BTS Have Broken Records Held by The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and Adele
…BUT WHERE ARE THE ARTICLES?
I’m sure you’ve heard or seen or at least know about BTS whether it’s from their recent $1M donation to Black Lives Matter charities, sold out 2019 World Stadium Tour, fancams on twitter or their fandom, ARMY.
Following BTS' Map of the Soul: 7, released in February, and member Suga's comeback as Agust D, with D-2, in May; ARMYs have been kept busy during comeback season. [With the help of BTS' label, Big Hit!]
From BangBangCon, a 2-day stream of old BTS concerts and musters, to BangBangCon: The Live, a short but meaningful live online concert with BTS to monthly fan-organised streaming parties of BTS’ entire discography – ARMYs had a packed schedule.
But that didn’t stop them helping BTS surpass and set new milestones. It was only a week ago that the fandom realised how close they were to helping BTS add yet another accolade to their name.
LET’S APPLAUD THE RECORDS
In March 2020, BTS became the fastest group to achieve 4 #1 albums, in the US, since the Beatles. This comes just a few months since BTS rewrote history by becoming the fastest group in history to earn 3 #1 debuting albums in less than a year. [10.5 months actually!]
36 years after Michael Jackson’s Thriller reached #1 on Japan’s Oricon mid-year album chart and he became the First Foreign Artist to do so, BTS have made themselves comfortable right next to him.
Let’s not forget when BTS beat Celine Dion’s 24-year Japan Album sales record with over 1 Million sales of their Japanese track, Lights.
Next, Adele’s Most #1’s on iTunes record. Adele’s 2015 comeback with Hello definitely took the entertainment industry by surprise scoring 102 #1’s. However, in the last 5 years, no artist has really come close to taking her crown.
That was until BTS, with the mighty dedication of ARMYs, came along.
104 #1’S FOR BLACK SWAN BY BTS
On July 6th, 2020 BTS became the first artist in history to earn an incredible 104 #1’s on iTunes with Black Swan.
The B-side from their latest album, Map of the Soul: 7, showcases the glorious ups and the painful lows of being artists of their calibre - attempting to stay in-tune with their inner selves. Accompanied by an Art Film, performed by MN Dance Company, Black Swan is praised by fans and described as 'breath-taking' and a 'graceful sorrow that captures the hardships' of working within the creative arts.
Unlike their previous boisterous, self-loving, socially conscious anthems; this track offers a deeper understanding of who BTS are behind the cameras, their concerns and fears for their love of music and art.
It's an unconventional yet very brave and honest track for BTS to promote.
SO…WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS?
Well…
Unfortunately, very, very, very few media outlets are even mentioning this incredible achievement. Instead, the focus has shifted to Charlie Puth calling out TikTok ARMYs for ‘dangerous toxic’ stan culture. It is understandable that stan culture has its defects, most of which are addressed within fandoms. However, the jump to criticise and paint a fandom in an immature light that has spent months finding and working towards new records to set for a group preparing for a comeback is rather interesting.
It begs the question: why are media outlets so quick to undermine BTS’ success yet focus their attention on using ARMYs as the face of fandoms?
ARMYs are aware of their clickbait-value.
From media outlets or other artists, ARMYs know their every move is being watched and scrutinised as much as BTS’.
Someone who knows this all too well is MAX (who features in Burn It on D-2). MAX and ARMYs have formed a good relationship due to their common appreciation for honesty in art and interactions.
In a recent interview with Scott Goldman of The Grammy Museum [link below…don’t worry, i got you], MAX spoke in favour of ARMYs:
“[ARMYs are] so detail oriented. They seek the authenticity. They know they have so much power so many people try to take advantage of it. They know when someone is lying or not genuinely interested.”
This explains ARMYs disappointment at seeing reports on Puth’s criticism of ARMYs on TikTok overshadow the 104 #1’s record that the fandom worked so hard to set!
Perhaps, Puth should have deal with the criticism on TikTok instead of turning to Twitter to provoke 29 Million ARMYs who had no business on TikTok but that’s wishful thinking. Likewise, perhaps media outlets should consider following update and chart accounts for more information on BTS’ achievements as opposed to stan accounts in search for inside-joke-viral tweets to publish.
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Stan culture is an ever-changing phenomenon, particularly since BTS and ARMYs stepped onto the scene. It's a culture that comes with media outlets insisting on perpetuating the image of uncontrollable teenage girls behind the success of a 7-member South Korean boy group. All alongside: clickbait narratives, belittling fandom power, dedication and organisation needed to unexpected, and unprecedented, levels of success.
It hasn’t, and probably won’t, stop ARMYs though. At the time of writing this post, BTS V’s Sweet Night, a soundtrack for the K-Drama Itaewon Class, has earned 101 #1’s on iTunes. It ranks 3rd in history, just after Adele and his group, BTS!
Fellow members Jungkook’s My Time, Jimin's Filter, J-Hope's Outro: Ego, Jin's Moon and RM's playlist album, MONO, are all collecting #1's.
Seems like ARMYs are using their frustration [and the wait until the next comeback] to further distance BTS’ achievement from the rest of the pack. The competition will become BTS vs. BTS vs…BTS vs…BTS soon. When the time comes, it will be near impossible for media outlets to not set their ignore and false narratives aside and congratulate BTS and ARMYs on their hard work. However bitter it may be.
Bangtan-The-1st-Sonyeondan has become a very fitting nickname for the group.
The new musical record breakers' struggle for industry respect and recognition is likely to be a continued one.
New challenges face the group and fandom as they start the next chapter of their journey together.
보라해.
Iman.
MAX Interview with The Grammy Museum
More Reading on Kpop Fandom & Their Political Power – Mariam Khan