BTS Surpasses 10 Billion Streams on Spotify, a First for a Group Worldwide

The ARIRANG phenomenon reshapes the global pop market

The group BTS has achieved a landmark first for a group worldwide, surpassing 10 billion streams in a year on Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming platform.

According to BigHit Music on the 16th, BTS has topped 10 billion cumulative streams on Spotify this year. The record had previously been held only by top solo artists such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Bad Bunny, making this a historic first among groups worldwide.

The group’s cumulative streams this year are up 122% from 4.5 billion the previous year. At the center of this explosive growth is ARIRANG, its fifth studio album, released in March. The album alone has surpassed 5 billion streams, powerfully driving the group’s overall streaming figures. In particular, ARIRANG became the most-streamed album on Spotify among all releases worldwide this year, demonstrating its overwhelming influence in the global music market.

More good news is coming from global award shows. BTS was named the winner of the top honor, Artist of the Year, at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards Japan (2026 MTV VMAJ), announced on the 14th. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on a large scale at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 29th.