Top 5 most streamed K-pop artists on Spotify in 2021

Name any chart and one can see K-pop artists trending in all of them. With the unimaginable and unprecedented success of Korean pop music, not to forget the digital streaming numbers majorly used as a measure for music show wins, Spotify’s Wrapped listed the top five most-streamed K-pop artists of 2021.

BTS, BLACKPINK, Stray Kids, and more: Spotify’s five most-streamed K-pop artists globally in 2021

BTS and BLACKPINK in a constant battle on the charts is nothing new, but it’s still fascinating for fans. The representative boy and girl groups continue to break multiple records, while the former creates K-pop history.

With two fourth-generation K-pop groups on the list, it looks like the new generation is also becoming a fan-favorite overseas.

5) TXT or TOMORROW X TOGETHER

The BIGHIT MUSIC group TXT released two highly-successful albums in 2021. The Chaos Chapter: Freeze with the title track 0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You), and The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape with the title track LO$ER=LO♡ER achieved impressive streams, with the former crossing 89 million and the latter 55 million streams.

It’s also worth noting that this is the only newest addition on Spotify’s most-streamed K-pop artists list. TXT's Fight or Escape was also the only K-pop album featured in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums of 2021 list.

4) Stray Kids

The self-produced idol group Stray Kids maintained its position as the fourth most-streamed K-pop artist. The group enjoyed their second run in the top five list. The year 2021 saw them winning Mnet’s Kingdom, releasing a 14-track full album NOEASY, a special holiday album Christmas EveL, OSTs, and a whole lot more content that isn’t available on Spotify.

Stray Kids became the first fourth-generation K-pop group to become million sellers with one album, NOEASY.

3) TWICE

JYP Entertainment’s girl group TWICE is one of the representative K-pop female groups that continues to rule domestic and international audiences. The group released EP Taste of Love in May, the English single The Feels in October, and the third studio album Formula of Love: O+T = <3 in November 2021 alone.

2) BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK, the global K-pop phenomenon, has collaborated with some of the biggest Western names and has five music videos surpassing five billion views on YouTube. It is also the most followed girl group on Spotify, with more than 20 million followers. The BLACKPINK members are global ambassadors of the most luxurious brands such as Tiffany & Co. (Rosé), Chanel (Jennie), Celine (Lisa), and Dior (Jisoo), among many others.

1) BTS

K-pop supergroup BTS remains the undefeated King of K-pop, securing their throne at the top of Spotify's most-streamed K-pop artists worldwide. Even four out of five top-five most-streamed K-pop songs of 2021 are BTS’ - Butter, Dynamite, Permission to Dance, and Life Goes On.

The group recently created two more iconic histories by winning Artist of the Year at AMAs and securing a Grammy nomination for the second time - becoming the first Korean act ever to achieve both feats.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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