BTS didn't just become global superstars — they rewrote what the American charts thought was possible for a Korean act. From the first K-pop album to top the Billboard 200 to a string of No. 1 singles on the Hot 100, here is a clear, fan-friendly guide to the records that made history.
First, what is Billboard — and why does it matter?
Billboard is a long-running American music publication best known for its weekly charts, which rank the most popular music in the United States. For decades, topping a Billboard chart has been seen as one of the biggest signs of success in the global music industry. Two charts matter most here:
- The Billboard 200 ranks the best-selling and most-streamed albums in the U.S. each week.
- The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs (singles), combining sales, streaming, and radio airplay.
For a long time, the very top spots were dominated almost entirely by English-language artists. That's a big part of why BTS's achievements stood out — they broke through barriers that had stood for years.
2018: The first Korean act to top the Billboard 200
In May 2018, BTS released the album Love Yourself: Tear — and it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This made BTS the first Korean act to ever reach the top of that chart, a milestone for K-pop as a whole.
What made it especially notable: the album was sung largely in Korean. It was the first predominantly non-English-language album to top the Billboard 200 in more than a decade. In simple terms, BTS proved that a global audience would embrace music in Korean at the highest level — no English required.
This wasn't a one-time fluke. Several BTS albums that followed also debuted at or near the top of the Billboard 200, cementing the group as a consistent chart force rather than a single viral moment.
2020 and beyond: No. 1 hits on the Hot 100
Topping the albums chart is one thing; landing a No. 1 single on the Hot 100 is another challenge entirely. BTS achieved that too.
- Dynamite (2020) — BTS's first English-language single and their first No. 1 on the Hot 100, debuting at the top in September 2020 and spending multiple weeks at No. 1.
- Butter (2021) — a major summer hit that spent a long run at No. 1, one of the standout chart performances of the year.
- Permission to Dance (2021) — also reached No. 1, notably taking over the top spot directly from "Butter."
- My Universe (2021) — a collaboration with the British band Coldplay that reached No. 1 as well.
Reaching No. 1 with several different songs in a short span placed BTS among a select group of artists with multiple Hot 100 chart-toppers, and made them one of the most successful acts on the chart during that period.
The Grammys: history-making nominations
The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy, are among the most prestigious honors in the U.S. music industry. BTS made history here too by becoming the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination.
Their first nomination came for Dynamite in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, and BTS earned additional nominations in the years that followed for later singles. Being recognized by the Recording Academy was a landmark moment for Korean music's standing on the global stage — regardless of the eventual outcome of each ceremony.
It's worth being precise: nominations are an honor in themselves and were genuinely historic. Whether or not a given nomination converts into a win is a separate matter, and BTS's nominations alone marked a major step forward for K-pop's international recognition.
Why BTS's chart success mattered for K-pop
BTS's Billboard achievements were about more than trophies and rankings. They reshaped expectations:
- They showed that Korean-language music could top American charts, opening doors for other K-pop and non-English artists.
- They demonstrated the power of a deeply engaged global fanbase (known as ARMY) in driving streaming and sales.
- They helped move K-pop from a niche interest to a regular presence in mainstream Western media and award shows.
For newcomers discovering BTS today, their Billboard run is a useful map of how a Korean group became one of the defining pop acts of their era — and helped pave the way for the wave of K-pop success that continues now.
❓ FAQ
What was BTS's first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200?
Love Yourself: Tear, released in May 2018. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making BTS the first Korean act to top that chart. It was also the first predominantly non-English-language album to reach No. 1 there in over a decade.
What was BTS's first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100?
Dynamite, released in 2020. It was BTS's first English-language single and their first song to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100, debuting at the top of the chart and spending multiple weeks there.
Which BTS songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?
Several BTS singles topped the Hot 100, including Dynamite (2020), Butter (2021), and Permission to Dance (2021), as well as My Universe (2021), a collaboration with Coldplay. This gave BTS multiple chart-topping hits in a short span.
Has BTS been nominated for a Grammy?
Yes. BTS became the first K-pop act to earn a Grammy nomination, first recognized for Dynamite in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, with further nominations in later years. The nominations themselves were a historic milestone for Korean music.