With the release of their fifth studio album, 'Arirang', BTS has once again demonstrated their unparalleled global appeal, capturing the top positions on significant weekly music charts both at home and abroad.
As reported by Hanteo Chart, a prominent album sales tracking service, on the 30th, BTS's 'Arirang' claimed the number one spot on both the weekly world chart and the album chart for the period from March 23rd to 29th. Astoundingly, the album achieved this feat just three days post-release on March 20th and maintained this premier position for two successive weeks.
BTS group image [Photo=Big Hit Music]
In an anticipatory article released by the esteemed American music publication Billboard on the 30th, it was revealed that 'Arirang' has secured the top spot on their main album chart, the 'Billboard 200', for the issue dated April 4th. The album entered the chart with a remarkable 641,000 album units, setting a new benchmark for the best weekly performance by a group album since unit tracking was instituted in December 2014. Of the total units, a significant 532,000 were derived from pure album sales, encompassing both physical and digital purchases, establishing a new high for weekly group album sales over the past decade.
On the international stage, BTS's dominance extends beyond the Billboard charts. They have swept the weekly rankings on Spotify, the global audio, and music streaming titan, for the span of March 20th to 26th. Their triumphant conquest includes the 'Weekly Top Albums', 'Weekly Top Songs', and 'Weekly Top Artists' on the platform's global charts. Particularly, the album's lead track, 'SWIM', clinched the top position on the 'Weekly Top Songs Global', while impressively, all 14 tracks from 'Arirang' secured places within the top 30.
The title track 'SWIM' consistently held the number one slot on Spotify's 'Daily Top Songs Global' and Apple Music's 'Top 100 Global' for an impressive duration of nine days from March 20th to 28th, and seven days from March 23rd to 29th, respectively. Furthermore, every song from the album featured prominently on the most recent chart listings of both platforms, demonstrating continuing popularity beyond the initial release period. Even ten days after the album hit the shelves, not only 'SWIM' but the entire tracklist continues to garner extensive acclaim, showcasing the fervent passion of global music enthusiasts.
In parallel with their chart triumphs, BTS is poised to captivate audiences with their 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'', commencing at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the 9th, 11th, and 12th of April. The tour is set to expand to South America in October, with planned stadium concerts in countries such as Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Impressively, all 46 scheduled performances, including those in Goyang, North America, Europe, and Tokyo, Japan, have experienced rapid sellouts, underscoring the exceptional demand and magnetic draw of BTS's live performances.