BTS's 'Anpanman' Reclaims Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart at No. 1 After 7 Years

BTS's 2018 track 'Anpanman' has achieved a remarkable resurgence, topping a major global chart nearly seven years and seven months after its initial release.

Released in May 2018 as part of BTS's third full-length album 'LOVE YOURSELF 轉 ‘Tear’', 'Anpanman' re-entered the Billboard 'World Digital Song Sales' chart at number one for the chart dated December 20. The song also made a notable debut at number seven on the 'Digital Song Sales' chart.

Prior to its Billboard success, 'Anpanman' had already begun a global surge, reaching the number one spot on iTunes 'Top Song' charts in 75 countries and regions, including the US, UK, France, Italy, and Mexico, by December 9. The song further showcased its enduring popularity on the UK Official Charts, securing the 12th position on the 'Official Singles Downloads' and 24th on the 'Official Singles Sales' chart.

'Anpanman' is a song that likens BTS to the character Anpanman, a hero who offers his head to the hungry and, despite lacking superpowers, can stay by your side for a long time. It encapsulates the group's sincere desire to deliver hopeful energy to listeners through their music and performances. The lyrics, particularly "Still, with all of my strength / I will surely be by your side / I'll fall again but believe in me, because I'm a hero," symbolically convey a message of solidarity and comfort.

The song's renewed popularity comes as BTS prepares for their full group comeback next spring, and it's seen as a testament to the unwavering support of their fandom, ARMY, who have patiently awaited their return.

Beyond 'Anpanman,' BTS members' solo endeavors continue to perform strongly on various Billboard charts. Jungkook's solo single 'Seven (feat. Latto)' ranked 150th on the 'Global 200,' and Jin's solo album 'Echo' title track 'Don’t Say You Love Me' landed at 166th. On the 'Global Excl. US' chart, 'Don’t Say You Love Me,' 'Seven (feat. Latto),' and Jimin's 'MUSE' title track 'Who' charted at 79th, 81st, and 137th, respectively. BTS's anthology album 'Proof' also maintained its strong presence, ranking ninth on the 'World Albums' chart, demonstrating sustained popularity over three years after its release. Jimin's 'MUSE' secured the 18th position on the same chart.

Individual members' tours have also yielded significant results. Billboard's '2025 Top 10 Highest Grossing K-Pop Tours of the Year' recognized J-Hope's first solo world tour, 'j-hope Tour ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’', at third place and Jin's first solo fan-concert, ‘#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR’, at seventh place, highlighting the global reach of K-pop tours. Notably, J-Hope achieved the highest ranking among solo artists.

According to Billboard, J-Hope's tour encompassed 33 shows across Asia and North America, attracting over 500,000 attendees. Jin's tour, spanning 18 shows in Asia, North America, and Europe, drew approximately 300,000 fans. These impressive figures were achieved even without the inclusion of his encore fan-concert held in Incheon. The rankings are based on official data from Billboard Boxscore, covering performances from October 2024 to September 2025.

Furthermore, Japan's Oricon chart announced its '2025 Annual Ranking' on December 17, with Jin's solo album 'Echo' ranking 39th in the 'Album Ranking,' marking the best performance by a Korean solo artist on the chart.

Korean netizens expressed excitement over 'Anpanman's resurgence, commenting, "As expected from BTS, a legendary song is still a legendary song after 7 years!" "There's a reason they're loved not only domestically but internationally," and "Songs like this give me strength," "It's great to enjoy this while waiting for the comeback."