SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – MAY 21: Jungkook of BTS attends a press conference for BTS’s new digital single … [+]
After hitting No. 1 multiple times on the sales chart as a member of one of the most successful pop bands in the ranking’s history, Jung Kook has now broken out on his own and scored a relatively rare top 10 bestselling smash as a solo star.
Jung Kook’s new single “Stay Alive” will debut at No. 6 on the upcoming Digital Song Sales chart, Billboard’s weekly ranking of the singles and individual tracks that actually sell the most companies in the U.S. The tune marks not just his first top 10 on the list, but his first appearance without the band that made him a famous musician.
In a few hours, when Billboard refreshes all of its weekly rankings on February 23, including the Digital Song Sales chart, Jung Kook is slated to debut “Stay Alive” in sixth place. According to numbers shared by MRC Data, the company tasked with tracking sales and streaming activity in America and reporting it to Billboard so the magazine can compile its weekly rosters, “Stay Alive” starts off with 14,800 pure purchases.
“Stay Alive” scores the second-loftiest debut of the frame, coming in behind only Nicki Minaj and Lil Baby’s “Bussin,” which will start at No. 5 thanks to 16,700 copies sold. Jung Kook, Minaj and Baby all start their brand new tunes behind surging smashes from Super Bowl halftime show performers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Eminem, who will occupy the top four spots.
Jung Kook is now one of a small number of K-pop musical acts (artists known primarily for creating music that can be classified as K-pop) to break into the top 10 on the Digital Song Sales chart. He joins fellow South Korean favorites like Psy, BTS, Suga, Blackpink, Jin, Twice, Lisa and V in this impressive showing.
As a member of BTS, Jung Kook has already made his mark on the Digital Song Sales chart. In fact, the band stands out as one of the most successful names ever on the list, which is incredible considering they have only been sending their releases to the tally for about half a decade. The septet has already pushed 58 tunes to the ranking, including 27 that have broken into the top 10 and nine that have hit No. 1. That many leaders makes BTS the group with the most rulers in the list’s history.
“Stay Alive” was produced and co-written by fellow BTS member Suga, but he isn’t credited as an artist on the track, despite the song’s official title on platforms like Spotify, which includes his moniker. The track was initially released in connection to the webtoon/online novel 7Fates: Chakho, with the Jung Kook smash appearing on the title’s soundtrack.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2022/02/22/bts-member-jung-kook-scores-a-top-10-bestseller-in-america-with-stay-alive/