"'Played 535 Million Times in Two Months'…BTS, 'Arirang' Achievement"

[Dispatch=Reporter Lee Myung-ju] BTS demonstrated its global influence. The group achieved streaming performance with its regular fifth album "ARIRANG."

According to U.S. music data company Luminates, BTS recorded a total of 3.8 billion streams on global music platforms in eight weeks following the release of "ARIRANG."

During the same period, BTS's total album streams surpassed 5.3 billion. The complete group comeback and world tour after three years and eight months had an impact.

Their popularity was not confined to a specific continent. Streaming share by continent was as follows: Central and South America 27%, Northeast Asia 17%, North America 14%, Southeast Asia 13%, and Europe 12%.

A company representative explained, "BTS albums were not concentrated in a specific region but consumed evenly across major markets worldwide."

Both the title track and B-sides of "ARIRANG" were loved. "SWIM" became the first song released on Spotify this year to surpass 500 million cumulative plays.

"Body to Body" and "Hooligan" each surpassed 200 million streams. The group even set a record with all B-side tracks exceeding 100 million streams.

Strong physical album sales continued. BTS's CD and vinyl (LP) album sales exceeded 810,000 units in the United States alone, ranking first.

Fandom loyalty also increased. In this survey, active participation layer recorded 26%, attachment layer 15%, and super fans 9%. This represents an increase of 2-5 percentage points compared to 2021.

Public interest also grew. The proportion of people who feel affinity for BTS music was 44%, with listeners at 32%. This marks an increase of 10 and 4 percentage points respectively compared to 2021.

Luminates stated, "While the share of K-pop music listening is low, listeners who enjoy BTS music have increased," and revealed, "Hispanic and Latin listeners account for 38%."

A group that does not frequently listen to BTS music but recognizes them as trendsetters and artists was also identified. They account for 19% of the BTS awareness group.

Big Hit Music stated, "This analysis demonstrates that BTS maintains fandom loyalty while attracting new consumer bases, showing an expansion of public reach."

Meanwhile, BTS will continue its world tour "ARIRANG" at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK on the 6th and 7th of next month.