PLAVE and G-Dragon Dominate First Half of 2025

PLAVE and G-Dragon Dominate First Half of 2025: Melon Data Lab Reveals Top Artists and Songs

PLAVE and G-Dragon have emerged as the leading figures in the first half of 2025, achieving remarkable milestones on Melon, Korea’s leading music platform. Melon’s “Data Lab” released its first-half (January 1st – June 18th, 2025) report, highlighting popular artists, songs, and music trends. A staggering 1.542 million songs were released on Melon during this period, providing a wealth of data for analysis.

PLAVE’s third mini-album, “Caligo Pt.1,” released on February 3rd, topped the album charts. It garnered an impressive 11.329 million streams within 24 hours of release, earning it a place in Melon’s “Millions Album” hall of fame (albums exceeding 1 million streams within 24 hours). It also became the first album to surpass 10 million streams in that timeframe. Their Japanese album, “かくれんぼ (Hide and Seek),” released on June 16th, achieved 2.717 million streams, becoming the first Japanese “Millions Album.”

SEVENTEEN’s “HAPPY BURSTDAY” ranked second with 6.734 million streams, while G-Dragon’s “Ubermensch” secured third place with 4.202 million streams, setting a new record for solo artists.

PLAVE dominated the streaming charts, accumulating over 950 million streams in the first half of the year, bringing their total to 2.77 billion streams and showcasing their strong fandom. The title track from “Caligo Pt.1,” “Dash,” topped the list of most streamed songs with 185 million streams.

G-Dragon led in terms of unique listeners, with 3.123 million Melon users listening to his music in the first half of the year. “HOME SWEET HOME” was his most popular track, attracting 2.434 million listeners.

The report highlighted the passionate fandom of PLAYVE, demonstrated by their impressive streaming numbers, and the enduring popularity of G-Dragon, a second-generation icon who continues to maintain a strong presence in the entertainment industry and among the public.

Among international artists, Charlie Puth, Lady Gaga, and Lauv were the most popular. Lady Gaga’s collaboration with Bruno Mars on “Die With A Smile” contributed to her ranking among the top three international artists.

Written by Mun Wan Sik

Translated by Lee So Yun