EXO is the legendary group that rebuilt the blueprint for K-pop success. However, SEVENTEEN is taking that success to a global stadium level.
EXO is the reason million-selling albums became the standard again. SEVENTEEN is the one pushing those numbers into the stratosphere, with 6 million-plus sales.
In this guide, we are going to break down their massive sales, their historic award counts, and how their fandoms differ in 2026. Stick around and read the whole article to understand why both of these groups are absolutely essential to K-pop history.
Quick Comparison: EXO vs Seventeen At a Glance
These two groups are the kings of the stage, but they reached the top in very different ways. Here is a quick look at how they compare right now.
| Feature | SEVENTEEN | EXO |
|---|---|---|
| Debut Year | 2015 | 2012 |
| Agency | Pledis (HYBE) | SM Entertainment |
| Best Selling Album | FML (6.2 Million+) | Don’t Mess Up My Tempo (1.9 Million+) |
| Music Show Wins | ~81 wins | ~114 wins |
| Total Daesangs | ~12+ | ~24+ |
| Fandom Name | Carat | EXO-L |
It is wild to see how these two groups have defined different decades of K-pop. While EXO holds the historic records for most trophies, SEVENTEEN is currently putting up sales numbers that no one thought were possible ten years ago.
EXO vs Seventeen Album Sales: Who Sells More?
When we talk about sales, we have to look at how much the industry has grown.
By the end of 2025, SEVENTEEN, which is a 3rd generation K-pop group, became the first group ever to place six different albums into the Circle Chart Top 100 at once.
This accomplishment was driven by their massive 2025 hit “HAPPY BURSTDAY.”
They also hold the record for the first group to ever sell 6.2 million copies of a single album with FML.
However, EXO is the original “blueprint” for these big numbers. Back when everyone thought digital music had killed physical CDs, EXO released XOXO and started a “million-seller” streak that literally saved the physical market.
Their power is still very much alive in 2026. The EXO members, especially Chen, are considered the best kpop vocalists.
Even with members focused on solo work and military service, their January 2026 release, REVERXE, sold over 260,000 copies on its very first day. It proves that even after a decade, their “legacy” fans are incredibly loyal.
Mathematically, SEVENTEEN sells more today because K-pop has a much bigger global audience now.
But for us long-term fans, we know that without EXO proving that millions of fans would still buy physical albums, the market might not have been ready for the massive numbers SEVENTEEN is hitting today.
Who Has More Awards? Total Wins & Daesang Comparison
If you look at the total trophy count, you can see just how dominant EXO was during their peak. They still hold a massive lead with about 114 music show wins. “Call Me Baby,” a song by EXO, broke multiple records with an 18-trophy haul.
In 2015–2016, EXO won something every week.
As of December 2025, SEVENTEEN has received 81 wins since its debut. While this places it behind EXO’s total number of wins, SEVENTEEN might close that gap soon.
During 2025, songs like “THUNDER” and “MAESTRO” performed at the top of the charts. SEVENTEEN continues to dominate and be the most successful act to appear on music shows.
When it comes to the Daesang (the Grand Prize), EXO is still a legend. They have over 24 of these major awards. They even won “Album of the Year” at MAMA for five years in a row, which is a record that still stands.
SEVENTEEN is currently favoured for the winning of numerous awards. They have accumulated around 12+ Daesangs at this time, receiving “Album of the Year” multiple times from 2023 to 2025.
Historically speaking, EXO has held the record for the most Daesangs won. But SEVENTEEN is currently winning them.
Fandom Power: EXO-L vs Carats
The two fandoms have very different energies because of how the groups were introduced to us.
EXO-Ls are a massive “legacy” fandom. They are incredibly strong in Mainland China and South Korea. This fandom grew up with EXO’s “Concept Kings” vibe, where every member had a superpower and a secret backstory.
EXO-L (the fan base of EXO) has proven to be one of the most loyal and protective fanbases around the globe.
Although the members are much older now than when they debuted, EXO-L’s support remains consistent every time a new album or other product is released from the group. The influence of the “legacy” factor exists.
Carats, on the other hand, are all about the “self-produced” idol culture. Because SEVENTEEN writes their own songs and makes their own dances, fans feel like they are growing with the group.
Major Career Milestones & Impact
EXO’s impact on the culture is massive. They were chosen to perform at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics closing ceremony, which is a huge honor.
They are the group that proved K-pop could be a global brand again after the 2nd generation. They will always be known as the group that made physical albums a “must-have” item for every fan.
SEVENTEEN is focused on a different kind of global impact. Their 2024 and 2025 stadium tours, like FOLLOW and RIGHT HERE, saw them performing for hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
They were also named UNESCO Youth Ambassadors. They are using their fame to talk about education and helping young people.
Conclusion: EXO Wrote the History Books, and SEVENTEEN Is Setting the New Standard!
At the end of the day, we’re just lucky to live in a world where both these groups exist! EXO really did set the gold standard for what a “top-tier” idol looks like.
But then you have SEVENTEEN, who took that foundation and turned it into this massive, self-produced empire that owns the stage every time they step out.
Both have completely changed the game, and honestly, they just prove that if the music is good and the love for fans is real, you’re going to stay winning.
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FAQs
BTS still holds the record for the most total albums sold over their entire career. However, SEVENTEEN’s FML holds the record for the most sales for a single album (6.2M).
BTS has won the most awards and Daesangs in K-pop history. EXO is the second most-awarded group, having dominated the industry for many years before BTS’s global explosion.
Most fans agree that EXO’s biggest peak was between 2013 and 2017. During these years, they were the undisputed kings of the industry and were the main group responsible for the Hallyu wave in China.
EXO was arguably the most popular group in the country during their peak. Their song “Growl” was so famous that it was nicknamed the “National Anthem” of K-pop. They were truly the “Nation’s Boy Group.”
It depends on where you look! SEVENTEEN is generally more popular in South Korea and Japan, while Stray Kids has a massive and very active following in the West, particularly in the US and Europe.
