These 17 Entertainment Companies Make Up 90% Of All K-Pop Album Sales For The First Half Of 2021

The top two alone make up about 50% of all album sales this year.

According to data from Hanteo, there have been a total of 19,405,514 K-Pop albums sold in the first half of 2021! This is over a 30% increase from the first half of 2020, showing just how big the industry is getting. However, despite such high numbers in physical album sales, just 17 Korean entertainment companies make up just about 90% of all the sales so far this year! Here are those companies, along with the percentage they’ve contributed and their best-selling albums.

17. Play M Entertainment

Artists under this label include: ApinkVICTONWeeekly

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Voice: The Future is Now by VICTON (107.8k sales); We Play by Weeekly (42.7k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 0.9% (~174.6k sales)

16. Top Media

Artists under this label include: MCNDUP10TIONKim WooseokTEEN TOP

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: 2nd Desire [Tasty] by Kim Wooseok (96.7k sales); MCND Age by MCND (25.6k sales); Connection by UP10TION (23.1k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 1.2% (~232.9k sales)

15. Woollim Entertainment

Artists under this label include: INFINITE, Lovelyz, Golden Child, Rocket Punch, DRIPPIN

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Yes. by Golden Child (114.0k sales); A Better Tomorrow by DRIPPIN (47.6k sales); Ring Ring by Rocket Punch (18.2k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 1.2% (~232.9k sales)

14. WM Entertainment

Artists under this label include: OH MY GIRLB1A4ONF

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Dear OhMyGirl by OH My Girl (93.9k sales); ONF: My Name by ONF (76.2k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 1.5% (~291.1k sales)

13. Cube Entertainment

Artists under this label include: (G)I-DLEBTOBPENTAGONCLCLIGHTSUM

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: I Burn by (G)I-DLE (207.9k sales); Love or Take by PENTAGON (112.8k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 1.5% (~291.1k sales)

12. Konnect Entertainment

Artists under this label include: Kang Daniel

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Yellow by Kang Daniel (318.7k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 1.7% (~329.9k albums)

11. Edam Entertainment

Artists under this label include: IU

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Lilac by IU (373.8k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 1.8% (~349.3k sales)

10. RBW

Artists under this label include: MAMAMOOONEUSONEWEPURPLE KISS

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Devil by ONEUS (118.4k sales); WAW by MAMAMOO (85.0k sales); Redd by Wheein (72.7k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 2.0% (~388.1k sales)

9. Fantagio

Artists under this label include: ASTROWeki MekiOng Seungwoo

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: All Yours by ASTRO (359.0k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 2.1% (~407.5k sales)

8. KQ Entertainment

Artists under this label include: ATEEZBlock B

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: ZERO: FEVER Part.2 by ATEEZ (462.8k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 2.3% (~446.3k sales)

7. BELIFT Lab

Artists under this label include: ENHYPEN

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Border: Carnival by ENHYPEN (622.6k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 2.7% (~523.9k sales)

6. Starship Entertainment

Artists under this label include: MONSTA XCosmic GirlsCRAVITYWonhoK.WillSoyou

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: One of a Kind by MONSTA X (269.7k sales); Season 3. Hideout: Be Our Voice by CRAVITY (176.5k sales); Love Synonym Pt.2: Right for Us by Wonho (104.4k sales); Unnatural by Cosmic Girls (92.0k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 3.1% (~601.6k sales)

5. JYP Entertainment

Artists under this label include: TWICEStray KidsITZYDAY62PM

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Taste of Love by TWICE (325.2k sales); Guess Who? by ITZY (223.8k sales); The Book of Us: Negentropy by DAY6 (110.1k sales); Must by 2PM (54.5k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 4.7% (~912.1k sales)

4. YG Entertainment

Artists under this label include: BLACKPINKBIGBANGWINNERiKONTREASUREAkdong Musician

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: R by Rosé (577.7k sales); The First Step: Treasure Effect by TREASURE (324.0k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 5.4% (~1.05 million sales)

3. Pledis Entertainment

Artists under this label include: SEVENTEENNU’EST

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Your Turn by SEVENTEEN (1.37 million sales); Romanticize by NU’EST (207.7k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 8.9% (~1.73 million sales)

2. Big Hit Music

Artists under this label include: BTSTXT

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: BE (Essential Edition) by BTS (500k+ sales); The Chaos Chapter: Frozen by TXT (675.9k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 10.2% (~1.98 million sales)

1. SM Entertainment

Artists under this label include: EXONCTRed VelvetSHINeeSuper JuniorGirls’ GenerationaespaTVXQ

Top-selling albums from this label in 2021: Hot Sauce by NCT Dream (2.00 million sales); Bambi by Baekhyun (1.03 million sales); Don’t Fight the Feeling by EXO (993.7k sales) The Renaissance by Super Junior (480.2k sales); Don’t Call Me by SHINee (446.4k sales)

Amount contributed to all 2021 K-Pop album sales: 38.2% (~7.41 million sales)

Source: Korean Sales and Image (1) and (2)
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