Members of the K-pop boy group BTS pose at the American Music Awards held at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of BigHit Music
"Swim," the latest hit from K-pop supergroup BTS, has surpassed 500 million streams on Spotify, becoming the first song released this year to reach the milestone globally, the group's agency BigHit Music said Wednesday.
The track from the septet's fifth studio album, "Arirang," is an upbeat alternative popsong about navigating life's challenges, with lyrics co-written by BTS front man RM.
Released in March, "Arirang" made history as the first K-pop album to spend three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. "Swim" also topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's seventh chart-topping single.
All tracks from the album have exceeded 100 million streams on Spotify, including "No. 29," an experimental piece composed solely of the sound of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok. Songs, such as "Body to Body" and "Hooligan," have each surpassed 200 million streams as of this month.
BTS won three awards at the American Music Awards in Las Vegas on Monday (U.S. time), including Artist of the Year.
In an acceptance speech, the members said they hoped their music would encourage listeners to "keep swimming forward" in any circumstances.
Source: Korea Times News
