[NEWS] G-DRAGON tops American Billboard’s world albums chart for 2 weeks in a row… For the first time for a Korean artist

G-DRAGON has topped American Billboard’s world albums chart for two weeks in a row, for the first time for a Korean solo artist.

On June 19 (local time), American Billboard announced the ranking of G-DRAGON’s new solo album “KWON JI YONG” in an article titled, “G-Dragon Tops World Albums Chart for 2nd Week to Nearly Double Total U.S. Sales”.

[DA:Music] Billboard Writes an Article Titled, “G-Dragon’s ‘Kwon Ji Yong’ USB Release Opens Debate About What Makes an Album”

US music magazine Billboard published an article about the debate over whether G-DRAGON’s “KWON JI YONG” album should be considered as an album.

Billboard wrote, “the five-track release is currently considered ineligible for South Korea’s domestic Gaon Chart due to its USB flash drive format” and that “the issue has drawn debate from fans and industry executives…”

[NEWS] G-Dragon's 'Kwon Ji Yong' Earns His Best U.S. Sales Week Yet in Just 1 Day

The K-pop star's new EP hit the Billboard 200 and tops the World Albums Heatseekers Albums charts.

The anticipation for the return of one of K-pop's biggest solo stars is felt on theBillboard 200 this week.

G-Dragon's new Kwon Ji Yong EP debuts at No. 192 on the Billboard 200 with a little more than 4,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending June 8, mostly driven by traditional album sales (4,000 copies sold), according to Nielsen Music. Remarkably,Kwon Ji Yong lands on the chart with just one day of activity after the album was released on the June 8, the final day of Nielsen’s tracking week for the chart.

[NEWS] 5 Years of BIGBANG's 'Fantastic Baby'

Trends come and go pretty quickly in music, particularly in the K-pop industry, but the staying power of some hits can’t be denied. On March 7, 2012, Korean boy bandBIGBANG released the music video for their single “Fantastic Baby,” and fans around the world have been saying “Wow, fantastic baby” ever since.

While they were already dominating the local popular music scene, the South Korean act produced one of the few K-pop songs to garner attention internationally with “Fantastic Baby,” in part thanks to the song's dynamic sound and the stimulating visual feast that is the music video. The boisterous, genre-blending sound was something altogether new for the act at the time, while the seditious music video promoted music as a form of rebellion.

[NEWS] BIGBANG’s “FXXK IT” MV Becomes the Most Watched K-Pop Music Video in the World

-Music videos of “FXXK IT” and “LAST DANCE” are the most and the second most watched music videos of December 2016

The music videos of BIGBANG’s “FXXK IT” and “LAST DANCE” were ranked first and second among K-Pop music videos watched around the world and in the US in December 2016.

[NEWS] BIGBANG's "FXXK IT" & "LAST DANCE", Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America+Around the World: December 2016

2016 ended on a strong note for K-pop with one of its biggest and longest-lasting acts commanding YouTube viewers throughout the holiday season.

BIGBANG made their long-awaited comeback to the scene with two new music videos, both of which landed atop the lists of most watched K-pop music videos both in America and around the world for December 2016. YouTube reports that "Fxxk It" was the most popular of the two with "Last Dance" just behind it in terms of views.

Fellow boy-band sensations EXO also proved their appeal this past month. Not only did their winter single "For Life" bow on both lists (No. 6 in America and No. 4 worldwide), but member Chanyeol and his collaboration with Punch for the popular Korean drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God also ranks high as "Stay With Me" is the third-most watched K-pop video for the month.

[NEWS] BIGBANG Earns 2nd Entry on Billboard 200 With Career-Defining 'Made' Album

More than four years after BIGBANG scored the first Korean-language K-pop album to appear on the Billboard 200 with Alive, the band returns with their long-awaited Made album that also boasts impressive chart results.

Made debuts at No. 172 on the Billboard 200 with 6,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 15, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, a little more than 4,000 were in traditional album sales -- the group's largest sales week yet for an album in the U.S. It beats their previous high, of 4,000, logged by Alive in its first week back in 2012.

[NEWS] American Billboard extolled BIGBANG, “…a balancing act that’s enabled the boy band to surpass international boundaries…”

American Billboard extolled group BIGBANG’s new album.

In a Billboard article released on December 13 (local time), the contrasting feels of “FXXX IT” and “LAST DANCE” were reviewed in detail.

The article explained the reason for BIGBANG’s success, saying, “Over the past decade together, BIGBANG shaped the Korean music industry through the unique musicality of their party bangers and poignant balladry, a balancing act that’s enabled the boy band to surpass international boundaries and shirk off the limitations of K-pop’s youth-focused industry.”

Just as they did last year, BIGBANG is sweeping charts this year as well.

[NEWS] BIGBANG Tie PSY for Most No. 1s on World Digital Songs Chart

PSY may currently be the most famous K-pop star in America, but BIGBANG are giving him a run for his money on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. Upon the release of their latest double A-side single "Let's Not Fall in Love" and "Zutter," the BIGBANG boys once again occupy the top two slots on World Digital Songs.

This means BIGBANG has three No. 1s on the ranking, the same amount as PSY. With a trio of chart-toppers on World Digital Songs, BIGBANG ties PSY for the most leaders in the chart's five-year history. They are the only acts with multiple chart-toppers on this list, which started in January of 2010. Both are signed to YG Entertainment, the South Korean record label that also houses 2NE1, Epik High, Winnerand more. To date the only K-pop acts to hit No. 1 on the chart are under YG.

