On the 11th (local time), Billboard announced in a chart preview article that 'Golden' had climbed one spot to reach No. 1. Billboard noted, "'Golden' is the ninth song associated with Korean pop to conquer the Hot 100, and it's the first No. 1 song performed by female vocalists." Previously, the only K-pop artists to achieve this feat were BTS (with six songs) and BTS members Jimin and Jungkook (with one song each).
During the chart's tracking period, 'Golden' saw a 9% increase in streaming, reaching 31.7 million streams. Radio airplay points surged by 71% to 8.4 million, and sales rose by 35% to 7,000.
The Hot 100 ranks songs based on U.S. streaming data, radio airplay points, and sales data.
Additionally, 'Golden' has also topped the UK Official Singles Chart 'Top 100', achieving a rare feat of dominating both the U.S. and UK charts. In a summer where the K-pop market lacked standout summer songs, 'Golden' has secured its place as a major hit with its catchy melody and powerful high notes.
The high-note sections have become a new benchmark for vocal prowess, with numerous K-pop artists like Bada, Lee Haeri, Solar, Lily, An Yujin, Sohyang, Ailee, and Kwon Jinah participating in the 'Golden Challenge', sparking a viral trend on social media.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr