20 October, 2026
JO1’s ANIMAL Registers the First-Ever Smart Media Sales and Becomes the First Album with Smart Media Sales to Enter the Billboard 200
LOS ANGELES, CA (October 20, 2026) — Another music industry first for KiTbetter and the KiTalbum. Japanese global boy group JO1's ANIMAL has made history as the first album ever to register Smart Media sales and the first album with Smart Media sales to enter the Billboard 200 during the category's inaugural U.S. tracking week, October 2-8, 2026.
The group's first full English-language EP debuted at No. 139 on the Billboard 200, reaching No. 7 on Top Album Sales and No. 5 on Top Current Album Sales. ANIMAL was released on CD and in two collectible KiTalbum editions featuring Dolby Atmos audio, giving fans multiple ways to collect the EP.
Smart Media is a newly recognized physical music category tracked by Luminate in the U.S. and Canada, with eligible sales counting toward Billboard chart rankings. KiTbetter is one of just seven companies approved by Luminate for the category’s initial rollout. Smart Media is the first new physical music format Luminate has added since CDs.
Created as an extension of the album’s visual and musical world, the KiTalbum combines a keepsake physical package and collectible elements with a complete album experience in the free KiTplayer, including music, videos, lyrics, credits, and photos. Available on iOS and Android, KiTplayer brings the album to life when fans click the KiT near their phone or tablet, activating it through a patented ultrasonic sound signature.
“Congratulations to JO1, their team, and JAM, the fans who helped make this historic milestone possible,” said Jennifer Sullivan, President, North America and Chief Marketing Officer at KiTbetter. “We’re proud to be part of this achievement and to give fans another meaningful way to collect the music they love and support their favorite artists.”
About KiTbetter
KiTbetter, a subsidiary of South Korean media technology company Muzlive, is reshaping music ownership through the KiTalbum, a patented hybrid physical and digital album format that gives fans something to hold and artists a more direct, profitable way to share their work. Each KiTalbum combines premium packaging, collectible artwork, music, videos, photos, lyrics, credits, and expanded fan experiences through KiTplayer, available for iOS and Android. KiTbetter for Artists gives independent artists an easy way to create KiTalbums and sell them through KiTbetter’s online store, which ships to more than 200 countries worldwide. KiTbetter also operates a flagship retail experience in Hongdae, Seoul, reflecting the brand’s deep connection to fan culture, collectability, and physical music discovery. Building on the release of the first connected album in 2014, KiTbetter launched the KiTalbum in 2017. The company has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and holds multiple patents on its proprietary technology.
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Media Contacts
Keith Hagan - khagan@skylarkmgmt.com
Grace Slansky - grace@kitbetter.com
