KPOP Demon Hunter Takes the Music World by Storm
The breakout hit "Golden" has reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 this week, marking a significant milestone in the global takeover of the film and its soundtrack since its release on Netflix in June.
Rise to Fame
"Golden", performed by the fictional protagonist group Huntrix, debuted in 81st place in early July and has been steadily rising in the charts. It has now surpassed Alex Warren’s "Common", which had dominated the Hot 100 for nine of the past 10 weeks. The song has taken the top spot with 31.7 million streams, 7,000 sales, and 8.4 million radio airplay impressions.
Top 5 Rankings
The top 5 rankings this week are dominated by popular hits, with "Golden" taking the top spot, followed by Atlantic Rising Star’s song in second place. Pop superstar Chappell Roan’s latest single "The Subway" has taken third place, marking her second top 5 debut of the year. Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae’s "What I Want" and Justin Bieber’s "Gänseblümchen" round out the top 5.
Demon Hunter Soundtrack Success
The "Demon Hunter" soundtrack has been a huge success, with "Golden" being the biggest song from the soundtrack so far. However, it’s not the only hit from the soundtrack, with Saja Boys’ track "Your Idol" reaching eighth place this week. The soundtrack currently has six of the top 10 songs in Spotify’s US 50 chart and four of the top 5 songs.
Film and Soundtrack Impact
The "KPOP-demon hunter" film and its soundtrack have become two of the largest unexpected hits in film and music this year. The animated feature has been officially ranked 4th in Netflix’s most popular English-language film list, with 158.8 million views. The film’s director, Maggie Kang, is excited about the K-Pop industry’s reaction to the film, including Jungkook of BTS, who reacted extensively to the film in a live stream for fans.
Industry Reaction
The soundtrack is being monitored by Republic Records and Visva Records, the new label of songwriter-producer Savan Kotecha. The success of the soundtrack has been a surprise to many, with modest expectations initially. However, the music and film industries have shown that sometimes unexpected hits can occur, and it’s essential to be prepared to move quickly and capitalize on the success.
