BTS "Black Swan" Beats Adele's 5-Year iTunes Record + First K-pop Act to Hit No.1 in 103 Countries
On July 5, Sunday, BTS's song "Black Swan" hit #1 on iTunes in its 103rd country, making it the song to top the charts in most countries in history. They beat out Adele's record of 102 countries with her song "Hello". Adele had previously held on to that record for five years.
"Black Swan" came out in January ahead of the release of the album "Map of the Soul: 7". The album was special to ARMYs, as it commemorated the seven members of the group, the seventh album they ever real eased, and the group's 7th year anniversary. Not only has it been listed down as one of the bestselling albums in K-Pop, but also as one of the bestselling albums released in 2020 by any musical act.
The song "Black Swan" talks about the fear of an artist losing passing for their work, and how when and if it does happen, the soul of an artist vanishes, leading to their first death. It was inspired by a Martha Graham quote that says: "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and their first death is the more painful." It received praise from critics for its "honest and raw" lyrics. It was also praised for incorporating modern trap beats with traditional Korean instruments. It is considered the group's darkest single to date, following "FAKE LOVE".
To celebrate, ARMYs all around the world trended "BTS WORLD DOMINATION" on Twitter. They also trended the hashtag #DidOurThing, which references the lyrics "Do your thang" from "Black Swan". There, fans congratulated BTS on another record broken and patted each other's backs.
As it is July 7 (07/07), and it is the group's seventh anniversary, fans are wondering if BTS will be dropping anything or having a surprise live stream to meet with the fans. No hints have been dropped by BTS nor their company Big Hit Entertainment, and fans are just waiting for any news.
BTS, is a group comprising of seven members debuted in 2013 under the agency, Big Hit Entertainment. The male idol group is known for co-writing and producing most of their music materials.
Their songs touched the hearts of their audience with their lyrics, which usually focus on mental illness, troubles of adolescence, personal and social commentary, reminding everyone to love and be themselves.
With "Wings" being BTS's first album to sell one million copies in South Korea, the boys were able to bring their music to the West, leading the Hallyu Wave into the United States and breaking numerous records. They are the first Korean group to receive certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. They are the first Korean act to top the Billboard 200 with "Love Yourself: Tear" and have hit the top of the U.S. charts numerous times. They are the fastest group since the Beatles to earn four number one albums in less than 2 years.
Further, BTS is the bestselling artist in South Korean history and was the second bestselling artist of 2018. Media outlets have dubbed them as the "Princes of Pop" and were in Time's 100 most influential people in the world list in 2019
They are the youngest ever recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea.
Congratulations on your latest record, BTS!
