Following the release of BTS‘s first English single ‘Dynamite’, the team behind the biggest K-pop act has followed up with the release of a remix EP and an alternate video to garner higher streaming figures. But the big question on everyone’s mind: Will BTS debut at no.1 on Billboard Hot 100 next week?
Our prediction? YES.
Here’s why:
Streaming
The ‘Dynamite’ music video has counted 101.1 million views within 24 hours of its release, making it the music video with the biggest first-day debut to date. The single also earned the biggest Spotify debut of 2020 after the song achieved 7,778,950 streams within a day, and beat Taylor Swift’s previous record of 7.742 million streams for ‘Cardigan.’
The bigger question is how many of these views are from US as only US streaming is counted for Billboard Hot 100.
Assuming a conservative 20% of the views are from US, the music video has garnered 39 million views as of August 25 (after 5 days of streaming). The music video should be able to register at least 55 million US views at the end of the tracking week (Thursday). The single should also be able to achieve at least 9 million streams in the US for the full week.
At 64 million US streams (on YouTube and Spotify only), the song is already the 2nd most streamed song for a debut single (behind Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’).
Sales
‘Dynamite’ has sold over 100,000 units in the US (as of Aug 24) and should easily beat ‘WAP’ record selling week of 125,000.
Airplay
Despite not launching until the sixth day of the August 16-22 tracking period, ‘Dynamite’ received 2,128 spins (~14 million impressions). The count positions the track at #32 on the Mediabase pop radio airplay chart, marking the highest debut yet for a BTS single. In comparison, ‘WAP’ garnered 11.6 million impressions on it’s first week.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’ is definitely the biggest threat but with sales and streaming declining, our bet is on BTS. If our prediction is correct, BTS would be the first K-pop act in Billboard Hot 100 history to reach number 1 on the chart. Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ peaked at #2 for 7 weeks in September 2012 – The highest charting K-pop single to date.
Also, BTS would be first all male band to hit number 1 on Billboard Hot 100 in 2020. The Jonas Brothers is the last all male band to hit number 1 in March 2019 with ‘Sucker’.
We can’t wait to share the good news with you on August 31!