BTS’ RM sets new record with his latest No. 1 single

BTS’ leader RM returns to the US charts, only weeks after releasing his latest solo album. The global star made a comeback as a featured artiste on Megan Thee Stallion’s new single “Neva Play,” which has quickly become a success for both artistes.

“Neva Play” has debuted on almost a dozen Billboard charts this week. The track has particularly excelled in sales, as any release involving one of the seven members of the globally renowned boy band is immediately bought by thousands of fans upon release. This ongoing success has thus contributed to RM achieving another historic milestone.

RM and Megan Thee Stallion’s collaboration debuted at the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart this week. “Neva Play” became RM’s second track to lead Billboard’s ranking of the top-selling songs in the US within those genres.

With this second hit to his name, RM has become the first South Korean artiste to reach the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart more than once. He also seems to be the first musician from South Korea to have multiple songs featured on the chart.

RM became only the second South Korean artiste to top the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart when he first achieved the feat in 2022. That year, he, along with collaborators Paul Blanco and Mahalia, reached No. 1 on the sales-only chart with their track “Closer”.

Very few South Koreans have achieved the No. 1 spot on this chart, making it a significant triumph each time it happens. The only other artistes to have reached the top are fellow BTS members, demonstrating the group’s strong influence whenever they release music that Billboard categorises as rap, hip-hop, or R&B.

Suga collaborated with Juice WRLD on the posthumous single “Girl of My Dreams”, which hit No. 1 in 2021, making him the first South Korean artiste to top the chart. In 2023, both J-Hope (“On the Street” with J Cole) and Jimin (“Angel Pt 1” with Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, Jvke, and Muni Long) also claimed the top spot on the ranking.

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