BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) continues to soar high as one of the top boy groups in entertainment history. The Korean idol group was formed in 2010 and after years of rigorous training, they officially debuted in 2013 with the single "No More Dream." Since then, the group started gaining popularity worldwide and the rest is history. The group members--Rap Monster or RM, Jungkook, Jimin, V, Suga, Jin, and J-Hope--have become household names among K-pop fans everywhere.
The boys have a strong clan of loyal fans worldwide collectively known as ARMY. The band has become so influential that even some famous celebrities have become fans, such as Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, Tyra Banks, among others. They are also one of the most bankable stars in K-pop, from specialty merchandise to fan-club activities. BTS has taken over the global market, not just through music, but also as a successful brand. They are likewise known for dominating music charts and award shows due to their immense popularity. Just this year, BTS has racked up tons of awards and recognition. Discover more of how this Korean phenomenal band got their start, and what they've achieved this 2020.
Their studio album, “Map of the Soul: 7”, was released on February 2020 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making it their 4th consecutive album to appear on the list. This also makes BTS the only Korean act to achieve this milestone.
In 2020, BTS has officially become the group with the most No. 1's in iTunes history. Their song 'Black Swan' has reached No. 1 in 104 countries, and counting.
BTS is the only group in history in which every member has achieved a solo No. 1 on the iTunes charts.
Their single "Stay Gold" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Digital Songs Sales Chart, earning them their 20th #1 on the chart. This makes them the only artist with the most #1s in the chart's history.
BTS takes the trophy for the biggest Spotify debut. Their song "Your Eyes Tell" earned over 876,000 streams within the first few hours of release.
They also have the best-selling album of 2020, so far. Their album “Map of the Soul: 7” has sold over 4 million units and counting, beating out The Weeknd's “After Hours”.
BTS' V has officially become the solo artist with the most No. 1's in iTunes history thanks to his song "Sweet Night, setting a new record for the group.
BTS has broken a 36-year long record held by Michael Jackson with “Map of the Soul: 7.” The group became the only international artist to top the Japanese Oricon Music Chart.
The group's strong presence on social media continues to grow. They currently hold the Billboard Top Social artist for a record 186 weeks, equivalent to three years.
One of their 2020 singles entitled "ON" made it in the Billboard Hot 100 upon its debut, making them officially the Korean act with the most Billboard Hot 100 entries.
In August, BTS released their first full-English song titled “Dynamite” which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This is the band's first No. 1 single in the United States making BTS the first all-South Korean act to top the Hot 100.
The day after its release, “Dynamite” became the fastest YouTube video to reach 10 million views, doing so after only 20 minutes of release, and the most-viewed YouTube video in the first 24 hours earning 101.1 million views. It also has the fastest record of hitting the 200 million mark in the video-sharing platform setting three new Guinness World Records.
In June, BTS held their first online concert titled “Bang Bang Con: The Live” which peaked at 756,000 concurrent viewers across 107 counties and territories. According to their label, Big Hit Entertainment, the virtual performance was the “largest paid online concert to be held in the world.”
The same month, BTS took over the “Dear Class of 2020” special by YouTube by performing their hit songs “Boy With Luv,” “Spring Day,” and “Mikrokosmos.” The group got the most screen time out of any performer or speaker as they also all shared their graduation memories.
BTS also broke the record for the biggest live audience during a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR Music. The “at home” collaboration was a success because the video broke the record for the most-viewed Tiny Desk performance within 24 hours of premiering. Aside from that, NPR Music gained 100,000 new subscribers to its YouTube channel and also inspired a lot of ARMYs to donate to the local radio station.
BTS made a special appearance at the 75th UN General Assembly on September 23 to deliver a speech about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their lives. The speech carried a message of hope and resilience in these times of unprecedented unease and uncertainty.
BTS continued to break records in social media as they were awarded by Twitter as the most mentioned K-pop group on the social media platform.
BTS also smashed records in TikTok as the most-followed Korean stars. They have amassed over 20 million followers on the platform since joining in September 2019.
On September 22, American host Jimmy Fallon announced that the global K-pop sensation will appear on the 'Tonight Show' for an entire week--the first K-pop group to do so. The week-long special will start on September 28 full of performances, sketches, and interviews.
The year 2020 is also the year that BTS released their interactive social game 'BTS Universe Story.' Here, each player is allowed to participate in the development of stories by selecting choices for different outcomes. The game is available for download worldwide on the App Store and Google Play.
BTS debuted their choreography for Dynamite in the game “Fortnite” on September 25, 2020. They are the latest big act to venture into the virtual world following the likes of Marshmello and Travis Scott.
On September 19, BTS stood before South Korean President Moon Jae-in to talk about their success amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic for the country's first national Youth Day. They also handed a moon time capsule for youth, in a purple box, to be opened in 19 years.
On September 28, BTS announced that they will be releasing their upcoming album titled 'BE (Deluxe Edition)' that's scheduled to come out on November 20. This will follow their last album 'Map of the Soul: 7' which hit record stores on February 21, 2020.
After hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, their English-hit 'Dynamite' also topped Billboard's Global 200 and Global 200 (Excluding US) charts. This makes BTS the only artist history to chart at No. 1 on all three charts at the same time.
As reported by the Korean Herald on June 20, the BTS edition of the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy Buds sold out an hour after the pre-order sale went live. However, Samsung has not told how many units of the new BTS branded products were available.
On September 29, US lifestyle magazine Variety shared a sneak peek of their exclusive cover of the K-pop titans for their upcoming “Grammy” issue.
It was reported on September 28, that Big Hit Entertainment is issuing its shares at $115 each, raising the value of the company to $4.1 billion and earning each of the members at least $7.9 million.
On November 11, 2020, BTS member Suga underwent a shoulder surgery to prevent his torn shoulder tissue from worsening. Suga sustained a shoulder injury in 2012 and endured years of pain from his condition. Despite the temporary break to recover, BTS continues promoting their BE album release on November 20.
BTS was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as part of its 2020 Innovator Awards dubbed as "2020 Music Innovators" by the Wall Street Journal. The media company highlighted the band's incredible milestones in their "Why BTS Runs the World" feature which includes a 5-minute video on the band's recognition.
In 2019, BTS dominated three categories for the 2019 American Music Awards. In 2020, BTS is performing in the AMA's and presents the TV debut of their BE album's single "Life Goes On."
BTS is welcoming December 2020 with an episode of Mini Masterclass (from Grammy Museum). Mini Masterclass is a twice-weekly video series which includes a 10- minute interview with an esteemed roster of guests.
BTS member Jungkook took home the “Sexiest International Man” title by People Magazine in November, beating Dan levy, Keith Urban, Matthew Rhys, and Paul Mescal.
According to Korea's Hanteo chart data, their latest album "BE" sold over 2 million copies within 24 hours since its release. Moreover, within the first 30 minutes, the album already sold over 1 million copies, making it the fastest album to reach the millionth mark in Hanteo history.
On November 24, BTS earned their first Grammy nomination under the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.
BTS's 'Life Goes On' is the first Hot 100 No.1 that is sung predominantly in Korean. The song is the South Korean boy band's third Hot 100 No.1 following 'Dynamite' and their rendition of Jason Derulo's 'Savage Love.'
According to reports, BTS is selling the costumes the members used in 'Dynamite' music video at the Julien's Auctions MusiCares Charity Relief. The said costumes are estimated to be worth between $20,000 to $40,000.
BTS kickstarted December by releasing a holiday-themed singalong for ABC where they sang “Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town.”