BTS V’s ‘Winter Ahead’ Surpasses 300 Million Spotify Streams

V of BTS (Bangtan Boys) has once again reaffirmed his stature as a global music icon as his collaborative single ‘Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin)’ surpasses 300 million streams on the world’s largest music platform, Spotify.

Released on November 29, 2023, the emotionally resonant winter ballad marked a new milestone in V’s solo career, becoming his seventh solo track to reach over 300 million streams. The track, featuring renowned Korean vocalist Park Hyo Shin, has resonated with fans across the globe, paving the way for multiple chart-topping achievements.

‘Winter Ahead’ made a notable debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 99, and conquered the Holiday Digital Song Sales chart at No. 1. It also ranked No. 62 on the Billboard Holiday Top 100, solidifying its place as a seasonal anthem.

With this release, V becomes the only K-pop artist to chart three songs — ‘Christmas Tree’, ‘White Christmas’, and ‘Winter Ahead’ — on the Billboard Holiday Top 100. Notably, all three also achieved No. 1 on the Holiday Digital Song Sales chart, further underscoring V’s dominance in the holiday music scene.

The single’s success extended across the Atlantic as well, debuting at No. 86 on the prestigious UK Official Singles Chart. More impressively, it claimed No. 1 on the UK Official Single Downloads and No. 2 on the Single Sales chart, proving its powerful overseas appeal.

The track’s popularity transcends audio platforms, with the music video soaring to No. 1 on the Trending Music Video Worldwide chart. On Tidal, the high-fidelity music streaming platform, the video hit No. 1 on the Global Top Video chart for the longest period ever recorded by a K-pop artist and earned the most No. 1s across national Tidal charts.

Billboard recognized ‘Winter Ahead’ as one of the ’27 Best Winter Songs for the Season’, praising it for evoking “the first chill of the cold season” and describing the collaboration between V and Park Hyo Shin as “as fresh as a snowflake.” The outlet predicted the track’s resonance would extend beyond December 25, highlighting its lasting power.

Adding to its accolades, the song also placed No. 1 on Billboard’s ‘Fan Favorite Songs of 2024’, a testament to both its popularity and artistic merit.

As winter continues, V’s ‘Winter Ahead’ stands as a testament to the timeless beauty and global impact of K-pop.