BTS Lands 13 Songs on Billboard Hot 100 as ARIRANG Rules: The Era of a Mainstreamed Fandom

BTS just turned a blockbuster comeback into something bigger with their fifth studio album "ARIRANG", effectively taking over the Billboard charts and proving it’s not just hype. The headline? They captured both fandom power and mainstream appeal at the same time.

According to the latest Billboard rankings dated April 4 (released March 31 local time), title track “SWIM” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100. The album "ARIRANG" also opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It’s the first time since 2020’s "BE" and “Life Goes On” that BTS has topped both charts simultaneously.

What really pops is the B-sides. "ARIRANG" has 14 tracks, and all 13 vocal tracks―everything except the interlude “No.29”―entered the Hot 100. Alongside “SWIM,” seven tracks landed in the Top 50: “Body To Body” (No. 25), “Hooligan” (No. 35), “FYA” (No. 36), “Normal” (No. 41), “Aliens” (No. 47), and “2.0” (No. 50). Listeners didn’t just stream one song; they played the whole album.

The Billboard 200 leans on album sales and purchases―classic fandom muscle. The Hot 100 reflects streaming, radio, and broader public consumption―mainstream momentum. In short, one measures “fandom force,” the other “public choice.”

This time, BTS owned both lanes. "ARIRANG" earned about 641,000 album units to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while “SWIM” logged 108.8 million streams and 221,000 in sales to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100.

The global numbers are even more dominant. “SWIM” is No. 1 on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S., marking the group’s eighth No. 1 on each. On Global Excl. U.S., BTS lined up the entire Top 13―No. 1 through No. 13―the first feat of its kind in Billboard history. That surpasses Taylor Swift’s nine simultaneous Top 10 entries and Bad Bunny’s two-in-the-Top-3 mark.

The data tells the story. Nine "ARIRANG" tracks entered the Global 200 Top 10 at the same time, the most simultaneous entries since May 2024. In cumulative terms, BTS now holds the group records with 20 Top 10s on the Global 200 and 21 on Global Excl. U.S.

"ARIRANG"’s impact goes beyond chart stats. With passionate fandom support expanding into broad public consumption, BTS is showing they’re not just a “fandom-driven act” but a fully “mainstream act” on the global stage.
Riding this momentum, BTS is also relaunching their own variety content, "Run BTS! 2.0", further widening their connection points with fans worldwide.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)