BTS Named Global Artists of the Year in 2020
The hugely popular K-pop group beat out Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd and others for the top spot.
K-Pop superstars BTS have been crowned as the world’s best-selling recording artists of 2020 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
IFPI, which represents the worldwide music industry, announced the award on Thursday and called the hugely successful ensemble “omnipresent in 2020.” BTS is now the first Korean group to win the award, as well as the first winner to primarily perform in a language other than English.
BTS consists of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. The group beat out Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, and others for the top spot, which is based on an artist or group’s worldwide success across digital and physical platforms.
The U.S. Embassy of Seoul congratulated the group on its win.
Congratulations to @BTS_twt for topping @IFPI_org‘s #IFPIGlobalArtistChart 2020! Of course, they are the first 🇰🇷 South Korean and first Asian act to take the title. #BTSNo1GlobalArtist💜 pic.twitter.com/eZu03KK3PM
— U.S. Embassy Seoul (@USEmbassySeoul) March 5, 2021
The group hit a number of milestones in 2020, including being the first K-Pop group to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their English-language song “Dynamite.” The group was also nominated for a Grammy and released their fourth Korean-language studio album Map of the Soul: 7.
