BTS wins IFPI's Global Recording Artist of the Year Award

BTS topped the list of IFPI's Top 10 Global Recording Artists of 2021 [IFPI]

BTS has won this year's International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Global Recording Artist of the Year Award.

“The news marks a landmark moment for the recording industry as the South Korean group become the first act to win the award for two consecutive years,” IFPI announced Thursday.

IFPI ranks its Global Artist Chart by compiling the sales of physical albums, number of downloads and streaming of artist’s digital songs and music videos.

The band’s song “Butter” (2021) topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven consecutive weeks while “Permission to Dance” (2021) also debuted at No. 1 on the chart. “My Universe,” a collaborative single between British rock band Coldplay and BTS released in September, debuted at No. 1 in the chart as well.

The band’s Japanese-language album “BTS, The Best” (2021) topped the Oricon Year End Album chart, marking the first time for a non-domestic act to do so in 37 years.

“BTS’ phenomenal success over the last year is a testament to their creativity, hard work and ongoing commitment to continuing to find ways to bring their music to the world,” Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI said. “By performing in three different languages, they demonstrate their extraordinarily unique global appeal and their dynamic and passionate fanbase has helped to make them the first artists in history to top the Global Artist Chart in two consecutive years.”

The organization said that it witnessed the growing global popularity of K-pop as another boy band Seventeen, who made their first appearance on the chart, ranked No. 9.

BTS was followed by Taylor Swift, Adele, Drake, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Seventeen and Olivia Rodrigo.

Meanwhile, BTS’s music video for its all-popular English single “Dynamite” (2020) surpassed 1.4 billion views on YouTube, music label Big Hit music said Friday.

Released in August 2020, the music video exceeded the record at 7:31 p.m. Thursday. Since “Boy with Luv” (2019) and “DNA” (2017), it marks the third music video to surpass 1.4 billion views.

“Dynamite” is a cheery disco-pop genre containing message of hope amidst the difficult times of a Covid-19 pandemic.

Including “Dynamite,” the band possesses a total of 35 music videos which surpassed 100 million views.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]