SuperM scored a No. 1 on the main Billboard albums chart with its debut album. Billboard said on its official website Monday that the debut album of "SuperM: The 1st Mini Album," topped the Billboard 200 for the week.
Meanwhile, another Kpop group had reached the billboard spot since April of this year before SuperM. BTS had been the only K-pop music act that had topped the main Billboard albums chart, scoring three No. 1 hits.
The latest Billboard Hit featured SuperM the second K-pop act to conquer the albums chart and the first K-pop act to top the chart with its debut album. Also, this marks a breakout hit for the joint music venture between S.M. and Capitol Music Group, one of the highest-profile K-pop collaborations between Korean and American music labels.
SuperM's successful debut in the United States is the latest indication of the wide horizon for K-pop artists in the US Market. To capitalize on the growing popularity of K-pop in the US music industry, Capitol reportedly came to S.M. first to propose the venture.
S.M. made a deal into its more than two decades of K-pop producing experience to create the "SuperM" album as well as the boy band, whose seven members hail from four established S.M. boy bands -- SHINee, EXO, NCT 127 and WayV.
Experts say SuperM's breakout success may be the result of introducing a new breed of music to American music listeners, along with the marketing power of one of the biggest American music labels.
"Because SuperM is a combination of different singers, it could have been very appealing to a variety of musical and personal tastes, recording music which is unprecedented for North American (artists), "pop critic Kim Heon-Sik said.
According to a local forum Phil Quartararo, the executive at Virgin Music and Warner Bros., highlighted the emergence of K-pop in the American music market where, "in the last couple of years, American pop music has got a little stale and flat."
He added, "BTS opened the door for K-pop in the US, but a lot more Korean music acts could thrive there as long as good music quality is maintained. SuperM debuted in the US with a high-profile showcase concert at the outdoor stage of Capital Records Tower in Hollywood, followed by an appearance on the CBS TV program "The Ellen Show."
Last Monday, S.M. released a press statement and celebrated SuperM's Billboard victory as a joint work combining "S.M.'s matchless producing power and CMG's excellent networks and marketing."
"SuperM wrote new history today. ... This marks only the beginning. There will be a lot more to come," Capitol Chairman Steve Barnett was quoted by S.M. as saying.
Following the headline-grabbing debut, SuperM may need to work harder to keep up in the highly competitive US market, according to pop critic Kim Heon-sik.
Kim also added that corporate marketing could help catch attention in the short term, but in the long run ... the key to success lies in forming a core fan base,".
