RM, Jimin, Jungkook, Jin, J-Hope, Suga and V of BTS perform on stage during the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards broadcast on March 14, 2021. Image: AFP/Getty Images/Theo Wargo
Broadway star Lea Salonga rushed to the defense of BTS after the South Korean supergroup’s music chart success was labeled “inorganic.”
Salonga echoed the sentiments of writers from Forbes and another outlet that responded to an article published by Stereogum on June 2 claiming BTS was “rendering the pop charts useless.”
The said story was written after BTS became the first act to gain four No. 1s on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart this quickly since The Jackson 5 in the ’70s.
In the article, music columnist Tom Breihan wrote that “‘Butter’ is not the most popular song in America right now” as it only made it to No. 1 “almost entirely based on sales of discounted digital singles.”
Forbes’ Bryan Rolli, however, countered this, pointing out that Billboard’s charting system is what is broken and that BTS and its ARMY are not ruining the charts.
“This needed to be said. For anyone to describe BTS’s success as ‘inorganic’ needs to get their head out of their ass,” Salonga said on Facebook earlier today, sharing Rolli’s article.
“Nothing was sudden, everything was methodical and planned. And now, they’re at the top of the charts and at the top of their game,” she added.
Salonga also agreed with the take of Ellie Nicholas from the outlet Celebmix, who explained that BTS’ “Butter” claimed the top spot in the chart because fans buy the song, despite Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” topping streaming and Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” topping radio.
“Here’s one more. And if this space transforms into a BTS stan page, I offer no apologies,” she quipped as she shared the said article also on Facebook.
Prior to “Butter,” BTS, with millions of ARMY around the globe, claimed their first three No. 1s on the Billboard chart last year with “Dynamite,” “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” remix and “Life Goes on.”
Salonga, a self-admitted BTS fan, earlier this year praised the group as a “class act” following their reaction to their Grammy loss. She also previously admitted that “BTS helped save [her] mental health.” Ian Biong /ra
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