BTS is sweeping global charts with their new single “SWIM.”
The title track “SWIM” from BTS’s fifth studio album "ARIRANG" hit No. 1 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart for two straight days (March 20-21). Album cut “Body to Body” also soared to No. 2, keeping both tracks locked in at the very top.
The rest of the album is posting strong numbers, too. “Hooligan” (No. 4), “FYA” (No. 5), “NORMAL” (No. 6), “Aliens” (No. 8), “2.0” (No. 9), “Like Animals” (No. 10), “Merry Go Round” (No. 11), and “they don't know 'bout us” (No. 12) all landed high on the chart. More tracks also made the cut, including “One More Night” (No. 17), “Please” (No. 19), “No. 29” (No. 21), and “Into the Sun” (No. 22), underscoring the group’s global presence.
The song is dominating Korean charts as well. “SWIM” topped Melon and Bugs’ daily charts for March 21, and as of 10 a.m. on March 23, it sits at No. 1 on major real-time charts including Melon, Bugs, and Genie.
Album sales are surging. "ARIRANG" sold 540,000 copies in Japan on March 22 alone, debuting at No. 1 on Oricon’s Daily Album Ranking. According to Hanteo Chart, the album surpassed 4 million cumulative sales in just three days, also claiming No. 1 on the daily chart for three consecutive days.
Overseas media are praising the release. The Guardian called the album “a result befitting the stature of the world’s biggest pop phenomenon.”
BTS dropped "ARIRANG" on March 20 and kicked off promotions with “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG” at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza on March 21. On March 24, they will meet local fans in New York at “Spotify X BTS: SWIMSIDE.” They are also scheduled to appear on NBC’s "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on March 25 and 26.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)