K-Pop Statistics — Top Artists and Trends in 2024
If these K-pop statistics are anything to go by, the formerly niche music genre is taking the world by storm. Its appeal is largely due to the combination of funky colors, cool dance routines, and catchy tunes, which has been further amplified by the artists' significant social media presence.
This appeal translates into huge streaming and sales figures, which we'll look at in this guide to K-pop statistics. With BTS still dominating the charts and Seventeen having been the biggest act at Glastonbury in 2024, the genre has never been more influential than today.
Let's see what the latest K-pop statistics reveal about the genre's popularity, album and streaming figures, and future in the global music industry.
In This Guide- Key K-Pop Statistics in 2024
- K-Pop Global Popularity Statistics
- K-Pop Artists & Albums Statistics
- Financial K-Pop Statistics
- Future of K-Pop
- Final Thoughts
- Key K-Pop Statistics in 2024
- K-Pop Global Popularity Statistics
- K-Pop Artists & Albums Statistics
- Financial K-Pop Statistics
- Future of K-Pop
- Final Thoughts Key K-Pop Statistics in 2024
- The number of K-pop fans worldwide surpassed 225 million in 2023 - up 25 times since 2012.
- Over 61% of teenagers and over 51% of Korean adults under 40 said K-pop was their favorite music genre in 2023.
- In the US, almost 27% of the population says that K-pop is widely known in the country, and there's merchandise available.
- As of 2023, BTS sold 44.91 million albums, which amounts to approximately $721 million worth of sales.
- In 2023, Blackpink was the most-streamed female band on Spotify, with almost 9 billion streams, earning them a Guinness World Record.
- A year after debuting, NewJeans became the biggest girl band in South Korea, commanding a 15.4% market share of albums sold by female artists in the country.
- The K-pop events market was valued at $8.1 billion in 2021, and by 2031, it's expected to reach $20 billion at a CAGR of 7.3%.
K-pop has become an international sensation. Research shows that the number of K-pop fans worldwide exceeded 225 million in 2023, 25 times higher than the 2012 figures (approximately 9.26 million).
Moreover, nearly 50% of people across 26 countries said that K-pop was very popular' in their country, and only 7.5% of people said that it was barely consumed.
Based on these findings, it's safe to assume that K-pop is on the rise globally. But where is it most popular? Let's take a closer look at regional trends to find out.
K-Pop in the APACIt's no surprise that K-pop is hugely popular in its native country, South Korea. Even decades after its inception in the 1990s, the genre is still beloved across different age groups.
In fact, over 61% of teenagers and over 51% of 20-40-year-olds in South Korea said K-pop was their favorite music genre, according to a November 2023 survey.
Like this infographic? Feel free to use it on your website or blog, but please remember to give us creditK-pop is also huge in other parts of APAC.
People in Thailand and India reportedly spend 21 hours a month listening to K-pop, with Vietnam and Indonesia ranking not far behind-almost double the global average (11.4 monthly hours).
Australians, however, listen to K-pop for an average of 4.8 hours a month, and only 28.5% of Australians say that K-pop is widely known in their country.
K-pop's Thailand listening figures are backed up by the Thai public. Over 36% of Thai respondents believe it's widely popular, with relative merch promoted, and over 21% say it's popular with the general public.
Given this massive reach, it's no surprise that the export revenue of the K-pop industry in South Korea amounted to $927.6 million in 2022.
In Japan, the figures are similar. In 2023, 35% of people said that K-pop was widely popular, with relative goods promoted within the country.
K-Pop in The AmericasKorean pop is very big beyond its home country and the APAC region. Almost 27% of American respondents claim K-pop is widely known in the US, and related merchandise is available.
Source: StatistaAccording to 25% of the American population, a big reason for its popularity is that the music is good. On average, people in the US listen to 7.4 hours of K-pop a month, or roughly 5-6 songs a day.
The figures for other countries in the Americas are even higher. For instance, 37.5% of Brazilians think K-pop is widely popular in their country.
The main reason for its popularity is the same here as in the US-good-quality music. Compared to the US, though, Brazilians listen to more K-pop - about 12.5 hours a month or approximately 9 songs per day.
K-Pop in EuropeThe fact that the K-pop band Seventeen was one of the headlining Glastonbury performers this year speaks volumes about K-pop's popularity in the UK.
Although people in the UK listen to K-pop for only 5.9 hours a month on average, over a quarter of the population believe it's popular among the general public.
However, only 16% consider it widely popular with merchandise promotions.
Source: StatistaThe appeal of K-pop is similar in the rest of Europe. Overall, it seems that K-pop is less popular, albeit still influential, in Europe compared to APAC or the Americas.
For example, in France, 25% of people believe K-pop is widely known, and 26% say that it's popular. The monthly K-pop listening time in France is slightly lower than in the UK - 5.3 hours on average.
In terms of average monthly listening hours, Russia, Turkey, and Spain hold the top spots in Europe, with 8.5, 8.1, and 7.3 hours per month, respectively.
