Billboard Japan announced its 2021 year-end HOT Albums chart, and BTS‘ greatest-hits album BTS, THE BEST ruled the annual ranking.
Released on June 16, the collection sold 1,022,497 units during the 2021 tracking weeks and was the only album released this year to sell more than a million units in Japan. It’s also the South Korean septet’s first million-selling album in the country.
BTS’ long-running hits such as “Dynamite,” “Butter” and “Permission to Dance” made a big splash on the Japan charts, and the global superstars have also topped Billboard Japan’s year-end Artist 100 tally, which combines points from the comprehensive song and album charts.
The K-pop supergroup that has dominated not only their native South Korea but also Japan and the U.S. commented on their global success and their love for ARMY.
BTS, THE BEST ranked No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s year-end Hot Albums chart, and BTS was the No.1 act on the Artist 100 tally. Congratulations! Your music has continually graced the Billboard Japan charts for the past year. How does it feel to be No. 1?
First of all, thank you very much for giving us such a fabulous award. BTS, THE BEST is like a treasure box packed with our memories with ARMY. We’re full of gratitude that you love our songs and that this album has received such an honorable award. It also encourages our future musical activities. If it weren’t for our ARMY, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve such great success. Thank you so much.
People uploaded numerous dance videos featuring your songs, especially “Dynamite,” and were glued to your online performances. Many fans were soothed by your music and were able to enjoy themselves during the pandemic. How do you feel about this response from fans?
Our wish was to send hope, support and positive energy to many people during these difficult times of the pandemic. We’re so happy that our message was received as we’d intended, and that we’ve received even bigger happy energy from people around the world in response.
What song would you choose as your “song of the year” and why?
RM: My choice for song of the year would be Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon because it has such a good melody.
JIN: The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay.” It makes me feel good when I listen to this song while taking a bath after a long day.
SUGA: Our song “Butter.” We hope to win a Grammy next year.
V: I choose “One Right Now” by Post Malone and The Weeknd. The mood of the song is really good.
Your collaborations with Coldplay (“My Universe”) and Ed Sheeran (“Permission to Dance”) reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. You now have a remarkable global presence even though you’re still based in South Korea. Now that you’ve become a beacon for artists from Asia who aim for such global success, are there any convictions or routines that you continue to hold on to?
We always hope that we can bring happiness and sometimes frankness to many people through music.
Tell us your future plans and goals.
We’ll continue to convey our hearts to many people through better music and songs, and will do our best to repay the great love we’ve received from everyone.
Please give a message to ARMY.
Thank you for always sending us unchanging love and support. We’re able to spend our time feeling happy thanks to ARMY. We’ll continue to wish ARMY good health and happiness in the future. Thank you so much.