SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JANUARY 31: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) (SOUTH KOREA OUT) In this handout image ... [+]
Aespa has only released three singles in the months they’ve been together, but all of them have become big successes, and they already stand out as an act to watch for the coming months and years, as they appear to be on track to become one of the biggest girl groups in the world in no time.
This week, Aespa scores another worldwide hit with their just-released single “Next Level,” and by appearing on one chart, no matter how low, they make history with their latest effort.
“Next Level” debuts at No. 97 on this week’s Billboard Global 200, which ranks the most-consumed tracks in the world every seven days. The tune brings the all-female vocal act to the upper half of the ranking for the first time, and it helps them join a very exclusive club of some of the most successful girl groups from South Korea.
Aespa is just the third South Korean girl group to reach the Billboard Global 200 more than once, which might be more shocking if the chart wasn’t less than a year old. The quartet joins Blackpink and ITZY in this feat.
Blackpink currently leads the way among girl groups from their home country of South Korea, both in terms of the highest placement and the most placements on the tally. So far, the band stands out as the only vocal act made up of only women from the Asian nation to break into the top 10 on the Billboard Global 200 (which they’ve now done twice) and they hold the record for the greatest number of wins, as 10 of their releases have appeared somewhere on the list.
Last week, ITZY joined Blackpink in this club as they collected their second-ever hit on the tally. The girl group’s new single “In The Morning” debuted at No. 34, giving the troupe their first top 40 smash.
Aespa first reached the Billboard Global 200 last year with their debut single “Black Mamba,” which introduced them to millions and showed that a new competitor had entered the race for the next great K-pop girl group. That tune rose as high as No. 138.
Just two other South Korean girl groups have hit the Billboard Global 200, and they’ve only done so once. Both TWICE and (G)I-dle have placed a single tune on the tally, at least so far, and either one could replicate that success again soon.
