BTS becomes first group to surpass 10 billion Spotify streams in a year

South Korean pop group BTS has become the first musical group to surpass 10 billion streams on Spotify in a single year, according to its record label, BigHit Music.

The group’s streams more than doubled from 4.5 billion in 2025, driven largely by its fifth studio album, Arirang, released in March, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported Friday, citing the label.

While solo artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Bad Bunny had previously reached the 10 billion-stream mark, BTS is the first group to achieve the milestone, according to BigHit Music.

The achievement follows the group’s return to full-group activities after its seven members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service.

Released on March 20, Arirang has accumulated more than 5 billion Spotify streams, making it the most-streamed album among releases in 2026, said the news agency.

The album racked up more than 110 million streams on its release day.

Spotify’s own newsroom said Arirang became the most-streamed K-pop album in the platform’s history on March 20.

In April, Spotify ranked BTS 12th on its list of the most-streamed artists of all time, based on data through that month.

The figures highlight BTS’s international reach and the global popularity of South Korean pop music, which has expanded through streaming platforms and social media.

After debuting in 2013, BTS became one of the world’s most successful K-pop groups.

Its international successes include topping the Billboard Hot 100 with songs such as “Dynamite” and “Butter,” helping expand the global reach of South Korean pop music.