K-Pop Artists & Albums StatisticsK-pop has been around for decades but saw its quickest global rise to prominence in the early 2010s.When the 2012 single Gangnam Style' was released, it became a viral hit almost overnight. This moment captured the attention of global audiences, bringing more fans to the genre.
Flash forward to 2023, nine of the ten best-selling albums worldwide were K-pop albums, a testament to how far the genre has risen globally.
In this section, we'll dive into some of the most popular K-pop bands right now and look over their most impressive figures and career highlights.
BTSSince its debut in 2013, this seven-member boy band has become South Korea's best-selling music act.
Before BTS members joined the South Korean military in 2022, they were generating a staggering $3.9 billion yearly for the country's economy.
From 2016-2022, their albums were best-sellers in South Korea, with Map of the Soul: 7' selling almost 4.4 million copies in 2020. As of 2023, BTS sold 44.91 million albums, amounting to close to $721 million.
They have 75 million followers on Instagram,over 44 million followers on Xand 78.7 million subscribers on their YouTube channel - which is a testament to their massive global popularity.
Source: StatistaAs you can see, Japan and India have the most YouTube BTS fans. BTS is also the biggest K-pop name on Spotify. As of May 2024, BTS had 73.1 million followers and 28 million monthly listeners.
Moreover, they hold a Guinness World Record for the most-streamed male band on Spotify, with 31.96 billion streams, as of March 2023.
That year, BTS was also the ninth-most-streamed artist on Spotify, with Taylor Swift being at the top spot. Other BTS accolades include:
- Being the first K-pop group to be invited to the White House
- 12 Billboard Music Awards, as of 2022
- Earning $118.28 million in concert ticket sales in 2022
This all-female K-pop band is the second-most popular K-pop name on Spotify, with 49 million followers as of May 2024. As of June 2024, the group has 16.9 million monthly listeners.
In 2023, they became the most-streamed female band on Spotify, with almost 9 billion streams, earning themselves a Guinness World Record. Their most-streamed song is How You Like That.'
And if we needed any more proof of their massive popularity, Blackpink's members are also the most followed South Korean celebrities on Instagram.
As of June 2024, singer Jennie Kim has 85 million Instagram followers, and her bandmates Jisoo and Rose have 78.8 million and 78.4 million, respectively.
Source: StatistaAs you can expect, with such popularity comes commercial success. In 2022, Blackpink had great sales at home in South Korea, selling 2.83 million album copies locally and over 60,000 in the UK.
In 2023, Blackpink also became the first Asian and all-female band to headline the Coachella music festival.
SeventeenSeventeen is a band of thirteen people. Since debuting in 2015, they've enjoyed significant success, even surpassing 1 million sold albums at home in 2019.
But it was 2023 when they crushed all their previous records in South Korea, selling a whopping 16.08 million album copies.
Source: StatistaAt that time, their album FML' broke BTS' six-year streak and dethronedthem as the best-selling artist in South Korea.
FML' sold 5.5 million copies at home and another 6.4 million copies worldwide. Their Seventeenth Heaven' album also did well that year, having sold 4.5 million copies worldwide.
In their subsequent 2023-2024 tour Follow, Seventeen reportedly made almost $88 million from ticket sales. And Seventeen is still becoming increasingly popular.
Right now, they're the first K-pop band to perform in Glastonbury in 2024. Clearly, this is just the beginning of this group's success, so we should be watching (and listening) closely.
Speaking of which, Seventeen also has a massive online presence, with 11 million Spotify followers and over 6.7 million monthly listeners.
Fans can also find the group on Instagram. As of June 2024, the band's de facto leader, Choi Seung-cheol, or S Coups, has over 8 million Instagram followers.
Stray KidsAs of May 2024, this eight-member K-pop band has 9 million monthly Spotify listeners and 15.4 million followers, making it the seventh-most-popular K-pop name on the platform.
The band also has 30 million Instagram followers. Having only debuted in 2018, Stray Kids is evidently already enjoying massive success and is competing with other big names like EXO and Seventeen.
In 2022-2023, their Maniac' tour generated almost $63 million in ticket sales. Later, their album 5-Star" would become the second-best-selling album worldwide in 2023, having sold 5.3 million copies.
Source: StatistaMoreover, it was the first K-pop album to reach 5.1 million copies at the pre-order stage. Overall, Stray Kids' share of male artists' album sales in South Korea is 12.6%, second only to Seventeen's 18.6%.
NewJeansNewJeans, which onlydebuted in 2022,has quickly gained popularity and now has18 million monthly listeners on Spotifyand12 million followers on Instagram.
Only a year after their debut, NewJeans became the biggest girl band in South Korea, commanding a 15.4% market share of albums sold by female artists in the country.
In fact, in 2023, they sold 4.4 million copies in South Korea alone.
Like this infographic? Feel free to use it on your website or blog, but please remember to give us creditThis was a huge leap compared to the 691,610 copies sold domestically in 2022. Their record sales last year also surpassed those of other big girl bands like Blackpink and Twice.
Financial K-Pop StatisticsGiven its enormous global popularity, it's no surprise that K-pop has become a financial powerhouse.
