BTS makes history as world’s best selling artist of 20203 min read

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There are so many different kinds of music out there! From pop to hip hop to jazz and country, and of course, the extremely popular Korean pop, or K-pop. The genre, originating in, you guessed it, Korea, has gained international recognition over the last few years! One band that has played massive role in bringing K-pop to the world is BTS. Their songs and dance moves are so popular around the world, that they have a whole ARMY of fans! Here’s how loved this band is.

BTS made history again by winning the Global Recording Artist of the Year 2020. The all-boy band also broke another record as the first South Korean, first Asian and first act with songs predominantly not in English, to bag the award. 

The award is calculated based on an artist or a group’s worldwide performance across digital and physical music formats during the year, from streams to vinyl, and covers their entire body of work. 

The year 2020 was a massive year for the band, which comprises RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. Not only did they achieved more than any Asian group has in the global music scene, but also managed to make K-pop more popular than it’s ever been! 

The group earned their first Grammy nomination, the first ever for a South Korean act. Their first all-English song Dynamite broke records, including the most viewed music video in 24 hours on YouTube, and took the number one spot on the Billboard Hot100, again the first South Korean act to do so. Even amid the pandemic, BTS managed to release an album – Be – and became the fastest group to earn five chart-topping albums in the US since the legendary band The Beatles. 

Whom did they beat to get to the top?

BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, beat Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd and Billie Eilish to become the top recording artist of 2020. They finished second in 2018 and seventh in 2019 – so they’ve been climbing to the top for a few years now. Before BTS, all recipients of this award have been from North America and the United Kingdom!

“BTS are a global phenomenon. They have had another outstanding year, releasing three albums, and continually finding creative and engaging ways to share their story with the world. They truly show the power that music has to bring joy and happiness to people the world over,” said Frances Moore, chief executive of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which represents the recording industry worldwide. 

Sources: BBC, Tatler

Images: Giphy, Variety, Reuters