ATEEZ have done it again. The group’s 14th mini album, “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5,” generated more revenue than any other Sony Music Entertainment project in the world in the three months to the end of September 2026, topping the company’s global revenue ranking ahead of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The result comes from Sony Group’s fiscal second-quarter results, announced on Thursday, November 5.
The ranking, published in Sony’s quarterly earnings supplement, lists the ten biggest recorded music projects by global revenue generation in the quarter, excluding artists signed in Japan. ATEEZ took the No. 1 spot, with “Thriller” at No. 2. Ella Langley’s “Dandelion” placed third, followed by Bad Bunny’s “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” in fourth, with SZA’s “SOS” and Shakira’s “Dai Dai” completing the top six.
The No. 1 finish is a reversal from the previous quarter. In calendar Q2 2026, “Thriller” led the same ranking, boosted by attention around the Michael biopic. This time the K-pop group’s new album overtook the 1982 classic outright, a sign of how much of the quarter’s revenue was driven by a fresh release rather than catalog.
The result landed in a record quarter for Sony’s music business. Combined revenue from recorded music and music publishing reached USD $3.15 billion in calendar Q3 2026, a new quarterly high and the fourth consecutive quarter above $3 billion. The figure was up 8.9 percent year on year from $2.89 billion in the same quarter of 2025. Recorded music alone generated $2.41 billion, up 10.5 percent, with streaming contributing $1.52 billion, while music publishing added $744.8 million. Sony’s wider music segment reported revenue of ¥598.4 billion and operating income of ¥122.8 billion, a record for a second quarter, helped by growth in streaming as well as merchandising and live revenue.
The figures are calculated in U.S. dollars using average quarterly exchange rates provided by Sony, and the project ranking covers recorded music only, excluding artists signed in Japan. Sony’s music operation also includes a visual media and platform business, covering mobile games and animation, which is not counted in the $3.15 billion total. Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” one of the quarter’s standout tracks, has now exceeded 1.8 billion cumulative streams worldwide.
Unlike a sales chart that counts copies sold, Sony’s ranking is built on revenue, which blends physical sales, streaming and other income generated by each project during the quarter. That is why a decades-old catalog album such as “Thriller” can sit beside a brand-new release at the top of the list: the 1982 record keeps earning year after year, while a new album’s first weeks deliver a concentrated burst of sales and streams. ATEEZ’s win therefore measures the commercial weight of the “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5” release window itself, not a lifetime tally, and it underlines how much of Sony’s quarter was powered by new releases rather than its deep catalog.
“GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5” was released in June 2026 and became ATEEZ’s third No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Its first-week domestic sales surpassed 1.88 million copies, a personal best for the group, and title track “BAD” kept winning No. 1 trophies on music shows even after official promotions ended. The “BAD” music video has also passed 100 million views, the group’s sixth video to reach the mark. The album’s position on Sony’s revenue chart reflects that commercial run carrying into the July-to-September quarter, with physical sales and streaming counted across the period.
This is the second time ATEEZ have topped Sony’s quarterly revenue chart. In calendar Q4 2024, “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2” also finished at No. 1, with “Thriller” down in tenth place in that quarter. The new result means ATEEZ have now led the ranking twice, both times with a release from the “GOLDEN HOUR” series.
The timing keeps the momentum going. ATEEZ’s 15th mini album, “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6,” is scheduled for release on November 13, just days after Sony published the results, giving the group a fresh release to carry into the final quarter of a year that has already brought them a grand record honor at the 2026 KGMA.
