NCT DREAM Had The Best-Selling Album Of 2021 For Months, But NCTzens Found Out Through An Olivia Rodrigo Account

NCT DREAM‘s first full-length album, Hot Sauce, as well as its repackage, Hello Future, marked some incredible milestones for the group and achieved many honors. One of these honors included being the best-selling album of 2021 so far, according to the United World Chart (UWC)!

Renjun, Jaemin, Haechan, Jeno, Chenle, Jisung, and Mark. | @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

UWC reported that Hot Sauce shot straight to the top of the charts with over 1.02 million sales soon after its May 10, 2021, release.

The Global Album Chart Top 10
week 21 / 2021 – May 29

'Hot Sauce', the debut effort by @NCTsmtown_DREAM (sub-unit of @NCTsmtown), shoots at no.1 globally with massive 1,027,000 equivalent sales – the biggest weekly sales of an album this year so far!https://t.co/dDndChfmpi pic.twitter.com/A6A5W1RT5S

— United World Chart (@UWChart) May 30, 2021

From there, it appeared multiple times in their list of the top-selling albums of the week. Furthermore, its total sales of around 3 million copies made it the top-selling album of the year thus far.

| @UWChart/Twitter

Though NCTzens were aware of Hot Sauce‘s massive commercial success, many were shocked to hear that NCT DREAM held this title for weeks until this week when Olivia Rodrigo surpassed them in yearly sales.

An Olivia Rodrigo charts account tweeted out that her debut album, Sour, had amassed over 3.05 million sales according to UWC, overtaking Hot Sauce for the highest number of sales.

.@Olivia_Rodrigo’s ‘SOUR’ has sold 3,059,000 units worldwide, according to UWC.

— It’s now the best-selling album released in 2021 so far, surpassing NCT DREAM’s ‘Hot Sauce’. pic.twitter.com/o93lzElCie

— Olivia Rodrigo Charts (@orcharts) October 9, 2021

NCTzens were rather surprised by the news and some turned their attention towards SM Entertainment for not making this information more well known.

nctzens just finding out that 'hot sauce' was the best selling album in UWC in 5 consecutive months thru olivia rodrigo account for surpassing 'hot sauce' as the best-selling album in 2021. realizing that IT'S NCT DREAM'S FIRST FULL ALBUM. LOOK HOW POWERFUL THEY ARE.

— ً (@renkittyy) October 10, 2021

I have to find out from an Olivia rodrigo charts acc that hot sauce was a best selling album in 2021?? Wow thanks sm for never mentioning this https://t.co/gL96kOMJ34

— ฅ/ᐠ Lilu ᐟฅ (@renminnation) October 10, 2021

Some fan accounts for NCT had tweeted out their accomplishment earlier this year, but perhaps among all of NCT DREAM’s many achievements this year, this one went less noticed.

Y'all acting as if I didn't post about it before https://t.co/dCyik88u6m

— (@MultiStan1327) October 10, 2021

Furthermore, SM Entertainment did tweet about Hot Sauce being on top of the UWC earlier this year. However, the tweet did not explicitly mention it being the best-selling album.

‘Double million seller’ NCT DREAM’s first full-length album ‘맛 (Hot Sauce)’ tops the United World Chart for two weeks in a row!
NCT DREAM also achieves their 8th win on music shows!#NCTDREAM #맛_HotSauce#NCTDREAM_맛_HotSauce

— NCT DREAM (@NCTsmtown_DREAM) June 4, 2021

Regardless, congratulations to NCT DREAM for holding the title for so long, and to Olivia Rodrigo on her achievement! Read more about Hot Sauce and Hello Future‘s success below.

NCT DREAM Becomes Youngest Group To Reach Million-Seller Status With “Hot Sauce”