BTS has achieved its sixth song to surpass 1 billion streams on the world’s largest music platform, Spotify, with “Life Goes On” as of March 21. Released in November 2020, the track holds added significance as a Korean-language song reaching this milestone.
The title track from BTS’s seventh mini-album ‘BE,’ “Life Goes On,” exceeded 1 billion cumulative streams on Spotify as of March 21. With this achievement, BTS now boasts six songs that have crossed the 1 billion streaming mark.
Previously, BTS reached 1 billion streams with “FAKE LOVE,” “Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey),” “Dynamite,” “Butter,” and “My Universe.” The milestone of “Life Goes On” is particularly meaningful because it achieved 1 billion streams with predominantly Korean lyrics.
Milestone Gains Spotlight Amid ‘ARIRANG’ Success
This record has drawn additional attention following the release of their new album ARIRANG on March 20. While all tracks from ‘ARIRANG’ performed strongly on Spotify’s “Daily Top Songs Global” chart, “Life Goes On” re-entered the same chart nearly five years after its release, creating a rare moment where both old and new tracks were simultaneously celebrated.
“Life Goes On” conveys a comforting message: even when life forces you to pause despite moving forward, life continues. Upon its release, the song reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (December 5, 2020), marking the first predominantly Korean-language song to top the chart in the 62-year history of Billboard, leaving a lasting imprint on music history.
The music video, directed by BTS member Jungkook, has also remained beloved. Capturing both simple everyday moments and serene singing scenes, the video radiates warmth that resonates with fans. Jungkook infused his own emotions into the project, expressing the longing and disappointment of not being able to meet fans in person due to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, BTS released ‘ARIRANG’ on March 20. The title track “SWIM” secured consecutive No. 1 positions on Spotify’s “Daily Top Songs Global” chart for March 20–21. Domestically, it also dominated major Korean music platforms, including Melon, Genie, and Bugs, topping daily charts on March 22.