Big Hit Music
In a groundbreaking shift, the share of Korean songs streamed on the U.S. music market nearly doubled in the first half of this year, according to a midyear report released by Luminate, an American music and entertainment data analysis company.
The report revealed that out of the top 10,000 streamed songs on U.S. music platforms during this period, 88.3% were in English, 7.9% in Spanish, and 0.9% in Korean. While Korean songs maintained their position as the third most-streamed language for the third consecutive year, their share surged close to 1%, a significant increase from 0.5% in 2021 and 0.7% last year.
Luminate acknowledged the remarkable rise of non-English language music in the past decade, particularly within the Latin and K-Pop genres, both of which have witnessed unprecedented sales and streaming growth. The K-pop phenomenon, spearheaded by global sensations BTS and BLACKPINK, played a pivotal role in this transformative trend.
In a groundbreaking achievement, BTS member Jimin made history in April by becoming the first Korean solo artist to top Billboard's Hot 100 chart with his single "Like Crazy." The influence of K-pop continued to expand in the United States, driven by the emergence of fourth-generation acts such as Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), who debuted between 2018 and 2019.
 |
| ▲ JYP Entertainment |
The Luminate report also revealed that K-pop fans exhibited a significant increase in music-related consumption, spending an average of 75% more per month compared to the average American music listener. This combination of devoted fandom and streaming habits propelled K-pop to dominate the U.S. CD market in the first half of this year.
Remarkably, K-pop acts occupied nine out of the top 10 spots in CD album sales in America, with Taylor Swift being the only exception. Topping the list was TXT's fifth EP "The Name Chapter: Temptation," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in February, boasting album sales of 395,000 in the U.S. Following closely behind was Stray Kids' "5-Star" with 322,000 album sales, TWICE's "Ready to Be" with 258,000, and Seventeen's "FML" with 233,000. BTS member Suga secured the fifth spot with his first solo regular album "D-Day."
K-pop's influence extended beyond American borders, as Korean songs accounted for 3.1% of the top 10,000 streamed songs worldwide. This positioned them as the fourth most-streamed language, trailing English (56.4%), Spanish (10.6%), and Hindi (8.7%). Notably, in Indonesia, Korean songs held a remarkable 6% market share, placing them third, only behind English (39.1%) and Indonesian (25.7%).
As K-pop continues its meteoric rise, it solidifies its position as a global force in the music industry, captivating audiences with its infectious melodies, dynamic performances, and unparalleled dedication from fans worldwide.
Sayart.net
Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com
Related articles
- "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One" Dominates Box Office, Drawing 1.2 Million Moviegoers
- Fans of Actor Son Suk-ku Make Generous Donation to Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation
- NewJeans Set to Release Music Videos for "Cool With You" Ahead of Highly Anticipated Album
- BTS's J-Hope to Release Physical Edition of Solo Debut Album "Jack In The Box"
