2NE1’s ‘Crush’ Is First K-Pop Entry on Year-End World Albums Chart

The girl group ends a year of accolades by breaking one more record.

After breaking multiple chart records earlier this year, 2NE1 cap off 2014 with one more boundary-pushing victory.

The girl group’s Crush album ranks at No. 11 on Billboard’s year-end World Albums chart. It’s the first time a K-pop act has notched an entry on the annual ranking that was first introduced in 1995.

Released in February, Crush became K-pop’s highest-charting album while also earning the best first-week sales for a release. The set hit No. 61 on the Billboard 200 — 2NE1‘s first entry on the chart.

In addition to being named Billboard’s No. 1 K-pop album of 2014, Crush also made it onto Rolling Stone’s 20 Best Pop Albums of 2014 and Fuse’s 40 Best Albums of 2014 lists.

In 2014, 2NE1 has found a remarkable amount of Stateside recognition. This included their Korean single “I Am the Best” garnering U.S. radio play (“I Am the Best” was previously released on a 2011 EP), topping Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart, a sync in a Microsoft commercial, a feature in NYLON magazine, appearances on The Bachelor and America’s Next Top Model, plus ranking as one of two acts representing K-pop’s best showing yet on the year-end World Albums Artists chart.

As 2NE1‘s international brand seems stronger than ever, leader CL is confirmed to be working on a full-fledged U.S. debut overseen by Scooter Braun.

2NE1 performed the album’s title track and lead single “Come Back Home” on the year-end award show SBS Gayo Daejun without member Bom.

Credits: Billboard