[NEWS] Billboard Says BIGBANG are “at their most tender…and at their craziest” with Their New Singles

The Billboard magazine of the US praised BIGBANG’s new singles noting that they show the boy band “at their most sentimental” and “at their wildest”.

On August 5, Billboard reported that BIGBANG’s “LET’S NOT FALL IN LOVE” shows BIGBANG’s “signature mix of melancholy and dance beats” and that although it “sounds like classic BIGBANG,” it is “unique” with T.O.P and G-DRAGON “showing off their new vocal colors.” Billboard also praised “ZUTTER” saying it is a “minimal, hip-hop cut peppered with trappy snares, knocking percussion and woozy synths to emphasize both dudes’ distinctive spitting styles.”

[NEWS] BIGBANG Are at Their Most Tender on 'Let's Not Fall in Love,' While GD&T.O.P Are at Their Craziest on 'Zutter'

The summer of BIGBANG is almost at a close as the K-pop phenoms unveil the final two singles of their Made EP series after three, two-song EPs released earlier this season. "Let's Not Fall in Love" showcases the boy band at their most sentimental while a collaboration between members G-Dragon and T.O.P "Zutter" shows them at their wildest for a range of emotions and sounds embraced for this final release.

[NEWS] Billboard: BIGBANG’s “BANG BANG BANG” World’s Most Watched K-pop MV in July

BIGBANG’s “BANG BANG BANG” was selected as the most-watched K-pop music video in the world for the month of June.

Billboard announced the news on July 21 (local date) based on the viewer’s record of YouTube.

BIGBANG not only accomplished this with “BANG BANG BANG” but also ranked #3 and #9 with “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” and “SOBER” respectively, listing three of their music videos in the top 10.

[NEWS] BIGBANG Dominates No.1 & 2 on Billboard’s “World Digital Song” Chart… ‘prove their global popularity’

BIGBANG’s new song “BANG BANG BANG” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” dominated the No.1 and No.2 place on American Billboard’s “World Digital Songs” chart.

BIGBANG’s “BANG BANG BANG” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” took the first and second place on Billboard’s “World Digital Song” chart updated on the 11, to prove their global popularity.

[NEWS] Billboard Hints BIGBANG to Rank in World Digital Songs: Unveiled Next Week

Billboard spotlighted BIGBANG’s June songs and showed its anticipation for the quintet to enter the ranking of the World Digital Songs chart soon.

On June 5 (local date) Billboard wrote, “Along with other strong releases this week, both tracks are fighting to top Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart, which will be revealed next week.”

[NEWS] Billboard, BIGBANG “Pulls off a chart feat only PSY could previously claim for Korean acts”

America’s music medium Billboard spotlighted BIGBANG who occupied top two slots in the World Digital Songs. It wrote, “The chart-toppers list is also notable for only including acts from YG Entertainment.”

It highlighted the fact that “the quintet pull off a chart feat only PSY could previously claim for Korean acts” on May 8th local date.

[NEWS] “Return of the King,” “Upgraded 5 Times,” How Foreign Media Welcomes BIGBANG

Foreign media outlets spared no praise for the return of BIGBANG, saying “Return of the King” and “upgraded by over five-fold.”

On May 1st, various foreign media outlets, including the Billboard and FUSE TV of the U.S., competitively reported favorably about the return of the united BIGBANG in three years as well as their new songs ‘Loser’ and ‘Bae Bae.’

[NEWS] BIGBANG’s “FANTASTIC BABY” in Trailer of “Pitch Perfect 2”

BIGBANG is arousing much attention as their track “FANTASTIC BABY” was featured in the film “Pitch Perfect 2,” a Hollywood musical comedy.

Billboard posted an article on its website (http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6538560/new-pitch-perfect-2-trailer-bigbang-fantastic-baby-kpop) with the headline “New ‘Pitch Perfect 2′ Trailer Features BIGBANG’s K-Pop Hit ‘Fantastic Baby’.”

[NEWS] GD X TAEYANG’s “GOOD BOY”: Most-Watched K-Pop Video in the World Nov

GD X TAEYANG’s music video of the single “GOOD BOY” was chosen as the most-watched K-Pop video in the world in November.

Billboard wrote the news for the video, which surpassed 15 million views, which makes it the most-watched K-pop video in 2014.

Billboard also added that it ranked #1 on World Digital Songs.

[NEWS] G-Dragon & Taeyang's 'Good Boy' Debuts at No. 1 on World Digital Songs

Not only has the one-two punch of G-Dragon and Taeyang on "Good Boy" proven to be a delight to BIGBANG fans, but a major chart success too. The boy band members' collaborative single "Good Boy" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's World Digital Songs, making the duo the third K-pop act to top the chart.

[NEWS] #VIPs beat Echelons on Billboard's Fan Army Face-Off

The ultimate winner has finally been declared.

With 91% percent of the vote in the final face-off, BIGBANG's VIPs beat Thirty Seconds to Mars' Echelon to be declared the winner of Billboard's Fan Army Face-Off. Over 20 million votes were cast since the contest began. You can take a look at the full bracket here.

On their road to the championship, the VIPs beat Rihanna's Rihanna Navy, Selena Gomez's Selenators, Girls' Generation's Sones, and Skillet's Panheads. Congrats to the VIPs!

Source: Billboard