advertisement
Chart Beat

Stray Kids Hit a New Peak On The Billboard Canadian Hot 100 With 'Chk Chk Boom'

Arriving at No. 55 this week, the song marks the Korean pop group's highest placement yet, while K-pop artist Jimin also lands a strong debut at No. 32 with 'Who.'

Stray Kids

Stray Kids

JYP Entertainment

Korean pop group Stray Kids are blowing up the charts this week with new single "Chk Chk Boom."

The song arrives at No. 55 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, the band's highest charting single there to date. The single features lyrics in English, Korean and Spanish, and draws heavily on Latin music, with a high-intensity instrumental inspired by reggaeton and hip-hop.


The single comes off of the group's latest mini-album, ATE, which debuts at No. 21 on the Canadian Albums chart, where the group hit No. 10 in 2023 with 5-Star. Can ATE climb as high?

Stray Kids aren't the only Korean musicians making their mark on the charts this week. Jimin, of the juggernaut pop group BTS, lands at No. 32 on the Canadian Hot 100 with solo single "Who." The searching, acoustic guitar-led pop song comes from Jimin's new album Muse, which arrives at No. 24 on the Canadian Albums chart.

advertisement

ATE and Muse have already made history by claiming the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the Billboard 200 this week, the first time Korean artists have held the top two placements.

Though the albums aren't charting quite as high yet in Canada, it does feel like more and more K-pop artists — beyond the biggest names like BTS and BLACKPINK — are reaching Canadian audiences, with groups like LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT charting this year too.

Elsewhere on the charts, Shaboozey holds on to the top spot on the Canadian Hot 100 with "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" for the ninth week in a row. Amidst Brat-inspired Kamala Harris memes and a viral dance taking over TikTok, Charli XCX has a new chart debut this week, with "Apple" landing at No. 62.

On the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, the soundtrack to the new blustery summer blockbuster Twisters debuts at No. 8. The stacked soundtrack features many of the industry's buzziest country artists, from Luke Combs to Megan Moroney, as well as 2024 breakthrough Benson Boone — not to mention a new song, "Boots Don't," from Canada's queen of country, Shania Twain.

advertisement

Check out the full charts here.

advertisement
Amber Still, executive director of the Polaris Music Prize
Johanna Stickland

Amber Still, executive director of the Polaris Music Prize

Awards

‘Protect the Prize’: The Polaris Music Prize Undergoes Its Biggest Period of Change

Now entering its third decade, the Canadian critic’s prize has expanded its voting pool, adjusted to financial constraints and expanded to award both albums and songs. After years defined by its refined focus, the changes mark a major expansion of the organization’s mission.

In 2025, the Polaris Music Prize celebrated its 20th anniversary. Entering its third decade, the award is undergoing what might be its biggest period of change. From funding to voting process, the organization is continuing to evolve.

The cultural not-for-profit organization has spent the better part of two decades creating a space in the industry for Canadian acts to be recognized based solely artistic merit, rather than sales, genre or support from a record label. Founded in the 2000s as Canada's answer to the Mercury Prize, the organization became a registered Canadian charity in 2017.

keep readingShow less
advertisement