10 Times K-Pop History-Makers BTS Broke Major Worldwide Records
Since making their official debut five years ago in 2013, seven-member South Korean group BTS have truly left their mark on both K-pop and the broader global music industry.
Thanks to their undeniable talent, as well as the efforts of their loyal legion of passionate fans all across the world (both at home and abroad), the boys of BTS — Suga, Jimin, V, J-Hope, Jungkook, Rap Monster and Jin — have become bona fide history-makers, breaking countless records left and right, everywhere from YouTube to Spotify to the Billboard charts. (They even made history at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 11!)
Below, check out ten times BTS broke major records with their music.
- David Becker, Getty Images
David Becker, Getty Images 1They were the first K-pop act to be nominated for AND win a Billboard Music Award
On May 21, 2017, after becoming the first K-pop act to be nominated for a Billboard Music Award, the group took home the trophy for Top Social Artist, beating out the likes of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.
- Neilson Barnard, Getty Images
Neilson Barnard, Getty Images 2They were also the first K-pop group to perform at a U.S. award show
On November 20, 2017, BTS made history by becoming the first South Korean group to perform at the American Music Awards. They performed their hit single "DNA," and the set also marked the first U.S. televised award show performance by any K-pop act.
- Big Hit Entertainment
Big Hit Entertainment 3They made history on South Korea's Gaon chart by selling the most copies of a single album
In February 2018, BTS became the South Korean group to officially sell the most copies of a single album in the history of the country's Gaon chart, moving more than 1.6 million copies of their fifth studio album, Love Yourself: Her.
- BANGTANTV/YouTube
BANGTANTV/YouTube 4They were the first K-pop group to be certified gold
On February 4, 2018, it was announced that BTS had become the first K-pop act to go gold by the RIAA when their song, "MIC Drop (Remix)," moved more than "500,000 equivalent units between digital downloads and audio and video streaming," according to Billboard.
- BigHit Entertainment/YouTube
BigHit Entertainment/YouTube 5They had the highest-ranking K-pop album ever on the Billboard 200 chart
In September 2017, BTS' album Love Yourself: Her peaked at No. 7 in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, becoming the highest-ranking South Korean album ever in the United States.
- Big Hit Entertainment
Big Hit Entertainment 6They had the highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 hit for any K-pop group
In early October 2017, BTS' hit single "DNA" earned the group their highest-charting song ever on the Billboard Hot 100 when the track peaked at No. 67. The milestone also marked the highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 hit for ANY K-pop band, ever.
- YouTube
YouTube 7They released the first K-pop song to hit 50 million listens on Spotify
In 2017, BTS' single "Blood Sweat & Tears" crossed the 50 million streams mark on Spotify, becoming the most-listened to South Korean pop song. The song also became the first K-pop track ever to hit 50 million listens.
- BTS via YouTube
BTS via YouTube 8They're the fastest K-pop group to hit 10 million YouTube views on a music video
BTS have broken so many YouTube records (including their own!) that it's hard to keep count. In October 2016, the group hit 10 million views with their video for "Blood Sweat & Tears" in 41 hours, becoming the fastest group to hit the number. Months later, on February 14, 2017, they beat their own record, hitting 10 million views for "Spring Day" in just 26 hours. Then, just days after that, they broke their own record again when they released the clip for "Not Today," which racked up 20 million views in less than three days.
- BigHit Entertainment/YouTube
BigHit Entertainment/YouTube 9They had the highest ranked K-pop track on the Spotify Global Viral 50 Chart
After first scoring the highest-ranking song on the Spotify Global Viral 50 Chart with "Wings" at No. 6, BTS became the first Korean act to appear on Spotify's Global Top 50 Chart with "DNA" in September 2017.
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! via YouTube
Jimmy Kimmel Live! via YouTube 10They have the most Billboard 200 albums by any K-pop artist
In September 2017, Love Yourself: Her became the fifth BTS release to enter the Billboard 200 Chart, a first for any K-pop act. BTS' other Billboard 200-charting albums include 2017's You Never Walk Alone (a repackaged version of Wings), 2016's Wings, 2016's The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever (a compilation album), and 2015's The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2.