BTS' Suga photographed in 2018

BTS' Jin

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BTS: K-Pop Superstars Earn RIAA Gold Singles For "DNA," "Mic Drop"

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The K-pop collective has become the first Korean group to receive RIAA recognition
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Feb 12, 2018 - 2:41 pm

Olympic athletes aren't the only ones striking gold right about now. BTS have notched some precious metal of their own in the form of two gold-certified singles by the RIAA.

The K-pop collective's "Mic Drop" and "DNA" have been officially certified as gold, for download sales and streams in excess of 500,000 units. Both tunes are featured on the group's hit EP, Love Yourself: Her, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. "Mic Drop" was released as a remix in November, produced by Aoki and featuring Desiigner.

BTS are the first Korean group — and only the second Korean act — to earn RIAA distinction. Solo artist Psy earned a quintuple-platinum single with 2012's "Gangnam Style."

The seven-piece group wrapped their momentous 2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III (Final Chapter): The Wings Tour in December. The jaunt, which launched in February 2017, reportedly drew more than a half-million fans, marking their biggest tour to date.

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BTS

BTS

Photo: Courtesy of BigHit Entertainment

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BTS Become First K-Pop Band To Debut At No. 1 On Billboard 200

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The superstar band continues to prove the vitality of K-pop worldwide with their latest North American chart accomplishment
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
May 29, 2018 - 1:38 pm

K-pop septet BTS can add "Billboard top seller" to their list of achievements thanks to their May 18 release Love Yourself: Tear, which entered the Billboard 200 album chart for May 24 at No. 1. This makes BTS the first K-pop band ever and the first foreign-language album in more than 12 years to accomplish this feat.

Driven in part by their enthusiastic BTS Army super fans, traditional album sales reached 100,000, augmented by streaming equivalents for 135,000 adjusted sales units. The previous top K-pop album in the U.S. was BTS' too, when Love Yourself: Her reached No. 7 in October 2017.

For years now, the young men of BTS have crafted personal stories and individual fantasies into alternate storylines that connect through their videos. While dancing, singing and bringing happiness will be enough for some new enthusiasts, inside BTS' music are seeds that can grow U.S. social support on a deeper level.

K-pop's recent success in the U.S. continues to expand. Some of BTS' uniqueness has been their directness addressing depression and hardship, topics that were themselves foreign to Korean idol groups' repertoire, except through metaphor.

"At the very heart of BTS's outstanding dancing and singing is sincerity," President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in said in a statement. "This magical power turns grief into hope and differences into similarity. Each of the seven members sings in a way that is true to himself and the life he wants to live. ... The names of each member — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook — are going to be remembered for a long time. Thank you to BTS for spreading joy across Korea and the world with your great performances."

Looking ahead, Korean pop culture news Soompi.com has reported that BTS' single "Fake Love" entered the about-to-be-announced Billboard Hot 100 at No. 10, an additional goal of the group that has now been achieved.

As fans look forward to the group's June 13 BTS Festa anniversary celebration, there will be so much to celebrate — as well as a new awareness that the world is watching.

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BTS' J-Hope

BTS' J-Hope

Photo: RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

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BTS' J-Hope: Solo Mixtape Charts, Soars With "Airplane"

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'Hope World' mixtape hits the charts while its second single "Airplane" sings of dreams already fulfilled and promises more
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Mar 7, 2018 - 3:57 pm

BTS' J-Hope followed in the footsteps of fellow bandmates RM and Suga by releasing his own mixtape on March 1, Hope World. The Billboard 200 for the week ending March 10 showed it entering at No. 63, and first singles "Daydream" and "Airplane" have been massive YouTube hits.

"Daydream" keeps things light but super catchy, and as J-Hope awakens in the end, the shadow of an imposing airliner crosses his wall. Now we know that shadow was presaging the powerful bounce on "Airplane" which manages to be bumping and luxurious at the same time.

BTS are reportedly cooking up their next album but if their individual mixtapes mean more like Hope World, "champagne on my airplane" will be the least they can expect, separately and together.

For those counting clicks "Daydream" has risen to 26 million views on YouTube since March 1. Posted March 6, "Airplane" has passed 6 million and is heavily trending.

The clicks are following music millions consider infectiously fun, and J-Hope's "Airplane" might have you flying too.

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BTS

BTS

Photo: VCG/Getty Images

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"The Late Late Show with James Corden" Posts BTS Live "DNA"

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This performance was one of the major stops that has K-pop's BTS injecting new moves and flair into U.S. awareness
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 1, 2017 - 4:44 pm

K-pop band BTS' taping of their live performance of "DNA" on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" had the gathered audience rapt with attention. Viral awareness has just started building for this energetic display of youth and talent that the show posted online Dec. 1. We will see what the future brings for Korean popmusic talent crossing over into the U.S. mainstream, but it's likely this is the beginning of more to come.

Once again host James Corden — also hosting the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 28, 2018 — brings out the best in musicians around him. His "Carpool Karaoke" series on Apple Music is the center of an emerging genre of social and musical expression. As K-pop's current de facto U.S. ambassadors, BTS and their infectious attitudes and moves have left plenty of strong memories and new fans behind.

Billboard has more on the group, as well as BTS' performance of "Flinch."

BTS Wrap Up Successful U.S. Tour on "Ellen" 

BTS

BTS

Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com

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BTS "DNA" Video Tells 7 Members' Stories With Color

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Beyond psychedelic, the K-pop pioneers' visual storytelling is based on bandmates' identities, preferences and styles
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Oct 3, 2017 - 3:38 pm

K-pop band BTS released their fifth EP, Love Yourself 'Her,' a few weeks ago and its track "DNA" is visually intravenous, as intended, as is its dancing, colorful graphic storytelling, and chart performance. Inviting comparison with Psy and Wonder Girls, "DNA" and BTS have broken into the mainstream.

The "DNA" YouTube video was published Sept. 18 and currently has more than 80 million views.

From No. 85 on the week published Oct. 7, the BTS hit jumped to No. 67 for the Oct. 14 published period. "DNA" is now the highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 title by a K-pop artist or band. In 2009 Wonder Girls reached No. 76 with "Nobody."

Big Hit Entertainment, the group's creative team, explained to Billboard how catering to the individuality of the band's seven members helps them express unique stories, using their personal style and flair. This binds the group together while representing BTS as an epic cooperation between diverse and energetic young men, full of passion in song. With this powerful combination, there's no telling how high up the charts BTS will go.

Miles Davis In DNA: Music Preservation With A Twist