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BTS has been announced the winners of 2021’s IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award, making them the first act to win the award for two consecutive years.
Members Jimin, RM, Jin, V, Suga, J-Hope and Jung Kook became familiar faces in the IFPI Global Artist Chart since 2018 when they landed second on the global recording industry trade organization’s annual chart. The 2020 chart saw them become the first Korean act to win the accolade and the first to perform primarily in a foreign language. The South Korean septet’s fourth studio album ‘Map Of The Soul: 7’ topped the IFPI Global Album Sales Chart and the newly-launched Global Album All Format Chart.
The award is calculated as per an artist’s or group’s global performance across digital and physical music formats (including digital, physical album and singles sales and streaming formats) in 2021. It is weighted based on the relative value of each method of consumption.
“BTS’ phenomenal success over the last year is a testament to their creativity, hard work and ongoing commitment to continuing to find ways to bring their music to the world,” said IFPI CEO Frances Moore said in a statement. “By performing in three different languages, they demonstrate their extraordinarily unique global appeal and their dynamic and passionate fanbase has helped to make them the first artists in history to top the Global Artist Chart in two consecutive years.”
BTS continued its world dominance last year. The Grammy nominees’ English-language track ‘Butter’ dominated the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart for seven consecutive weeks. Singles such as ‘Permission to Dance’ and Coldplay’s ‘My Universe’ with the K-Pop septet also garnered massive listenership and commercial success on a global scale.
BTS joined fellow K-Pop boy band SEVENTEEN, demonstrating their growing popularity worldwide.
Also new to the chart is teen sensation Olivia Rodrigo, entering 10th after a successful year with her debut album ‘SOUR.‘
In the top three was two-time winner Taylor Swift followed by Adele, who re-entered the chart since claiming the award in 2015. Billie Eilish returned to the IFPI Global Artist Chart at number 7 for her third consecutive year in the top 10.
Former Global Artist Chart winners Drake and Ed Sheeran secured fourth and fifth place, respectively. Canadian superstar The Weeknd is back in the chart following a headline performance at the 2021 Super Bowl half-time show and a series of high-profile releases. Justin Bieber also made his fourth entry.
