Believe it or not, BTS actually is the best since The Beatles

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Believe it or not, BTS actually is the best since The Beatles

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Members of BTS pose at a press conference on April 16 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul following the release of their latest EP “Map of the Soul: Persona.” From left are members V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope. [YONHAP]

K-pop megastar BTS topped the Billboard 200 albums chart for the third time on Sunday with its latest release, becoming the first band after The Beatles to have three albums sit atop the chart within a year.

BTS’ newest EP, “Map of the Soul: Persona,” took the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 after the chart’s update on Sunday, becoming not only the first band since 1996 to score the musical hat trick, but also beating The Beatles’ record. While the legendary rock band reigned three times between 1995 and 1996 with “Anthology 1,” “Anthology 2” and “Anthology 3” across 11 months and a week from Dec. 9, 1995, and Nov. 16, 1996, BTS did it in less than 11 months, according to Billboard.

“Some acts take years to accumulate three No. 1 albums, but for BTS, the group needed just under 11 months,” wrote Billboard on its website. “Starting from the week they got their first No. 1, ‘Love Yourself: Tear’ [June 2, 2018-dated chart], continuing through second No. 1, ‘Love Yourself: Answer’ [Sept. 8, 2018], and now with ‘Persona’ [April 27, 2019], that’s a span of just under 11 months.”

Billboard highlighted the septet’s other achievements: “Fastest Accumulation of No. 1 Albums by a Group Since The Monkees in 1967,” “The Fourth Mostly Non-English Album at No. 1 in the Past Year” and “BTS’ Biggest Week Ever, Fourth-Largest Week of 2019.” According to Billboard, “Persona” debuted with 230,000 album units in the United States in the week ending on April 19, a “career-best week for BTS” according to the music chart.

“‘Persona’ likely got a boost in sales from devoted fans who purchased multiple CD copies of the album, as it was released in four different collectible packages,” said Billboard.

Monday’s feat of “Map of the Soul” comes after an earlier round of celebrations on Sunday, when BTS became the first Korean name to sit atop Britain’s Official Album Chart Top 100. The lead track, “Boy With Luv,” also ranked No. 13 on the singles chart, the highest result achieved by the band. Their last hit, “IDOL,” scored No. 21 last year.

Guinness World Records announced last week that “Boy With Luv” became the most-viewed YouTube video in 24 hours, the most-viewed music video on YouTube within 24 hours and the most-viewed music video in 24 hours by a K-pop group, when the music video marked a stunning 74.6 million times within 24 hours after its release on April 12. The video went on to hit the 100-million-view milestone within 38 hours.

The newly-updated chart will be posted today on Billboard’s website.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]


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