It’s no surprise to Kpop fans old and new that Big Hit Entertainment‘s leading boy group, BTS, has made a splash in the American music scene.
Following their nomination and win for Top Social Artist at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, the boys’ popularity has more than skyrocketed. They were seen on almost every entertainment news outlet in the U.S. as a result,and gained countless new fans, including both everyday people and fellow musicians.
But just how popular is BTS?
The New York Times recently released an article naming the 50 “Most-Loved Artists” in the United States based on actual YouTube music video streams between January 2016 to April 2017. BTS stands strong at no. 44 and is the only Asian/Kpop act named, which is a huge win for Kpop fans across the board! This is especially important since it is based on verified numbers and not just fan votes, etc.
We all know that Rap Monster and the rest of Beyond The Scene (BTS’s new name) are groundbreakers in the genre, but it’s still amazing to see them mentioned alongside artists we all consider household names here in the U.S.
The article goes as far as mapping the volume of their popularity as well. The map reveals in which regions the top artists are heavily streamed. The most-concentrated areas with BTS fans are shown in dark purple, with colors becoming lighter the less they are streamed. Below, you can see that BTS is extremely popular in Hawaii, along the West Coast, and in other various pockets around major cities. It is interesting to see, however, that BTS is streamed a lot all across the U.S., with only a few tiny areas showing no streams at all.
BTS has easily been breaking down the wall between Kpop and Western pop music with their versatile sound and eye-popping music videos. As one of the leading names in Kpop, they’ve cleverly used their numerous social media platforms to close the gaps between them and their fans all over the globe. As a result, the group has taken over the hearts and charts of many worldwide!
There’s surely more great things in store for the boys and their music, and you can keep up with all their breaking news here at What The Kpop!
LizzySKpop is a WTK writer who stans GOT7 above all things in life and loves to try Korean beauty products. She also enjoys the music of MONSTA X. BTS, BIGBANG, and many more. Although she is pretty new to the Kpop world, she is already a hardcore fan and finds more groups every day to love. No matter what though, she will always love GOT7 the most and constantly relives the moments when she was able to see them up close and personal like at a hi-touch events and a personal Skype session! She is proud aunt that has spread the love of Kpop to her nieces as well.
Media: BigHit Entertainment, The New York Times