UNSPECIFIED: In this screengrab released on March 14, Jimin of music group BTS performs onstage … [+]
BTS member Jimin has taken the music world–the entire world, it seems–by storm with his latest single, “Like Crazy,” which debuts at No. 1 on this week’s Hot 100 chart. The track’s success marks a historic moment for the South Korean solo artist, who becomes the first soloist from his country to top the prestigious chart.
“Like Crazy” achieved its remarkable feat thanks primarily to its massive sales figures in its first week of availability. The song was purchased a staggering 254,000 times in the US, a figure that few other artists can even approach, according to Billboard. Part of the reason behind that sizable number is because the tune was offered in different versions–remixes and such–which Billboard groups together, but that’s not the only reason. Super fans of Jimin and BTS rushed to snap up copies, so even if it was only purchasable in one form, it likely still would have earned a humongous start.
The Hot 100 is the go-to chart for tracking the most consumed songs in the U.S. every week. It uses a methodology that combines sales, streams, and radio airplay. Despite “Like Crazy” not receiving much airplay, it still managed to rack up 10 million streams in the prior tracking frame, as well as very important sales.
With the success of “Like Crazy,” Jimin joins a very small group of South Korean artists who have come close to the top of the Hot 100. He is also now the first solo South Korean musician to reach the summit, securing his place in history, and “Like Crazy” beats Psy’s “Gangnam Style” as the highest-charting hit by a solo musician from that part of the world. “Gangnam Style” once danced all the way to No. 2, missing out on ruling by one space.
“Like Crazy” is the sixth song to top the Hot 100 this year, following in the footsteps of other chart-topping hits like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die For You” remix and Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night.”
The track serves as the latest focus from Jimin’s debut EP Face, which opens at No. 2 on this week’s Billboard 200. Despite facing stiff competition from the likes of Lana Del Rey, Luke Combs, and Fall Out Boy, Jimin managed to beat them all and secure the loftiest start of the week for a new title.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/04/03/bts-member-jimin-makes-hot-100-history-as-his-single-like-crazy-debuts-at-no-1/