Next week, BTS’s new single “Butter” stands a good shot at opening at No. 1 on the Hot 100 thanks to impressive streaming activity, a sales sum that may wind up being the largest of 2021 and early and rapid adoption at radio. In fact, the South Korean boy band’s new track hasn’t yet had a chance to reach most Billboard rankings, but it debuts on two radio-focused lists this frame, proving itself to be a major win for the group.

This week, “Butter” opens at No. 26 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart and No. 40 on the related Adult Pop Airplay ranking. Those are impressive and lofty beginnings, especially for a tune that is so new, as most cuts require a few weeks to find their way to these competitive lists. 

Most Billboard charts operate on a tracking week that begins on Friday and runs through the following Thursday, but the radio rankings are different. The window to reach those tallies wraps on Sunday, so the fact that BTS hits two at the same time with a track that was released on Friday, May 21 means the cut was so popular, it arrives as one of the most popular on those two rosters after just three days of activity. On next week’s charts, “Butter” will have finally enjoyed a full seven-day period in which to rack up spins on dozens of stations, and it will surely rise on both.

Amazingly, BTS make history by appearing on both the Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay charts, so next week is sure to be even more noteworthy for the septet. On the Pop Airplay list, “Butter” earns the second-loftiest debut of 2021, the highest start for the group and it already stands out as one of the bigger hits from a South Korean act of any kind, and it is only just getting started.

On the Adult Pop Airplay chart, the arrival of “Butter” is perhaps even more amazing to see, as it is just the second-ever track from a South Korean musical act to appear on the tally. The cut may open in last place on this week’s list, but it’s also the only new title on the roster, beating out many other tracks that were trying to squeeze in.

After just three days, BTS’s “Butter” is already a huge win on two of the three pop radio charts compiled weekly by Billboard, and their performance is even more impressive when looking only at musicians from South Korea. In the coming frames, the track is sure to gain ground, and it may break more records and become a true smash in just a few weeks.