MUMBAI: XG, the hip-hop/R&B-inspired girl group, has made a major achievement with their latest mini album 'AWE'. In the latest US Billboard 200 chart (dated December 21) the album debuted at No. 175. This marks XG's first entry on the prestigious chart. For Japanese artists, it’s significant as well, following Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's 'A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki' from 2023, and as the first Japanese girl group to make the list since BABYMETAL’s 'METAL GALAXY' in 2019.
In addition, on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, which is aimed at new artists who have not yet charted in the top 100 of the Billboard 200, XG proudly claimed the No. 1 spot.
XG’s success follows the historic achievement of their song “GRL GVNG,” which ranked No. 1 on the 'Hot Trending Songs Powered by Twitter' chart, making them the first Japanese artist to top the weekly chart in the US.
Their 2nd mini album 'AWE' was released in Japan on November 8 and in the US on December 6. It ranked No. 3 on both the Oricon Weekly Album Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart. The album also charted as high as No. 12 on the Apple Music Worldwide Album Chart (Daily), entered the Top 200 in 48 countries and regions, and hit No. 2 on the iTunes Top 100 Pop Albums (Worldwide). Additionally, the music video for the lead single 'HOWLING' ranked on YouTube’s trending charts in 10 countries, and XG made history as the first Japanese female artist to enter the US Billboard Rap Digital Song Sales chart, gaining significant global attention.
This year, XG launched their first world tour, 'The First HOWL,' and have performed 29 shows in 26 cities worldwide. The tour has attracted approximately 120,000 fans in Asia, 50,000 in North America, and 30,000 in the UK and Europe, with a total audience of around 200,000—a remarkable feat for a Japanese artist. In 2024 they will continue their success with additional performances in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka) and Australian shows in Sydney and Melbourne in February, along with plans for a South American tour.
Recently, it was announced that XG will perform at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, making them the only Japanese artist to appear. They will also be the first Japanese female artist to take the second headliner spot, just below the main headliner, sparking significant excitement in the music world.
XG’s global momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
