The hit song 'Golden' from the animated Netflix film 'KPop Demon Hunters' has successfully reclaimed the number one position on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, dethroning last week's chart-topper 'Ordinary' by Alex Warren. This marks a significant comeback for the track, which had previously held the top spot two weeks ago.
According to Billboard's Monday preview of the upcoming main singles chart, 'Golden' managed to edge out the competition through strong performance across multiple metrics. The song achieved this milestone as part of what has become a historic soundtrack success, with 'KPop Demon Hunters' becoming only the fifth soundtrack in music history to generate four Hot 100 top 10 hits. This achievement hasn't been seen since the 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack, which set a record by producing five top 10 hits during the 1995-96 period.
The return to the summit follows another groundbreaking achievement from two weeks prior, when 'Golden' made music history by simultaneously topping both the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and the British Official Singles Top 100 on August 1. This dual-chart dominance highlighted the song's international appeal and crossover success.
During the latest chart tracking period from August 15-21, 'Golden' demonstrated impressive performance metrics across all major categories that determine Hot 100 rankings. The track garnered 33.8 million streams, accumulated 16.2 million radio airplay audience impressions representing a substantial 39 percent increase from the previous week, and sold 8,000 physical and digital copies, marking an 11 percent uptick in sales. The Hot 100 chart measures song popularity across all genres in the United States by combining streaming data, radio airplay statistics, and sales figures.
The song features performances by three talented Korean American artists: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, who provide the voices for the fictional girl group Huntr/x in the animated film. Among these performers, both Ejae and Rei Ami were born in South Korea, bringing authentic cultural connections to the project. Ejae, who serves as both performer and composer, previously trained at SM Entertainment, one of South Korea's premier entertainment companies.
Behind the scenes, the track benefits from the expertise of renowned producers Teddy and 24, who are well-known for their collaborative work with major K-pop artists under The Black Label, a prominent music production company. Their involvement brings additional credibility and K-pop industry expertise to the project.
'Golden' has experienced a remarkable chart journey since its debut. After initially entering the Hot 100 at number 81 early last month, the song demonstrated consistent upward momentum, steadily climbing through the rankings week by week before achieving its first number one position two weeks ago. This gradual ascent reflects growing audience awareness and appreciation for the track.
The song's success also represents a significant milestone for animation soundtracks. 'Golden' has become the first track from an animated film soundtrack to reach the top of the Hot 100 chart since 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' from Disney's 'Encanto' achieved this feat in 2022, highlighting the rarity of such achievements in the animation genre.
The Netflix original film 'KPop Demon Hunters,' produced by Sony Pictures Animation, presents a unique storyline that blends music industry themes with supernatural action elements. The plot centers around the members of Huntr/x, who maintain complex double lives as they balance their demanding careers as K-pop performers with their secret responsibilities as supernatural warriors. Their mission involves protecting the world from various demonic threats, including the powerful overlord Gwi-Ma and the dangerous soul-stealing entities known as the Saja Boys, creating an entertaining fusion of music industry drama and supernatural adventure.
