“Swim” ties as the longest-running No. 1 hit by BTS on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. as it holds atop the tally for an eighth nonconsecutive week. NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 21: (L-R) Jimin, Jungkook, RM, J-Hope, V, Jin, and SUGA of the K-pop boy band BTS visit the “Today” Show at Rockefeller Plaza on February 21, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/WireImage)
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BTS once again claims the biggest song in the world – on the ranking that does not include American listening habits, that is. The South Korean septet leads the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., one of two worldwide tallies introduced by the chart company a little more than half a decade ago. The singers dominate once more with “Swim,” which keeps at the summit for another turn, fending off one of the biggest musical superstars of all time.
As “Swim” rules the ranking, BTS matches its own longest run at the summit, and soon the boy band may beat itself.
BTS Holds at No. 1 With “Swim”
“Swim” has spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., and it has only stepped out of the spotlight twice. The lead single from the group’s comeback album Arirang – perhaps the most highly anticipated of the year – has now spent eight frames running the show.
“Swim” is now on the same level as “Dynamite,” which has been the group’s sturdiest winner for more than five years. “Dynamite” debuted on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. in September 2020, when the chart was brand new. The following week, it surged to the highest rung, becoming one of the first chart-toppers in the tally’s history.
BTS Easily Beats Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Blackpink
BTS furthered its lead over all other musical acts earlier this year when “Swim” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. The phenomenally successful vocal troupe has racked up eight leaders. That’s twice as many as the three stars – Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift and Blackpink – that jointly claim the second-most rulers of all time.
Only three of the BTS songs that have topped the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. have commanded the tally for more than one period. In addition to both “Dynamite” and “Swim,” “Butter,” a 2021 summer smash, held at the highest rung for five frames.
Here are all of BTS’s No. 1s on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S.
- “Butter”
- “Dynamite”
- “Life Goes On”
- “My Universe” with Coldplay
- “Permission to Dance”
- “Swim”
- “Take Two”
- “Yet to Come”
BTS Blocks Michael Jackson from His First No. 1
For several weeks now, “Swim” has kept Michael Jackson from posthumously earning his first leader on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. “Billie Jean” is comfortable at No. 2 as it continues to ride a wave of success following the release of the musician’s biopic Michael.
“Swim” Surges on the Billboard Global 200 as Well
“Swim” surges on the Billboard Global 200 this week, pushing from No. 10 to No. 4. That tally does include American consumption, and it is a proper look at what everyone in the world is streaming and buying. “Swim” tied BTS’s most impressive run in the top spot some time ago, matching the four weeks that “Dynamite” led the charge. “Butter” only managed two stints in the highest rung. BTS claims eight winners on that ranking as well, and just as is the case on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., most only spent a single moment at No. 1.
“Swim” Recovers After Drake’s Debuts
Last week, “Swim,” as well as dozens of other tracks by a variety of musical superstars, dropped on many Billboard charts, pushed downward by a surge of Drake tracks. This time around, many of the Canadian hip-hop talent’s tunes are on the decline, which makes room for hits like “Swim” to advance.
The BTS cut improves its standing on the Billboard Global 200 (No. 4), Radio Songs chart (No. 25) and the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 44). The single does backtrack on all three pop radio rosters, declining on the Pop Airplay, Adult Contemporary and Adult Pop Airplay charts to Nos. 13, 17 and 18, respectively.