BTS Becomes First Group Worldwide to Surpass 10 Billion Spotify Streams in a Year
The group has crossed the milestone less than ten months into 2026, with its fifth studio album ARIRANG contributing more than five billion streams.
The Desk · filed 2026-10-16
Reported against primary sources.
BTS has become the first group worldwide to surpass 10 billion Spotify streams within a single calendar year, according to an October 16 announcement from BIGHIT MUSIC.
The achievement places the seven-member group alongside solo artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Bad Bunny, who have previously reached the annual threshold. BTS is the first musical group reported to have done so.
The group’s streaming total has more than doubled from approximately 4.5 billion in 2025, representing a 122% year-on-year increase, according to the agency.
A significant contributor has been ARIRANG, BTS’s fifth studio album, released on March 20 following the members’ completion of mandatory military service and return to full-group activities.
The album has accumulated more than five billion Spotify streams since its release, making it the platform’s most-streamed album among those released in 2026, according to BIGHIT MUSIC.
ARIRANG also recorded more than 110 million streams on its opening day.
The new 10-billion milestone reflects BTS’s group-wide streaming activity throughout 2026, rather than the cumulative performance of ARIRANG alone.
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Filed by The Desk · filed 2026-10-16 · verified by The Desk (Editorial Desk). Verified against October 16 Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily reports citing BIGHIT MUSIC’s annual Spotify streaming figures and first-group milestone.
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Sources cross-checked for this story (2 sources)
- 01
Yonhap News Agency — October 16, 2026
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261016004500315 - 02
Seoul Economic Daily — October 16, 2026
https://en.sedaily.com/culture/2026/10/16/bts-tops-10-billion-annual-spotify-streams-a-first-for-any