[Billboard] GRAMMYs has always stressed that Awards and nominations are not and should not be based on commercial success. Still, an artist posting those numbers should not be asking to be let in; they’re already here and should be allowed to take up as much space as they’ve earned — regardless of perceived public acknowledgment.
BTS is not turning down recognition. They are turning down a version of recognition they think is smaller than the one their year has already earned, and doing so at the moment that could certainly deliver the trophy they spent so many years chasing. As noted above, “SWIM” would not be eligible in the Asian pop category, but such album standouts as “Hooligan,” “2.0,” “Aliens” and “Body to Body” — the last of which reinterprets the Korean folk song the LP is named after — are easily Grammy-worthy, and BTS’ name recognition alone could have led to the Academy giving them their first trophy. Future releases and solo projects could likely produce several more. But BTS has never been one to rest on past accomplishments, and ARIRANG is a specifically globally focused record that brought in a wave of new collaborators to shake up the formula that had already earned them six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and six No. 1 singles on the Hot 100; with ARIRANG‘s release, their total on both tallies is up to seven.
RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook may not have a better shot at their first group Grammy than the one they just declined. But they seemed to have withdrawn because the alternative was more than likely to win in a way that would confirm a premise they have spent their entire careers disproving: that their music is a regional variant or an alternative to the mainstream rather than part of general pop culture itself.
#BTS have seen this movie before and they know how it ends, but this time they’re leaving before the finale and telling everyone why on the way out.
https://t.co/5ux5KQQzTu
Following their principled stance at the GRAMMYs, BTS surges on the Spotify Charts:
• BTS and all of their charting songs saw increase in streams and charting positions
• 'Aliens' re-enters at #109 with 1.45M streams
• BTS charts 6 songs from ARIRANG
• 'Body to Body' is the biggest gainer of the day
• 'Swim' rises into Top 5 at #4 (+3)
• BTS remains at #5 on Spotify Artists chart
• BTS rises on the Artist's Chart USA at #27 (+6)
• BTS rises to #50 (+9) on Artist Chart UK
• 'Hooligan' and '2.0' also re-enters the chart
• 'Swim' re-enters the Spotify USA chart
ESTO ES COMPLETAMENTE HISTÓRICO! 🤯👇
OFICIALMENTE "ARIRANG" de #BTS se convierte en el ALBUM MAS RAPIDO en tener TODAS sus canciones superando los 200 MILLONES de reproducciones en la HISTORIA de Spotify! LOS REYES DE LA INDUSTRIA! 😭🔥
#1. #ARIRANG — 132 dias 🆕🔺
#2. The Life of A Showgirl — 260 días🔻
#3. Midnights — 318 dias
#4. Hit Me Hard and Soft — 348 dias
#5. Un Verano Sin Ti — 367 días
ARIRANG ALBUM OF THE YEAR
CONGRATULATIONS BTS
BTS PAVED THE WAY
BTS HISTORY MAKERS
BTS THE LEGENDS
#OneMoreNight200M
#BTS_ARİRANG
ESTO ES HISTÓRICO!! BTS OFICIALMENTE SUPERO LOS 100B DE STREAMS DE AUDIO BAJO DEMANDA EN TODAS LAS PLATAFORMAS, SON EL PRIMER GRUPO EN LA HISTORIA, PRIMER ACTO ASIÁTICO Y EL SEPTIMO ARTISTA A NIVEL MUNDIAL EN LOGRAR ESTE HITO!! 😭💜
CONGRATULATIONS BTS
#BTS100BillionStreams