BTS's 'Arirang' passes 5 billion Spotify streams, the most for any album released in 2026
BTS's fifth studio album, "Arirang," has topped 5 billion streams on Spotify, its label BigHit Music said Wednesday. That puts it about 2 billion ahead of the next most-streamed 2026 album, Olivia Rodrigo's "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love."
The milestone: "Arirang" has passed 5 billion Spotify streams, BigHit Music said Wednesday, according to Yonhap reporting carried by Korea JoongAng Daily and The Korea Times. The Korea Herald reported that the label cited platform data and that the total is the most for any album released this year.
How far ahead: The album leads the runner-up, Olivia Rodrigo's third studio album "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love," by about 2 billion streams, Yonhap reported. It also outpaced the latest albums from Harry Styles and Bruno Mars, which have about 2 billion and 1 billion streams respectively.
Track by track: All 14 tracks on "Arirang" have passed 200 million streams, and the lead single "Swim" is nearing 1 billion, Yonhap reported. That includes "No. 29," an instrumental track made up entirely of the sound of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, a bronze bell from Korea's ancient Silla kingdom (57 B.C.–A.D. 935), The Korea Herald and Yonhap reported.
The comeback context: "Arirang" came out March 20 as BTS's first full-group project in nearly four years, released after all seven members finished their mandatory military service, Yonhap reported. It drew more than 110 million streams on release day, and The Korea Herald said it took the top 14 spots on Spotify's global songs chart. Yonhap reported it was the first album by a group to top the Billboard 200 for three straight weeks since Mumford & Sons' "Babel" in 2012.
On the road: BTS is touring behind the album, with shows in Santiago, Chile, scheduled for October 14, 16 and 17, The Korea Herald reported. ReadingDlaw News reported on October 1 that the tour had passed $500 million in Billboard Boxscore grosses.
A note on records: Some fan posts online have called this the fastest any group has reached 5 billion streams. The label statements reported by Yonhap and The Korea Herald describe it as the most-streamed album of 2026. ReadingDlaw News has not independently confirmed a speed record.