The original soundtrack “Golden” from Netflix’s hit animated movie “KPop Demon Hunters” has made chart history, becoming the first track by a virtual Kpop artist to break into the upper tier of the Billboard Hot 100.
According to Billboard’s preview of chart results released on Monday, “Golden,” performed by the film’s fictional girl group Huntrix, jumped 17 spots from the previous week to reach No. 6 on the main singles chart.
The song is in the top 10 of the Hot 100 with 18.8 million streams, which is up 39% from the previous week, 950,000 in airplay audience impressions and 3,000 digital downloads.
“Golden” also topped Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts. Billboard noted this was the first time a virtual artist has simultaneously topped both global charts since their introduction in 2020.
The soundtrack’s success extends beyond “Golden.”
Another track, titled “Takedown,” also debuted at No. 86 on the Hot 100. The song features Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung of the real-life K-pop group Twice.
VIE FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“KPop Demon Hunters” is an animated musical that follows Huntrix, a popular girl group who secretly battles evil spirits threatening the human world. The plot centers on their rivalry with the demon-born boy group Saja Boys, unraveling their dark origins in the process.
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released by Netflix last month, the film has become a global sensation, topping Netflix’s global film rankings and going viral on TikTok, where fans are recreating choreography and reacting to key scenes with related videos racking up hundreds of millions of views.
Industry officials attribute the success of the film’s soundtrack to the heavyweight production team behind it.
Top producers, including Teddy Park, who has worked with Blackpink and boy band Bigbang, and BTS collaborator Lindgren, were part of the team that created the album.
The project also included contributions from Kush, Vince, and other composers from The Black Label.
According to Variety and Billboard, Netflix plans to submit “Golden” for consideration in the Best Original Song category at next year’s Academy Awards.
By Sookyung Seo
skseo@hankyung.com
Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.
