Blackpink beat out BTS as the highest-charting K-pop group in history, as How You Like That smashes Spotify, iTunes and YouTube streaming records
Released on Friday June 26, How You Like That is the first single to be released from the quartet’s first studio album, expected to come out in September. By Sunday June 28, the track ranked second on Spotify's Global Top 50, outpacing BTS to become the highest-charting K-pop act on the chart, according to the group's agency.
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Once seen as K-pop’s biggest breakthrough act, seven-piece boy band BTS previously reached as high as No 3 with last year’s Boy With Luv. Meanwhile four-piece girl group Blackpink previously ranked as high as No 5 on the chart with Kill This Love last year.
How You Like That also reached as high as eighth on Spotify's US Top 50 chart, while the track’s music video broke the record as the fastest clip to achieve more than 100 million views on YouTube, reaching the milestone 32 hours after its release.
Upon release, the song also took the No 1 spot on iTunes charts in 60 countries and regions. One of the biggest K-pop girl groups today, Blackpink landed a successful debut in 2016, storming multiple music charts back to back with its edgy hip-hop-infused tracks, Whistle and Boombayah. Other hits include Playing With Fire and Kill This Love.
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And the celebrations don’t end there. The music video for How You Like That racked up more than 100 million views on YouTube within the first 32 hours of its release – the fastest video to reach the nine-figure milestone in the platform’s history.
“The MV exceeded 100 million hits at around 2:23am on June 27 (KST,)” the group's agency YG Entertainment said in a statement on Sunday (June 28). “Now the group has 19 YouTube clips that have surpassed 100 million views.”
YG added that Blackpink's new track also topped local music streaming charts – such as Melon and Genie – as well as iTunes charts in 64 countries as of Sunday morning.
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A dynamic hip-hop-flavoured song that highlights the members' soaring vocals, How You Like That is a pre-release from the as-yet-untitled band's first full-length album, which will hit shelves in September, following a barrage of single and EP releases. Sounding a note of intent, the uplifting lyrics, the four stars encourage listeners to fly high despite all hardships.
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The first single from the South Korean girl group’s forthcoming debut LP smashed global records on streaming services and became the fastest clip to clock 100 million viewers in YouTube’s history – the big question, can boy band BTS ever reclaim the crown?