HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” from Netflix’s animated blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters, slashes its way to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart (dated Jan. 31).
Notably, “Golden” is the first song associated with Korean pop to crown Adult Pop Airplay. Previously, ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” hit a No. 2 high for the genre last April.
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“Golden” previously topped the Pop Airplay chart for three weeks beginning in November and the all-format Radio Songs chart for a week earlier in January. It has totaled eight weeks at No. 1 on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100, from mid-August through mid-October; 18 weeks atop the Billboard Global 200; and a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
Concurrently, KPop Demon Hunters’ new radio single, “How It’s Done,” ascends 40-37 in its second week on Pop Airplay.
Both “Golden” and “How It’s Done” are by the singing trio of EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, in the roles of heroines Rumi, Mira and Zoey from KPop Demon Hunters. The movie’s soundtrack, on Visva/Republic, ruled the Billboard 200 for two weeks and has spent its first 30 weeks and counting in the top 10. It has led the Soundtracks chart for 28 frames and became the first soundtrack ever to generate four simultaneous Hot 100 top 10s.
“‘Golden’ has truly become a defining pop moment, an instant lean-in, turn-it-up track,” Alex Tear, vp of music programming for SiriusXM and Pandora, told Billboard upon the song’s Pop Airplay triumph. Thanks to the movie’s wide reach, he added of “Golden,” “There’s that immediate familiarity and big emotion that just hits.”
“Up, up, up,” REI AMI marveled when “Golden” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Among other honors for “Golden,” on Jan. 11 it won the Golden Globe for best original song — motion picture. It’s also up for song of the year, among four total nominations, at the 68th annual Grammy Awards Feb. 1 and will compete for best original song at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15.
All charts dated Jan. 31 will update Tuesday, Jan. 27 on Billboard.com.
