BTS and Coldplay collaboration "My Universe" debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

This marks BTS' sixth time hitting the top spot since September 2020

BTS and Coldplay pose for a photo while BTS visited New York in September. (BTS’ Twitter account)

The song “My Universe,” a collaboration between K-pop group BTS and the British band Coldplay, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

The Hot 100 chart published by Billboard on Monday showed “My Universe” as the “Hot Shot” debut, topping the chart in its very first week on sale.

“My Universe” unseated previous No. 1 “Stay” by hip hop musician The Kid Laroi and pop star Justin Bieber. “Stay” had occupied the top spot for six non-consecutive weeks through last week.

“My Universe” marks the first time a collaboration between two groups has topped the Hot 100. It is the 57th song in the history of the Hot 100 to debut at No.1.

It’s the fifth song by BTS to enter the chart at the top. With its recent feat, it ties Drake and Ariana Grande as the musical act with the most debuts at No. 1 on the Hot 100 (five).

An alternative pop song released on Sept. 24, “My Universe” shares a message of comfort and sympathy that transcends nationality, ethnicity, and language at a time when people are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My Universe” tops Billboard Hot 100 chart (from the Billboard Twitter account)

It’s the sixth BTS song to date to top the Hot 100, following “Dynamite,” “Savage Love (remix),” “Life Goes On,” “Butter,” and “Permission to Dance.”

The group has achieved all that in the space of around 13 months since becoming the first Korean act to top the chart with “Dynamite” in September 2020. It’s the shortest time needed to score so many chart-toppers since the Beatles, who managed the feat in a year and two weeks between 1964 and 1966.

For Coldplay, it’s a second visit to the top of the Hot 100, coming 13 years after it reached the No.1 spot with its 2008 megahit “Viva la Vida.”

Korean and English lyrics from “My Universe” (from Coldplay’s social media account)

“My Universe” racked up 11.5 million streams and 5.5 million radio audience impressions during the week as tallied by Billboard. It had 127,000 downloads as of Thursday.

The song also topped Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart for the week. BTS scored its first No. 1 on the Hot Rock and Alternative Songs with the song, which is categorized as falling under the rock genre.

“My Universe” also became the first song credited to a Korean act to reach No. 1 on the Top 100 Popular Songs chart compiled weekly by the US popular culture magazine Rolling Stone.

BTS and Coldplay at work in the studio (provided by BigHit Music)

“My Universe” is a leadoff single for Coldplay’s ninth album “Music of the Spheres,” which is scheduled to go on sale on Oct. 15. As a collaboration between two superstar groups, it had been the focus of attention ahead of its release.

The song, which is sung in English and Korean, has lyrics and music composed together by Coldplay and BTS. Critics praised it for the blend of Coldplay’s alternative sound with BTS’ pop melodies. Sweden’s Max Martin handled the song’s production.

By Jung Hyuk-june, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]