K-pop artist BTS - statistics & facts

PSY’s 2012 hit song “Gangnam Style” was the first K-pop song to rise to global popularity, bringing attention to the South Korean music industry, and more specifically the K-pop industry. However, it would take another couple of years until K-pop began to fully establish itself outside of South Korea. At the forefront of this change: K-pop boy group BTS. Having started out small under a struggling company, they have since risen to levels unprecedented for K-pop stars, both domestically and internationally. The group’s company, HYBE Corporation, now belongs to one of the so-called “Big 4” of K-pop entertainment agencies.

The beginnings of BTS

Composed of members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, BTS debuted in 2013 with the track “No More Dream”. Though initially operating as a group focused on hip hop, they quickly expanded to cover various music genres. Several members are closely involved in music production, from writing to composing. Such talents have led to numerous solo mixtape releases, as well as collaborations with other artists. The group’s first years saw only mild success; BTS started to gain traction domestically between late 2015 and 2016, with songs such as “RUN”, “DOPE”, “Spring Day”, and “Blood Sweat & Tears”. Internationally, the group’s popularity began to take off in 2017 with their track “DNA”. This gradual rise is reflected in BTS’ album sales over the years.

BTS’ overseas success

Apart from breaking records for music charts and world tours, BTS has carved out a place for itself in various American music award shows. The American music industry is widely considered among most successful and ubiquitous music scenes worldwide. With the increasing international success and popularity of K-pop, more and more American and European music award shows are nominating and awarding K-pop artists for their Korean or English-language releases. The Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) were the first major American music institution to recognize BTS’ growing success. The group was first nominated and awarded in 2017, and was subsequently invited to perform at the BBMAs from the following year onwards.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Mar 14, 2024

Key insights

Best-selling BTS album 2023
"GOLDEN" by Jungkook
Share of albums sold by BTS soloists
9.2%
Best-selling BTS single 2023
"Dynamite"
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Best-selling music albums in South Korea from 2011 to 2023, by number of albums sold (in 1,000s)

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Leading albums in South Korea 2011-2023, by albums sold

Annual number of BTS music albums sold in South Korea from 2013 to 2023 (in million copies)

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BTS album total sales in South Korea 2013-2023

Sales revenue of major subsidiaries of HYBE Co., Ltd. in 2023, by subsidiary (in billion South Korean won)

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Sales revenue of HYBE's main subsidiaries 2023, by subsidiary

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Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Music industry in South Korea
Music industry in South Korea
K-pop and the big 4 entertainment agencies in South Korea
K-pop and the big 4 entertainment agencies in South Korea
Creative content industry in South Korea
Creative content industry in South Korea
South Korea's HYBE Corporation
South Korea's HYBE Corporation
K-pop and its fanbase
K-pop and its fanbase

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