Lead single from 'Arirang' becomes group's seventh song to reach 1 billion streams, doing so faster than any previous BTS track
BTS' hit single "Swim" has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the first song released worldwide in 2026 to reach the milestone.
The lead single from the group's fifth studio album, "Arirang," released March 20, surpassed 1 billion cumulative streams on the global music streaming platform as of Saturday, according to the group's agency.
The achievement makes "Swim" the fastest BTS song to reach the milestone and brings the group's total number of songs with at least 1 billion Spotify streams to seven. Previous entries include "Dynamite," "Butter" and "Boy With Luv (Feat. Halsey)."
"Swim" has also earned recognition at major US music awards this year, winning song of the summer at the American Music Awards and song of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The song debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart dated April 4 and remained on the chart for 20 consecutive weeks. It also reached No. 2 on the UK's Official Singles Chart dated March 27-April 2, a career high for the group.
On Spotify, "Swim" topped the Daily Top Songs Global chart on its release day with approximately 14 million streams, the highest single-day streaming total for a song released in 2026.
The success extends to "Arirang," BTS' first album in three years and nine months, which surpassed 5 billion cumulative Spotify streams as of Oct. 14, the highest total for any album released worldwide this year.
All 14 tracks on the album, including "No. 29," an interlude featuring the sound of the historic Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, have each surpassed 200 million streams on the platform.
"Swim" conveys a message of perseverance amid life's challenges, using the metaphor of swimming through waves rather than resisting them. RM, who took the lead in writing the lyrics, frames that determination as an expression of love for life.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com