BTS replaces Billboard No. 1 with new song ‘Permission to Dance’

 South Korean superband BTS has added another feat to its copious list of accomplishments: replacing one of the group’s own songs at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and scoring back-to-back debuts atop the list.

The septet’s third English number, “Permission to Dance,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard’s main singles chart, becoming the group’s fifth song to top the chart.

“‘Permission To Dance’ officially debuts at No. 1 on this week’s Hot 100. It earns the group its fifth career No. 1 hit and helps them become the first act to replace themselves at No. 1 since Drake in 2018,” Billboard said on its Twitter account Monday (U.S. time).

BTS’ new No. 1 song drew 15.9 million U.S. streams and 1.1 million radio airplay audience impressions, while selling 140,100 downloads in the week ending July 15, it added.

This photo, provided by Big Hit Music, shows BTS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The catchy track replaces the summery BTS song “Butter,” which debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 5 and stayed on the throne for six more weeks.

With the latest feat, BTS now has 13 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 records, also including three times with “Dynamite” and one each with “Permission to Dance,” “Life Goes On” and “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat).”

This record, which the group racked up in 10 months and two weeks, marks the quickest five No. 1s in three decades since Michael Jackson, the Billboard noted. The pop legend earned five Hot 100 No. 1s in nine months and two weeks in 1987-88 with the songs “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” with Siedah Garrett, “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror” and “Dirty Diana.”

The septet thanked the group’s fans for their support.

“BTS_Butter handed the baton to PermissiontoDance. Two songs debuting at number 1! Thank you,” the group tweeted on its official Twitter account.

Member Jimin appeared more emotional. On the group’s channel on the fan platform Weverse, he posted a photo of him bowing to fans with the message: “Thank you again for your big love and support. We will give our best. Please be happy for us.”

RM mentioned how their support means so much for the band that has not been able to perform amid the pandemic.

“I’ve become quite numb to happiness and sadness since I couldn’t meet you for a long time. But today I want to close my eyes and dance and enjoy this. I’m definitely happy!”

Released on July 9, “Permission to Dance” is the group’s second collaboration with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was included in the physical album for “Butter,” along with instrumental versions for both songs.

The song immediately made a splash upon its release, reaching No. 2 on Spotify and topping iTunes top songs charts in 92 regions.

Most recently, it debuted at No. 16 on the British music chart Official Chart’s top 100 singles list. The album carrying the song topped the weekly album ranking in the Japanese music chart Oricon, making the group the non-Japanese act with the most No. 1 albums.

BTS members have noted how the song is something for everyone.

Calling the English track a “song for everyone to enjoy easily,” Jimin said it “carries the message that everyone should dance freely even if they have had a tough day in real life.”

RM, meanwhile, said it is a “song that will get everybody’s heart pumping and dancing” and called it a gift from Sheeran.

The BTS song “Butter,” meanwhile, came in at No. 7 on the latest chart, putting two BTS tracks in the top 10, according to Billboard.

It marked the longest No. 1 streak achieved by a group since 1995, when “One Sweet Day,” a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and R&B group Boyz II Men, spent 16 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.

BTS became the first Asian artist to stay at No. 1 for longer than four straight weeks on Billboard’s main singles chart. Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto held the title with “Sukiyaki” in 1963.