Stray Kids Part 2: From Rookie Rebels to Billboard Record-Breakers
How Stray Kids grew from a dark, defiant rookie group into a Billboard-dominating, stadium-filling global act. A look at the hits and moments that built their rise.
In Part 1, we covered how Stray Kids formed, what their name really means, and how nine trainees became eight. Now let’s talk about how this group went from a rookie act with a rough, moody sound to one of the biggest names in music, period, not just K-pop.
The Early Years: Finding Their Sound
After their 2018 debut, Stray Kids spent their first couple of years building an identity almost entirely through their own songwriting. Their Clé album series in 2019, including the title track “Miroh,” pushed their sound into bigger, brighter territory while keeping the intensity that made them stand out. It was a period of steady growth rather than overnight fame, the kind of groundwork that pays off later.
Their breakthrough accelerated in 2020 with “God’s Menu,” the title track from their first full-length album GO生 (GO LIVE), followed in September by “Back Door” from its repackaged album IN生 (IN LIFE). TIME included IN LIFE among its Best K-Pop Songs and Albums of 2020, a notable honor for a K-pop release at that point.
2021: A Turning Point, Built on a Hard Year
2021 tested the group in a real way. Early in the year, member Hyunjin went on hiatus following a school bullying controversy from his middle school years, which we covered in Part 1. For several months, Stray Kids performed and promoted as a seven-member group, including their run on the competitive show Kingdom: Legendary War.
Despite performing without a full lineup, Stray Kids ended up winning Kingdom: Legendary War, beating out several already-established groups in a high-profile televised competition. Their performances during the show, including a reworked cover of a BLACKPINK song, drew huge attention online. Hyunjin rejoined the group that summer, and the eight members released their album NOEASY together in August, led by the title track “Thunderous.”
That mix of hardship and comeback became a defining moment for the group. It showed how strongly the group’s music, with 3RACHA at the core of its songwriting and production, could connect with a mainstream audience.
From dance practice rooms to stadiums packed with lightsticks.
Breaking Billboard, Again and Again
In 2022, Stray Kids signed with Republic Records for their U.S. promotions, and released ODDINARY, led by the single “Maniac.” That album became their first ever Billboard 200 number-one, a massive milestone for a group that had built its identity around unusually extensive member involvement in songwriting and production.
What happened next was almost unheard of. The streak continued with MAXIDENT, ★★★★★ (5-STAR), 樂-STAR (ROCK-STAR), ATE, HOP, KARMA, and, in late 2025, SKZ IT TAPE: DO IT. DO IT gave Stray Kids their eighth consecutive Billboard 200 number-one, making them the first act in the chart’s nearly 70-year history to have all of their first eight charting albums debut at the top, surpassing the previous record of five straight debuts held by DMX.
Along the way, the group also picked up major recognition at events like the Billboard Music Awards, and singles including “God’s Menu,” “S-Class,” and “Case 143” have earned RIAA certifications in the United States, a sign of how far their reach had grown beyond Korea.
From Arenas to Stadiums
Stray Kids’ live shows grew right alongside their chart success. Their early tours played concert halls, but by the 2022–23 MANIAC World Tour they had moved into arenas across Asia and North America, with stadium encore dates following, including their first U.S. stadium show in Los Angeles. By their dominATE World Tour, which ran from August 2024 into late 2025, stadiums had become the centerpiece of the group’s international touring, spanning Asia, Australia, Latin America, North America, and Europe and becoming one of the highest-grossing concert tours in K-pop history. They also became one of the first K-pop boy groups to headline major international festivals like Lollapalooza and BST Hyde Park.
From a rookie group once known mainly for their intensity and DIY spirit, Stray Kids had become one of the defining acts of their generation, in any genre.
Where to Go From Here
Curious how other groups built their own path to the top? Our BTS series traces a similar journey from underdog rookies to global icons, and our TWICE series looks at how a different kind of group found its own lasting success.
Coming up in Part 3: the group’s latest activities, plus a full rundown of their biggest records and achievements.
— The Editor