‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Is Catching Up To Rosé’s Historic Radio Success

“Golden,” taken from Netflix’s historically-massive animated film KPop Demon Hunters, still has room to grow in America. The track reached No. 1 on several of Billboard’s most competitive charts weeks back, but radio airplay moves at a slower pace than streams or sales, and the cut is still reaching larger and larger audiences.

While “Golden” has started to lose ground on a handful of rankings thanks to an influx of smashes from Taylor Swift’s new blockbuster album The Life of a Showgirl, it is on its way up (up, up) on a handful of airplay charts. This frame, the tune inches closer to becoming only the second K-pop No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay list.

Can “Golden” From KPop Demon Hunters Hit No. 1 at Pop Radio?

“Golden” ascends one space from No. 4 to No. 3 on the Pop Airplay chart. That’s a new high for the catchy tune on the top 40 radio roster. Even just a few years ago, such incredible success at pop radio for anything connected to K-pop would have been nearly unheard of, but thanks to the work of some of the biggest stars in the field, such as BTS, Blackpink, and individual members of the two groups, K-pop is more popular than ever.

Blackpink’s Rosé Claims the Only K-Pop No. 1

Only one track connected to K-pop has climbed higher on the Pop Airplay chart. That record belongs to “Apt.,” the collaboration between Blackpink star Rosé and Bruno Mars. So far, that tune is the only No. 1 in the history of the Pop Airplay list that fits such a description, although “Golden” is making a play to match it. Just a short time ago, the KPop Demon Hunters cut passed “Dynamite” by BTS, which peaked at No. 5 several years back, to become the second-highest-rising K-pop win in the roster’s tenure.

“Golden” Ties Rosé – Twice

In addition to hitting its new peak position, “Golden” reaches an even dozen frames on the Pop Airplay chart. As it arrives at that figure, the tune matches several others as the fifth-longest-running hit by any solo female musician from the K-pop genre. “Golden” is credited to the fictional girl group Huntr/x, as well as the three women who voiced the film’s characters – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – some of whom come from a K-pop background.

“Golden” is now on the same level as two tunes credited to Blackpink singer Rosé, as both her solo cut “Toxic Till the End” and her duet with Alex Warren, “On My Mind,” also spent 12 weeks on the list.

Rosé’s “Apt.” Holds the Longevity Record for K-Pop Women

The longest stay on the Pop Airplay chart by any female soloist in the K-pop world belongs to Rosé’s “Apt.” That tune, which holds as the track by any K-pop musical act with the most weeks on the roster, managed 28 frames between Nos. 1 and 40.

Between “Apt.” and “Golden” on the longevity ranking are Lisa’s “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me),” Jennie’s “One of Them Girls,” a collaboration with both The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, and Lisa’s “Priceless” with Maroon 5. The former lived on the Pop Airplay ranking for 19 frames, while both “One of Them Girls” and “Priceless” stopped after 15.

“Golden” Hits New Peaks on Multiple Radio Charts

As it nears the summit on the Pop Airplay chart, “Golden” also hits new peaks on several other radio-focused rankings in the U.S. The track dances its way to No. 5 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. At the same time, it leaps from No. 22 to No. 16 on Billboard’s Dance/Mix Show Airplay list. “Golden” is steady at its all-time peak on both the Adult Pop Airplay and Adult Contemporary rosters, as it holds at Nos. 7 and 28, respectively.

“The Fate of Ophelia” Pushes “Golden” From the Top 10

For the past several months, “Golden” has largely ranked as the No. 1 song both in America and globally, but that changes this week. The tune is pushed out of the top 10 entirely on the U.S.-based list of the most-consumed songs as 10 tracks from Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl open inside that uppermost tier, led by “The Fate of Ophelia” at No. 1. That single also conquers the two global rankings, although “Golden” does manage to hold on inside the top 10 and could return to the throne after “The Fate of Ophelia” enjoys a run at No. 1.