BTS becomes the first foreign act to lead Japan’s Oricon rankings in Reiwa era

BTS took the first place in the category of artist sales in the total comprehensive Oricon Reiwa Era Rankings, Japan’s big music record corporation, stated on 21st April 2021.

This milestone was the first time that positions above the hiragana “REIWA” were occupied exclusively by foreign artists that have come to Japan.

Their management company, Big Hit Music, announced this achievement on April 21.

This is the first time a foreign artist has ever led the overall rankings since the Reiwa era began in May 2019.

The rankings were decided based on total sales spanning from May 2019 to January of this year based on singles, albums, music DVDs, Blu-rays, digital singles, and albums, as well as streaming.

BTS’s dominance across all these formats contributed significantly, specifically, their sales were primarily driven by albums (36.6%), followed closely by music DVDs and Blu-rays (33.8%), with streaming accounting for 25% of their total sales.

BTS secured the top spot among foreign artists in eight different sectors. These include combined singles, albums, individual formats, and streaming.

Their record-breaking album, ‘BTS, THE BEST,’ sold over 1.05 million copies, making it the only album by a foreign artist to reach the million-seller mark in Japan during the Reiwa era.

U.S. Visa fees hike for international artists

While K-pop’s explosive global popularity has led to sold-out tours worldwide, a recent decision by the US government could impact these dream concerts.

The cost of obtaining visas for international artists has skyrocketed, quadrupling in fact. As we approach 2025, major K-pop companies like HYBE are gearing up for world tour comebacks for artists such as BTS, NewJeans, and Seventeen. And, fans may face challenges due to the increased visa fees.

Effective April 1, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a staggering 250% increase in visa costs for musicians looking to tour in the country. For instance, a standard rock band consisting of four members could see their visa fees surge from $1,840 to approximately $6,760. Additionally, for those who cannot afford to wait for standard approval times, USCIS offers an expedited processing option with a fee of $2,805 per application.