Apple Music released the annual global chart of the Top Songs of 2021 on November 30. The list is a compilation of the 100 most-streamed tracks on Apple Music worldwide.
BTS's mega-hit song "Dynamite" was the most-streamed song globally in 2021, according to a new chart released by Apple Music.
The K-pop megastars beat artists such as The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and Olivia Rodrigo for the title.
Though the chart mostly had songs from 2021, it was surprising to see BTS top the list with a song that was released last year. "Dynamite" is a year-old hit, which was released in August 2020. The fact that the single hit dominated the charts for such a long time just goes to show how much fans loved it.
Another song by the Bangtan Boys, "Butter" also made it to the No. 21 position on the year-end chart. In addition, BTS's "Dynamite" was No. 4 and "Butter" No. 13 on the "Most-Read" lyrics chart.
These global charts celebrate and highlight another incredible year in music, and give both global and unique perspectives on the biggest music of the year. The year 2021 was one of the most important years for K-pop as its influence and popularity spread further across the world.
Apple Music released a statement that said after a year in which much of the population of the world was stuck in their houses, 2021 was all about having one leg out the door.
This chart, which compiles the most-streamed songs worldwide on Apple Music between October 16, 2020-October 15, 2021, is a reflection of that hopefulness and tentativeness. It is a mix of exciting new hits that was helpful in shaking the globe from its stasis alongside favorites everyone returned to when the jolt felt too much, according to Apple Music.
The statement also added that what all the songs have in common, whether it was a k-pop juggernaut ready for a planetary domination to artists from Japan striving in streaming to upstarts from hip-hop, is that they comforted and brought catharsis at a point when everyone needed them the most.
For the phenomenon from South-Korea, the Bangtan Boys, this was one of the biggest and most successful years so far. They dominated the Billboard chart and also bagged three awards at the 2021 American Music Awards. The band also created history by becoming the first and only artists from Asia to win the AMAs for "Artist of the Year", writing a new chapter for the future of K-pop.