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BTS Lead The 10 Bestselling Physical Albums In The U.S. This Year

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Album sales have fallen off a cliff over the past decade, and now even the biggest names in the music industry only sell a fraction of the number they used to. While many fans now opt to stream instead of purchase, those who do open their wallets for their favorite collections tend to buy something physical, whether it be a CD, a vinyl record, or perhaps even a cassette, which have come back into style...at least for some.

BTS leads Nielsen’s list of the bestselling physical albums of 2019 with their new release Map of the Soul: Persona. The set, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 in April, becoming the band’s third leader at the time, has sold 312,000 copies in some physical form, which is a true feat, especially considering the fact that it’s a non-English release.

The Jonas Brothers’ Happiness Begins is in second place, and it is the only other title that has sold at least 300,000 physical copies this year. Behind that boy band comes another, the Backstreet Boys, whose latest No. 1 release DNA has now sold 273,000 copies on some physical medium.

Only four titles have sold at least 200,000 physical copies this year, and one of them, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born soundtrack, was released last year, when it also sold very well. Pop and rock dominate the list of the bestselling albums this year, as hip-hop fans are much more likely to stream their favorite releases, according to the data shared by Nielsen.

These are the 10 bestselling physical albums in the U.S. this year.

1. BTS - Map of the Soul: Persona - 312,000

2. Jonas Brothers - Happiness Begins - 308,000

3. Backstreet Boys - DNA - 273,000

4. Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - A Star Is Born original soundtrack - 233,000

5. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody original soundtrack - 194,000

6. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - 185,000

7. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride - 128,000

8. Khalid - Free Spirit - 113,000

9. Hillsong United - People (Live) - 111,000

10. Hozier - Wasteland, Baby! - 103,000