BTS makes history with No. 1 debut of album ‘Arirang’ and single ‘Swim’
South Korean superstars BTS have made Billboard history once again, becoming the first Korean act to debut at No. 1 simultaneously on both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts with their fifth studio album, “Arirang,” and its lead single, “Swim.”
The album’s launch marks the biggest debut of 2026 to date. According to data from Luminate, “Arirang” opened with 641,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., including 532,000 in pure album sales. This achievement secures the group’s seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 and represents the largest debut for a male artist this decade.
The lead track, “Swim,” an anthem about perseverance featuring lyrics by group leader RM, debuted atop the Hot 100. It was joined on the chart by 12 other tracks from the album, including “Body to Body” at No. 25 and “Hooligan” at No. 35.
The group’s impact extended well beyond U.S. borders. BTS became the first artist to sweep the entire top 10 of the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with tracks from a single project. The album also reached No. 1 on the United Kingdom’s Official Albums Chart, as well as top spots in France and Germany.
Since their debut in 2013, the seven-member collective — RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — has evolved from a K-pop phenomenon into global pop icons. To date, the Grammy-nominated group has earned six No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 since 2020.
The release of “Arirang” in March 2026 follows a period of immense anticipation from the group’s global fan base, known as ARMY. Representatives for the group indicated that a world tour is expected to follow the album’s release, further solidifying the group’s return to the global stage.
