

Edited by Vinay Agrawal