BTS’s V Surpasses 20 Million Spotify Followers, Becomes No. 1 K-Pop Solo Artist
BTS member V has surpassed 20 million followers on Spotify, becoming the top K-pop solo artist on the world’s largest music streaming platform.
As of October 5, V reached 20,001,176 followers, marking the first time a K-pop solo artist has crossed the 20 million mark, and his follower count currently stands at 20,031,632. This is the highest record for any K-pop soloist, and across all K-pop soloists and groups, he ranks 4th overall. V’s Spotify profile features 16 tracks, including songs from his first solo album “Layover”, drama OSTs, and self-composed tracks, which have accumulated 5.18 billion streams in total.
“Layover” debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, tying the highest position ever achieved by a K-pop solo artist. It also became the first K-pop solo album where every track surpassed 100 million streams.
V further made history as the first K-pop soloist to chart all album tracks on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. US charts. In the United States, he became the first Asian solo artist whose entire album sold over 100,000 units per track, showcasing his immense streaming power.
“Layover” also won the “Favorite Debut Album” award at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, competing not just within the K-pop category but among 10 albums released worldwide, while most other Korean artists were only considered within their domestic or K-pop categories.
The UK magazine NME praised “Layover”, stating: “V’s debut album is a compelling result that has endured a rigorous testing process, prioritizing artistic choice over commercial appeal. Its classic sound with modern twists stands out. The long wait was well worth it.”
Meanwhile, Time Out UK selected “Layover” as one of the Top 30 Albums of 2023.
Written by Mun Wan Sik
Translated by Lee So Yun
