Billboard Archives • K-POP LIFE

Billboard has officially declared BTS’s Jungkook as the best K-pop artist of 2024 in its inaugural ranking of the top 100 K-pop stars. The media outler made the announcement to mark the upcoming launch of Billboard Korea in May.

The 2024 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100 marks the first time the US magazine has ranked K-pop artists. The rankings were assembled by the chart teams at Billboard and its Seoul branch, Billboard Korea, which is set to publish its first issue in June. These rankings drew from artists’ activities across the Billboard 200 albums chart, Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, and Billboard Boxscore. The Boxscore tracks tour attendance and revenue, covering the period from January 7, 2023, to December 30, 2023.

Group members were generally listed together unless notable solo activities warranted individual recognition. That’s what happened with Jungkook. This year’s rankings included members from 16 groups: (G)I-DLE, aespa, ATEEZ, BLACKPINK, BTS, ENHYPEN, FIFTY FIFTY, ITZY, LE SSERAFIM, NCT 127, NCT Dream, NewJeans, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), and TWICE.

The 2024 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100 https://t.co/W3S5hKcaHG

— billboard (@billboard) February 28, 2024

How did Jungkook take the top spot?

Jungkook’s rise to the top of Billboard’s ranking followed the success of his first solo single “Seven (feat. Latto)” and the album GOLDEN, both released in 2023. “Seven (feat. Latto)” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remained at the top of the Billboard Global 200 for seven weeks, was hailed as the No. 1 Global Song of the Summer, and snagged the Top Global K-Pop Song at the Billboard Music Awards. Furthermore, Jungkook’s musical prowess was evident in his hit Hot 100 collaborations. These included the top-five hit “3D (feat. Jack Harlow),” which received a remix from Justin Timberlake, and “Too Much” with The Kid LAROI and Central Cee.

GOLDEN further cemented his status by debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It set a record for the largest sales week ever for a K-pop solo act with 210,200 equivalent-unit albums for the chart week dated November 18, 2023. His track “Standing Next to You” is on track to become his longest-running Hot 100 hit, having spent 16 consecutive weeks on the tally thus far. These accomplishments put Jungkook at the top of a list that evaluates activity on the Billboard 200, Hot 100, and Billboard Boxscore touring data over the past year.

Who else is on the list?

Second on the list is Stray Kids’ leader, Bang Chan, followed by Lee Know in third place. The rest of Stray Kids’ members—Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N—also made the top 10, in that order. This indicates a strong showing by the group in Billboard’s rankings. Girl group FIFTY FIFTY, which only has one remaining original member, Keena, secured the No. 10 spot.

In anticipation of its May launch, Billboard Korea plans to host a kick-off event in Seoul. This event will celebrate the K-pop artists featured on the 2024 list as guests of honor. It’ll further highlight the global influence of K-pop and its artists. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: BTS’s golden maknae added another feather to his cap. Source: Billboard.

NewJeans made history again when they were named the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards’ Girl Group of the Year. They’ve become the first K-pop group to clinch this title. They’re also the only Korean artist to receive an honor this year.

This year’s list of honorees demonstrates the extent to which music has become a global enterprise. Artists from various corners of the world received honors alongside NewJeans. They include Charli XCX from England, Kylie Minogue from Australia, Luisa Sonza from Brazil, Tems from Nigeria, and Young Miko from Puerto Rico. Artists from the continental US—Ice Spice, Maren Morris, and Victoria Monét—round out the list.

The venue of the March 6 awards ceremony is The YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. The event will stream on March 7, the day after. NewJeans plans to attend the ceremony in person, heightening the event’s excitement.

NewJeans named Group of the Year at 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards

NewJeans has rapidly risen to prominence

Billboard magazine’s editorial director, Hannah Karp, expressed enthusiasm for the event, stating, “We could not be more excited to celebrate these inspiring and dynamic artists from around the world, as they move our culture forward and inspire women everywhere to push boundaries and pursue their own dreams. With the talented Tracee Ellis Ross as our host, this year’s Billboard Women in Music Awards will be an unforgettable evening.”

Since their debut in July 2022 under the agency ADOR, a music label under HYBE, NewJeans has rapidly risen to prominence in the K-pop industry. The group is responsible for hits like “Attention,” “Ditto,” and “Hype Boy,” among others. Their recent EP Get Up matched the record set by girl group BLACKPINK for the longest-charting album on the Billboard 200 Albums chart by a K-pop girl group. It stayed there for 26 weeks. NewJeans also made a mark at the Billboard Music Awards held in November last year. They became the first K-pop girl group to perform during the ceremony and won the Top Global K-pop Artist award.

Tickets for the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards are available to the public, with early access for American Express® Card Members. Fans can watch the event on March 7 at billboardwomeninmusic.com. Watch this space for more details on the stream! – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: ADOR’s crown jewel is racking up awards left and right! Source: X/@chartdata.