BTS’ historic week by the numbers
There’s no point arguing. BTS is the biggest band on the planet right now.
The K-pop outfit has completed a week for the history books, by busting opening-day viewing records on YouTube, and hitting the top of the albums charts around the globe, including the United States, United Kingdom and here in Australia.
Riding the dogged support of their ARMY, the seven-strong boy band’s Map of the Soul: Persona started atop the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart, shifting a career-best 230,000 equivalent units. It’s their third title to lead the big chart after Love Yourself: Tear and Love Yourself: Answer.
In the U.S., no other act has nudged the top 10. BTS already has four top 10s to their name, including those three chart-leaders which all came in less than a year. With that feat, they join some elite company. They’re the first group since the Beatles to earn three No. 1s on the albums tally in less than 12 months and their three-peat is the fastest accumulation of No. 1 albums by a group since the Monkees in 1967, according to Billboard.
The EP also hit the summit of the Official U.K. Albums Chart (with 26,500 combined sales) and the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the first set in the genre to do so.
BTS
The April 12 Big Hit Entertainment release got off to the fastest possible start as its lead single “Boy With Luv,” assisted by U.S. singer and songwriter Halsey, broke a total of three online records in the 24 hours after it dropped.
According to YouTube, the video opened with 74.6 million views on its first day, good enough to crack three Guinness World Records titles, for most viewed YouTube video, music video and most-viewed music video by a K-pop group in 24 hours.
The lads Jungkook, Jimin, V, RM, Suga, Jin and J-Hope beat previous Guinness record holders Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” (55.4 million views), BTS’s “IDOL” (45 million), Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” (43.2 million) and fellow K-pop act PSY’s “Gentleman” (38 million).
BTS’ “Boy With Luv” featuring Halsey
After selling out their first-ever stadium concert last October in a matter of minutes, BTS will take their show on the road for an international swing with stadium dates in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. The Love Yourself: Speak Yourself world tour kicks off May 4 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles and includes a stop at London’s Wembley Stadium. Australia, however, doesn’t figure in the itinerary.
If you’re betting against the Korean phenoms, you’re wasting money.
BTS’ historic week by the numbers
Most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours (“Boy With Luv”)
Most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours (“Boy With Luv”)
Most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours by a K-pop group (“Boy With Luv”)
First Korean act to lead the Billboard 200 albums chart three times (Map of the Soul: Persona)
First Korean act to lead the Official U.K. Albums Chart (Map of the Soul: Persona)
First Korean act to lead the ARIA Albums Chart (Map of the Soul: Persona)
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.