In a monumental moment for K-pop’s global journey, ROSÉ of BLACKPINK has shattered industry records, becoming the first-ever K-pop artist to secure a spot in the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Top 10. Her hit collaboration with Bruno Mars, titled APT., clinched the No. 9 position on the 2025 chart — a feat that marks both a personal triumph and a cultural milestone.
Unlike the weekly Hot 100, the year-end list reflects a full year of performance across streaming platforms, digital sales, radio airplay, and overall chart activity. This means APT. not only debuted strong but maintained consistent popularity in one of the toughest music markets in the world. For K-pop, this achievement signals a new era — one where the genre is no longer a fleeting trend but a permanent fixture on the global stage.
Throughout 2025, APT. resonated with audiences worldwide, bridging Western and Asian markets. Its soulful production, courtesy of Bruno Mars, combined with ROSÉ’s distinctive vocals, proved to be a winning formula. The song topped numerous global charts, including Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global U.S., further cementing its international appeal.
The track also set remarkable streaming and video milestones. On Spotify, APT. surpassed 1 billion streams within just 100 days of release — the fastest ever for a K-pop song and the second fastest overall in platform history. On YouTube, the official music video achieved hundreds of millions of views within weeks, adding to the song’s viral reach and cultural impact.
This year-end Top 10 placement is more than a chart statistic; it’s tangible proof that K-pop can not only debut high but sustain mainstream success in the U.S. over an extended period.
For ROSÉ, the accomplishment reinforces her status as a global star, independent of her BLACKPINK profile. It demonstrates that K-pop’s female soloists — particularly those blending English language lyrics with high-profile collaborations — can stand toe-to-toe with the world’s biggest pop names.
For the broader K-pop industry, the success of APT. shows that Western audiences now embrace K-pop as part of the mainstream, driven by streaming accessibility, cultural crossovers, and strategic collaborations. This achievement may well inspire other K-pop acts, both soloists and groups, to aim for sustained performance on global charts, marking a shift from temporary viral success to long-term dominance.
One thing is certain — with APT., ROSÉ and Bruno Mars have not just made history, they’ve rewritten the possibilities for K-pop’s future in global music.
