(ATTN: UPDATES with more of Billboard article; ADDS photos and byline)
By Shim Sun-ah
BTS Achieves Another Milestone: “Swim” Soars to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
The upbeat alternative pop track, “Swim,” the lead single from BTS’s highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Arirang,” has claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of April 4. According to a Billboard preview released Monday (U.S. time), “Swim” surpassed Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” to achieve this remarkable feat.
This achievement adds “Swim” to BTS’s already impressive list of Billboard successes, joining previous chart-toppers such as “Dynamite,” “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” (BTS Remix), “Life Goes On,” “Butter,” “Permission to Dance,” and “My Universe.”
The success of “Swim” mirrors the overall triumph of “Arirang.” Billboard announced Sunday that the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking BTS’s seventh No. 1 album. The album’s momentum also reached the UK, with “Arirang” debuting at No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100 and “Swim” entering the Official Singles Chart Top 100 at No. 2.
“BTS has the most No. 1s among groups in nearly half a century—since the Bee Gees banked its nine career chart-toppers in 1971-79,” Billboard stated. “As for the most No. 1s among groups since the chart began in August 1958, the Beatles lead all acts with 20, followed in the category by the Supremes (12), Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones (eight) and BTS.”
Among Korean artists, only BTS and its members Jimin and Jungkook have individually achieved No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Within the K-pop genre, “Golden” from the original soundtrack of the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” also reached the No. 1 position last year.
The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States across all genres, based on a combination of streaming data, radio airplay, and sales figures.
Since its release on March 20 as part of “Arirang,” “Swim” has garnered significant attention, accumulating 15.3 million streams, 25.8 million radio airplay audience impressions, and selling 154,000 copies in the U.S. during the week ending March 26, according to Billboard.
This release marked the end of a nearly four-year hiatus for group activities. To celebrate their highly anticipated comeback, BTS staged a free concert for tens of thousands of fans at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul the following day.
“Arirang,” produced under the guidance of Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, explores BTS’s identity as a group originating from Korea and the universal emotions experienced by its members throughout their journey. “Swim” embodies the theme of navigating life’s challenges, featuring lyrics co-written by the band’s frontman, RM.
