BTS has reached the top of “Global Artists” by the International Music Record Industry Association (IFPF).
Although BTS’s album “BE” was released in November last year, it ranked 7th on the Billboard main album chart ‘Billboard 200’, which was released on the 2nd (local time). In addition, BTS’s 4th Billboard 200 #1 album “MAP OF THE SOUL:7” reached 108th on the Billboard 200 chart on February 27th, achieving a record of 52 weeks. The group successfully achieved Billboard 200 chart-in for one year in a row.
Billboard announced on July 13 last year that it would abolish the custom of counting albums and albums that were sold on MD products or concert tickets on the album and song charts. The practice of increasing album sales by selling albums in various goods and concert tickets, including clothing, souvenirs, and even food and beverages, was rampant. Travis Scott climbed to the top of the charts by bundling hats, key chains, concert tickets and albums, and Taylor Swift sold the Papa Jones Pizza and album together in 2012.
As the voice of criticism grew, Billboard improved the regulations to respond to the bundled album in January of last year, but the criticism that it does not accurately reflect the intentions of consumers” remained.
In February last year, BTS released “MAP OF THE SOUL: 7” with “Poetry for Little Things” as the title song, and in November, “Life Goes On”, which contains a message of consolation to people living in the era of Covid-19. And, “Be” was introduced. In the 2020 annual album chart released by Gaon Chart, BTS’s two albums won first and second place, and achieved 10 million album sales in Korea and Japan last year. In the U.S., a total of 1.54 million albums were sold, which is the second largest album sales in the U.S. Last year, album sales accounted for 41% of the sales of BTS’ agency Big Hit.
Lee Ki-hoon, a researcher at Hana Financial Investment, said, “With the release of BTS’s albums only in the fourth quarter of last year, Big Hit recorded 140.8 billion won in album and music sales.”
BTS beat Taylor Swift, Drake and Weekend, Billy Eilish, Eminem, Post Malone, Ariana Grande, Juice World, Justin Bieber, and more in the global artist chart that combines physical album sales, digital music downloads, and audio and video streaming.
Source: www.hankyung.com
