Americans are embracing K-Pop

[Tennis]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmci.../#5a589c65da99

Last month, boy band BTS made waves by debuting their new EP Love Yourself: Her at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Typically, that’s a fair placement for a popular act, but not usually something that goes down in the history books, but what sets this accomplishment apart is the fact that they are a K-pop group, and now they are the first to break into the top 10 on the American all-genre albums tally.

The lofty placement was a welcome surprise for chart-watchers, the music industry and especially the band’s massive and highly-dedicated fan base, which had organized and worked extremely hard to promote the release and bolster its first week numbers with plenty of sales and even more streams. They were collectively looking for a history-making position, and they got it.

So what does this moment mean for the music industry? Is this a sign that K-pop, already massively popular throughout much of the rest of the world, has finally reached American shores? Many would say yes, but the answer is actually that K-pop has already made it to the U.S. in a major way, and the band's spectacular feat is a sign that the charts are finally reflecting a pop culture movement that started years ago.

They may own the title of the highest-charting K-pop act in the U.S., but BTS isn’t the only name to come from that part of the world that has managed to appear on a Billboard chart. Artists like 2NE1, G-Dragon, Girls’ Generation, Exo and BoA have all placed albums on the Billboard 200. When it comes to the Hot 100, which measures the most popular songs in the country, there are fewer examples of songs primarily (or entirely) sung in Korean that have charted, but slowly, the genre is making up for lost time.

The most famous example of K-pop making a splashy appearance on the Hot 100 is, of course, Psy’s memorable hit single “Gangnam Style,” which stalled just one peg shy of becoming the first No. 1 from that world a few years back. Since then, he’s returned to the tally several times, while fellow major stars CL, and BTS (just recently with “DNA,” the most popular cut from Love Yourself: Her) have also showed up in a big way.


While the charts may be playing catch up, the story of K-pop invading America has been told in the live scene more than anywhere else. For years now, artists who have excelled in the genre have managed to tour the States, with some only playing shows in one or two of the biggest metropolises, while others have big enough fan bases to trek across the country and stop in several cities.

In addition to one-off concerts and tours featuring only one or two acts, there is a demand for major events like festivals, and even the rapidly-expanding KCON, a convention featuring all things related to K-pop, including panels, meet and greets and plenty of musical performances. What started in 2012 as one staging in Los Angeles has now grown to include NYC and LA, as well as several other cities around the world, all of which see tens of thousands of K-pop lovers turn out just to be involved in the buzzy party.

Selling albums and charting are signs of success, but in today’s new musical economy, the fact that K-pop acts are able to sell tickets is particularly of note to industry figures in the U.S., as that’s where the real money can be found these days.

“These are examples of people putting up their money and actively engaging in K-pop and are much more substantial ways to see K-pop's growth in America than, say, watching a viral video,” explained K-pop expert and journalist Jeff Benjamin, who is a senior editor at Fuse and who has written about artists like BTS for Billboard, Rolling Stone and other media outlets.

So, is K-pop about to explode in America and take over radio waves?

Wow. Did you see this coming?

Only a matter of time before music vids like this are on MTV and VH1 eh? It will serve as quite the contrast to other popular vids for sure.



Are you a K-pop fan? Is someone you know one?

I personally am not.

[Dsonsion]

That stuff is absolutely hideous and a sorry excuse of music.

[Jinpachi]

why the fuck is cringe popular now?

[Putin-Chan]

K-Pop is an abomination and needs to be stopped. It's clearly propaganda from Kim Jong Kardashian to brainwash our youth into damn commie scum.

[GreenJesus]

I don't know anyone who likes K-Pop.. maybe the Korean population in America listens to it?? idk.. Although I don't really know a lot about music. Only music I usually listen to is in-game music and whatever happens to be on the radio.

[Calfredd]

I like J-Pop more but most of my music choices are more Elvis (early days and later stuff) and a lot of older stuff (thank you Fallout franchise) though I didn't need Fallout or Sing to make me like Frank Sinatra.

[oplawlz]

Why did that girl in the beginning have such a deep voice?

OT: I don't see a difference between this and any other pop music. Sounds interchangeable with older stuff, in fact - you could convince me that was the spice girls singing in another language.

[Video Games]

k-pop is zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Logwyn]

Only a matter of time before music vids like this are on MTV and VH1 eh? It will serve as quite the contrast to other popular vids for sure.
.

They play videos on MTV and VH!?!?!?!?! I thought all they had was those crappy real tv shows....

[Mittens]

The only good Asian music is Japanese music from the 80s and 60s in that order.

[shadowmouse]

Meh, I don't mind it. It is something bouncy to listen to while downing the morning coffee.

[Sunseeker]

Go publish a tabloid rag or something. Stop wasting our time with this shit.

[nyc81991]

I literally have never heard one person listening to K-Pop.

[Freighter]

Meh, I don't mind it. It is something bouncy to listen to while downing the morning coffee.

[Amerrol]

J-Pop > K-Pop. Also Babymetal.

[Clone]

Emma Stone listens to k pop.

I also noticed Koreans have stepped up in peddling their shit the past few years.

[Tierbook]

why the fuck is cringe popular now?

Hipsters, I had a Hipster try to tell me Pabst Blue Ribbon was good beer.

[shadowmouse]

@Freighter You'll have to PM me the info. I live behind the Great Firewall and Youtube doesn't work here.

[The Oblivion]

its not any worse then drake, thats for sure.

[Calfredd]

Hipsters, I had a Hipster try to tell me Pabst Blue Ribbon was good beer.

I'm tempted to link a video or image about South Park's Pabst Blue Ribbon.