Meg Mac Makes History, Blackpink and NCT 127 Lead K-pop Charge on ARIA Charts

The Queen of the ARIA Albums Chart this week is Meg Mac, the Sydney singer and songwriter, whose “Matter of Time” becomes her first leader and the week’s best-seller on wax.

“Matter of Time” is the followup to 2017’s “Low Blows” (No. 2) and 2019’s “Hope” (No. 9). Her 2014 self-titled breakthrough EP is ARIA certified Platinum, and won her triple j’s Unearthed Artist of the Year.

The K-pop phenomenon is also clear and present on Australia’s main charts this week, led by Blackpink, which blasts into the top five on both surveys.

The pop juggernauts arrive at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart with “Born Pink”, just ahead of fellow South Korean act NCT 127, whose “2 Baddies – The Fourth Album” is new at No. 3.

Blackpink smashes records like Usain Bolt did on the track – with ruthless efficiency. Just last month, album leader “Pink Venom” debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, making Blackpink the first K-pop group to do so, beating the No. 2 start for BTS’ 2020 hit “Dynamite.”

The track also crushed YouTube and Spotify streaming records.

With the release of their second album, “Pink Venom” bounces back into the top 20 at No. 18, and new release “Shut Down” bolts to No. 5, for the highest debut of the latest chart week.

The foursome has a local connection. Band member Rosè (aka Roseanne Park) was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and raised in Melbourne. At age 15, the world of K-pop came calling when, at her father’s suggestion, she auditioned for South Korean music company YG Entertainment.

Now, with Born Pink hitting No. 1 in the U.K. and U.S., Blackpink is going places no K-pop girl group has gone before.

In an exceptional week for K-pop, NCT 127, the nine-member-strong NCT sub-unit, snags third spot on the ARIA Albums Chart, despite a blunder that left band member Doyoung missing from the artwork.

NCT’s fandom, NCTzens, were quick to spot the error on the digipack, and even quicker to spread the word on social media.

SM Entertainment, the band’s “agency,” confirmed the mistake and took the blame “for failing to check all parts meticulously in the album’s jacket design process.”

The booklets, the company says, will be reprinted and resent to fans. Problem solved.

SM엔터테인먼트입니다. pic.twitter.com/nf3f6XNnDX

— NCT 127 (@NCTsmtown_127) September 16, 2022

A top three spot is an improvement on NCT 127’s Sticker, which debuted at No. 16 on the ARIA Albums Chart a year ago, through a partnership of SM Entertainment and the relaunched Virgin Music brand.

That effort established NCT 127 as just the fourth K-Pop act to land inside the Top 20, joining world-beaters BTS, Stray Kids and Blackpink.