BTS becomes first group, Asian act to cross historic milestone on Spotify

Making history: BTS crossed 38 billion total streams on Spotify this week, as per music data website Kworb. Tracks with the highest streams include “Dynamite” (1.8 billion), “Butter” (1.22 billion), “My Universe” (1.2 billion) and “Boy With Luv” (1.13 billion). BTS is reportedly the first group, first Asian act and only K-pop act to achieve the milestone, according to PinkVilla.

The latest achievement happened nearly a year after the K-pop septet, which consists of J-Hope, Jimin, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Suga and V, broke their own record by achieving over 31.9 billion streams on March 3, 2023, almost doubling their April 2021 record of 16.3 billion.

What ARMYs are saying: BTS fans, affectionately referred to as ARMYs, celebrated the group’s achievement on social media, noting that they are the first-ever K-pop act and Asian artist to hit the streaming mark.

Blackpink, the most-streamed female group on Spotify, has accumulated a total of 12.49 billion streams, as of Tuesday.

Catch up: All seven BTS members are currently fulfilling their mandatory military duties, with RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook being the last members to begin training on Dec. 11 and 12, 2023. South Korean law requires all able-bodied men to enlist in the military for 18 to 21 months before they turn 28.

Jin, the oldest of the group and the first to enlist in December 2022, is the first member expected to return in June, followed by J-Hope in September and Suga in March 2025. The group’s label, Hybe, said ARMYs can expect to see the group together “around 2025,” likely after RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook’s return in June of that year.