BTS’s ‘Swim’ Rides High on Billboard’s Summer Chart

As of September 10, 2026, BTS's "Swim" landed at No. 2 on Billboard's Global Excl. U.S. year-end Song of the Summer recap and No. 6 on the combined Global 200 version. The tally combines streaming and sales data gathered from more than 200 markets over nearly four months of summer.

No. 6Billboard Global 200 summer year-end ranking

No. 2Billboard Global Excl. U.S. summer year-end ranking

No. 29"Arirang" position on the latest Billboard 200

8 timesNumber of Global Excl. U.S. chart-topping weeks for "Swim"

Key points

"Swim," off BTS's fifth studio album "Arirang," topped the Global Excl. U.S. chart eight separate weeks and stayed in the top five for 23 weeks.
On the combined Global 200 chart, it hit No. 1 four times and held a top-10 spot for 19 weeks.
"Arirang" climbed two spots to No. 29 on the latest Billboard 200, still charting nearly six months after release.
The "Swim" music video won Best Group Video at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan on September 8.

Billboard puts out its "Global Song of the Summer" recap every year, tallying up the season's music consumption — and this year's edition is built on streaming and sales data gathered by Luminate from more than 200 markets worldwide. BTS's "Swim" landed at No. 2 on the version that excludes the U.S. and No. 6 on the chart that folds America back in.

That result comes down to staying power. "Swim" held onto the upper reaches of the chart all summer long, topping the Global Excl. U.S. ranking eight separate times and hitting No. 1 on the combined Global 200 on four occasions. Rather than a brief spike, the song logged nearly four straight months near the top.

The album that carries "Swim," BTS's fifth studio record "Arirang," is still going strong too. When it dropped in March, it became the first BTS album since 2020's "BE" to debut atop both the Billboard 200 and the flagship singles chart in the same week. It then held the No. 1 album spot for three straight weeks, and nearly six months later it's still charting — up two spots to No. 29 on the latest list.

Billboard pointed to a major summer stage moment as part of the story. In mid-July, BTS headlined the halftime show at the FIFA World Cup final at a stadium in New Jersey alongside Shakira, Justin Bieber and Madonna — the first time a World Cup final has ever featured a halftime show at all.

The same recap also spotlighted BLACKPINK's Jennie, whose collaboration with Tame Impala cracked the upper rankings. Back in 2023, BTS's Jungkook became the first K-pop act to top this year-end list with his track alongside rapper Latto, and this year's showing suggests K-pop's summer dominance on the chart has become a multi-year pattern.

In Korea right nowIn Korea, the news is spreading fast through fandom circles and entertainment outlets. What's drawing particular attention is that BTS — now back to full-group activity — is still holding strong on major overseas charts with an album released six months ago, and the renewed spotlight on the World Cup connection. Coverage of K-pop groups' overseas chart performance continues to be a fixture of domestic entertainment news.

FAQ

What album is "Swim" from?

It's the title track off BTS's fifth studio album, "Arirang."

What is Billboard's Global Song of the Summer?

It's Billboard's annual ranking of the world's most popular songs, based on streaming and sales data collected throughout the summer.

What does this achievement mean for BTS?

It shows the song and album still ranking near the top worldwide six months after release — a sign of real staying power rather than a short-lived hit.