The year 2016 can be considered a milestone year for the South Korean group BTS. Recently, the seven-member boy band's album "Wings" was identified as Billboard's best Kpop album for the year.
BTS' "Wings" reached several achievements both in South Korea and in other countries since the said album was released in October. With 15 tracks including the hit song "Blood Sweat & Tears," the album reigned over local charts during its peak and even broke several Kpop records in Billboard history.
With the year coming to a close, Billboard critics ranked ten of the best Kpop albums of 2016 and named BTS' "Wings" as their number one pick. Highlighting the band's various musical stylings, along with lyrics that tackled various issues such as mental health, Billboard critics even compared BTS to some of the top pop acts in the Hollywood music industry.
Described as an album that personified the BTS members' song writing talent and musical prowess, "Wings" also gave each Kpop group member a chance to showcase their own genre. Billboard's review also stated, "'Wings' is a good model for any band trying to move itself forward while concurrently establishing its different members."
Other Kpop albums that made it to the top five of Billboard's Best Kpop album's list included DAY6 with "Daydream" and EXID with "Street" at second and third place, respectively. The singing duo Akdong Musician's "Spring" landed at number four followed by Dean's "130 Mood: TRBL."
At the bottom half of Billboard's 2016 Best Kpop albums consisted of Bigbang's "MADE" at number six and Tiffany's "I Just Wanna Dance" at number seven. The boy band Seventeen's "Going Seventeen," Mamamoo's "Melting" and GOT7's "Flight Log: Fly" are at the last three spots of the said list.
In other news, BTS recently nabbed the honor of selling out one of Seoul's event venues, Gocheok Sky Dome, two times in a row. Tickets for the Kpop boy band's upcoming "2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III - The Wings TOUR in Seoul" were all sold shortly after it went on sale, according to All Kpop.
The fast ticket sales performance is similar to the group's recent sold-out concert at the same venue. Titled "BTS 3rd Muster ARMY.ZIP+," the said concert was held in November where all tickets were also purchased soon after its release.
The band's "2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III - The Wings TOUR in Seoul" will be held on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, 2017. Watch the Kpop group's music video for "Blood Sweat & Tears" below: