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BTS are back in a big way. The supergroup\u2019s comeback album Arirang<\/em>, their first full-length LP in six years, brought in record-breaking first week sales.<\/p>\n Arirang<\/em> sold 641,000 total copies in its first week of release \u2014 the most by a group since Billboard<\/em> started tracking streaming numbers in 2014 \u2014 including 532,000 in pure album sales. That latter figure is the biggest by a group in over a decade, Billboard<\/em> reports<\/a>; it\u2019s the most pure album sales by a group since One Direction\u2019s Midnight Memories<\/em> in 2013.<\/p>\n More from Rolling Stone<\/strong><\/p>\n Within 24 hours of arrival, Arirang<\/em> racked up the most single-day streams for an album released this year on Spotify<\/a>. BTS also brought in their all-time biggest streaming day on Apple Music. <\/a>The numbers show that the record was worth the wait. BTS spent the past few years on hiatus as RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook completed their mandatory military service in South Korea and explored solo projects.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the time away, ironically, the world got to know these seven men better than ever as individuals. They all got to display sides they\u2019d never gotten to show in public before,\u201d Rob Sheffield wrote in Rolling Stone<\/a><\/em>\u2018s review of Arirang<\/em>. \u201cAll seven spent the interregnum learning how to go somewhere new on their own. But now, they finally get to take everything they learned, everything they explored, and bring it all back to the group where it began. That\u2019s the power of Arirang<\/em> \u2014 seven different voices, but united again and stronger than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n The 14-track album brought BTS together with an inspired slate of collaborators, from Ryan Tedder and Tyler Johnson to Teezo Touchdown, JPEGMafia, Flume, Diplo, Mike Will Made-It, and more. In a new documentary,<\/a> the band revealed that Jin is absent from the songwriting credits on the record because of prior tour obligations that kept him from the bulk of their writing sessions. \u201cThey made a really nice album while I was on tour,\u201d he said. \u201cComing in late and not really knowing where everyone\u2019s at is scary, because I have to figure out where I fit into all of this. But having spent the last 12 years together, I\u2019ve kind of known what to do without being told.\u201d<\/p>\n They all share the victory of their return.<\/p>\n Best of Rolling Stone<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for RollingStone’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n