Record-Breaking 'Fifty Fifty': An Unprecedented Journey to Billboard Supremacy
Girl group FIFTY FIFTY, composed of Sio, Saena, Aran, and Keena, is far from done conquering Billboard. In fact, they're reaching for even greater heights. This K-pop girl group has infiltrated the global market in an unparalleled way, largely through word-of-mouth. The possibility of their entry into the top tier of the challenging Billboard Hot 100 chart is seemingly just around the corner.
According to the latest chart announced by Billboard on the 15th (Korean time), the title track 'Cupid' from FIFTY FIFTY's album 'The Beginning: Cupid', released on February 24th, has climbed to number 2 on the Billboard Global 200 (excluding US) chart and number 3 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, as of May 20th, 2023.
The Billboard Global 200 (excluding US) chart combines digital sales and online streaming data from around the world, excluding the US. Meanwhile, the Billboard Global 200 chart aggregates streaming and music sales data collected from more than 200 regions worldwide, including the US. Both charts, closely linked with the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts, reflect the most popular songs based on the latest trends.
FIFTY FIFTY's whirlwind success can be largely attributed to their consistent climb in the charts post-entry. Particularly encouraging is their steady rise from lower to mid-tier, and then to the top-tier rankings, rather than a swift rise and subsequent chart-out pattern. Despite 'Cupid' not being an album, and thus ineligible for the Billboard 200 chart, FIFTY FIFTY has managed to break into the top 3 of both these charts, raising expectations for their position in this week's Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Billboard reported, "The song's sales recorded 20 million, an increase of approximately 24% from the previous week, while streaming reached 66.7 million, also an 8% increase from the previous week."
'Cupid' broke its own record by ranking 19th on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated May 13th, 2023, marking its seventh consecutive week on the chart. In the previous week, it ranked 6th on the Billboard Global 200 (excluding US) chart and 5th on the Billboard Global 200 chart. If the trend continues, it is highly probable that 'Cupid's' position on this week's Billboard Hot 100 chart will be higher than 19th.
Unfortunately, 'Cupid' failed to break into the top 10 of this week's Billboard Hot 100 chart.
# 8 Weeks on Billboard Hot 100 + Record High Ranking...Alongside BLACKPINK
The achievements FIFTY FIFTY has made with 'Cupid' are nothing short of spectacular, earning them the moniker of 'Record-breaking Girls'.
'Cupid's' conquest of Billboard began on the Under Hot 100 chart. On the chart dated March 21st, they achieved their first entry at 12th place, 123 million after their debut.
Shortly thereafter, a new chapter in history began with 'Cupid's' entry into the Billboard Hot 100 chart at 100th place. They smashed the previous record set by NewJins, entering the chart just 130 days after their debut. FIFTY FIFTY continued this momentum by entering the top 10 on the Billboard Global 200 (excluding US) chart on April 18th and the Billboard Global 200 chart on April 25th.
'Cupid' has also matched BLACKPINK with a record-breaking 7.22 million streams in the US weekly chart. And in the UK, the song has racked up 1.42 million streams, setting another new record for K-pop in the weekly charts.
What's even more impressive is that FIFTY FIFTY's success isn't limited to just one platform. In addition to their Billboard and Spotify achievements, the group has also made significant strides in the UK's Official Singles Chart. They debuted in the top 100 on March 31, just 133 days after their debut, which is the shortest time ever for a K-pop group. And the group didn't stop there - as of May 5, "Cupid" has reached the number 9 spot, and by May 12, it climbed even further to number 8.
#30 million monthly listeners on Spotify... a new K-pop record for both daily and weekly
But what truly sets FIFTY FIFTY apart is their incredible growth in listenership on Spotify. On March 20, "Cupid" topped a total of 15 charts on Spotify's Daily Viral Songs Chart in various countries including the US. This is a first for any K-pop artist. By April 16, the group had surpassed 20 million monthly listeners, the fastest a K-pop artist has ever reached this milestone - just 149 days after debut. On May 7, they broke their own record again by reaching 30 million monthly listeners in a mere 170 days after debut.
On May 1, "Cupid" placed 4th on Spotify's Global Daily Top Songs chart, 8th in the US, and 10th in the UK. Notably, their top 10 spot in the UK chart is the longest any K-pop song has ever stayed in the top 10, and this is the first time a K-pop group has stayed in the top 10 for two consecutive days on these three charts.
On May 4, FIFTY FIFTY also made their first entry into the top 10 on Spotify's Weekly Top Songs Chart, placing 5th globally, 8th in the US, and 10th in the UK. Their UK ranking not only marked their first entry into the top 10 but also represented their highest ever ranking in the weekly chart. In that week alone, "Cupid" recorded 1.33 million streams in the UK and 6.95 million in the US, both of which are the highest figures ever recorded by a K-pop song. And on May 6, the song set another record with 208,000 daily streams in the UK.
Even in the 8th week, FIFTY FIFTY continues to climb higher in the weekly charts with "Cupid" currently sitting at 4th globally, 7th in the US, and 8th in the UK as of May 11. As expected, they have broken their own record for the highest-ranking in the UK weekly chart and the number of streams has also reached a whopping 1.42 million. The weekly US chart also saw a new record with 7.22 million streams, matching BLACKPINK's "Shut Down."
In the face of FIFTY FIFTY's undeniable success, it's clear that this is just the beginning of their journey. As they continue to smash records and redefine what's possible for K-pop groups on a global scale, fans around the world eagerly anticipate what the girls will achieve next. But one thing is for certain: FIFTY FIFTY is shaping the future of K-pop.
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