TheK-pop events market was valued at $8.1 billion in 2021, and by 2031, it's expected to reach $20 billion at a CAGR of 7.3%. Some K-pop companies already have market caps of over $730 million.
For instance, the biggest K-pop company HYBE, which manages BTS, had a market cap of over $6.2 billion as of April 2024.
Source: StatistaOther key players in the K-pop market are JYP, which is home to Stray Kids, and YG, which represents Blackpink. JYP's market cap is $1.7 billion, and YG's is $572.8 million, according to the same source.
In addition to the market size, a brief look at K-pop spending statistics can also give us some additional insight into the industry's global reach.
K-Pop Spending StatisticsResearch shows that 2021 was the best year for K-pop spending. Worldwide, people were spending an average of $10.80 a month on K-pop music. In 2023, however, the average dropped to $4.50.
Like this infographic? Feel free to use it on your website or blog, but please remember to give us creditHowever, these figures are nowhere near uniform across different countries. For instance, fans in the UAE spent $17.60 on K-pop per month in 2023 - more than anyone else in the world.
The US and Saudi Arabia shared second place, with an average of $8 per month spent on K-pop music in each region. Russia spent the least on average per month - only $0.70.
Future of K-PopAs these K-pop statistics show, the Korean music phenomenon has been at the peak of popularity in the last few years. Here are a few trends that we believe will further drive the Korean wave in the near future.
Global ExpansionK-pop is already hugely popular around the world and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Moreover, many K-pop artists are collaborating with Western artists.
BTS and Halsey and Blackpink and Dua Lipa are just two such collaborations. These collaborations offer a huge opportunity for cross-cultural connections and are a great way to bring K-pop to new audiences.
Moreover, the expansion of K-pop and other Korean art means increased interest in the country and its culture and an opportunity for more people to learn Korean.
Increased Cross-Channel EngagementMany K-pop bands and artists have a significant social media presence. Since a large segment of their fans is Generation Z, it's no surprise that online fandom is a big contributor to the growth of K-pop.
On music streaming platforms in particular, YouTube and Spotify lead the way as the most popular websites where fans access K-pop releases.
These two websites, particularly YouTube, will likely further support the growing popularity of Korean music globally.
Source: StatistaGiven that marketers everywhere leverage social media data, we expect that the bonds between artists and fans across different channels will be monetized in some interesting ways.
From exclusive fan experiences to rewarding UGC, fan engagement will drive a lot of the K-pop market's revenue.
More Diverse ContentMany K-pop bands began as reality shows, and some artists still use them to this day for fun and promotion. Such shows are only a small part of what K-pop could evolve into beyond music.
We expect that the diversification of content will go on, with artists venturing into acting, reality TV, and even gaming. That way, K-pop artists can reach larger audiences and solidify their status as versatile entertainers.
Final ThoughtsIn this guide, we explored the fascinating world of K-pop. We hope that you now have a good grasp of K-pop, its worldwide popularity, and the best-selling albums worth your attention.
Overall,the Korean music market is much bigger today. In just a few years, the Korean wavereached manynew worldwide fans.
Trends like social media fan engagement, K-pop collaborations with other artists, and diversification of Korean content will keep the momentum going for K-pop for the foreseeable future.
Click to Expand and View Sources- K-Pop Is Making Billions for South Korea (Asia Fund Managers)
- K-Pop Popularity Worldwide 2023 (Statista)
- Popular Music Genres South Korea 2023, by Age (Statista)
- Monthly Time Spent on K-Pop by Country 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Popularity in Australia 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Popularity in Thailand 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Popularity in Japan 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Popularity in the U.S. 2023 (Statista)
- Reasons for K-Pop's Popularity in the U.S. 2023 (Statista)
- Reasons for K-Pop's Popularity in Brazil 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Popularity Level in the United Kingdom 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Popularity in France 2023 (Statista)
- Best-Selling Music Albums Worldwide 2023 (Statista)
- BTS Is Joining the Military - Here's How Much It Will Cost South Korea (CNBC)
- Leading Albums in South Korea 2011-2023, by Albums Sold (Statista)
- Top 10 Most Followed K-Pop Artists on Spotify in 2024 (RouteNote Blog)
- Most Streamed Male Group on Spotify (Guinness World Records)
- BTS Set New Record at 2022 Billboard Music Awards (Rolling Stone)
- How Much Did BTS Generate From 2022 Concert Ticket Sales? (My Music Taste)
- BLACKPINK Become Most Streamed Female Band on Spotify (Guinness World Records)
- South Korea: Most Followed Celebrities on Instagram 2023 (Statista)
- South Korea: BLACKPINK Album Sales 2023 (Statista)
- BLACKPINK Album Sales (Best Selling Albums)
- Blackpink at Coachella Review - High-Octane Stream of Pop Bangers (The Guardian)
- SEVENTEEN Album Sales in South Korea 2015-2023 (Statista)
- Follow Tour (2023) (Touring Data)
- Seventeen: The K-Pop Band Making Glastonbury History (BBC)
- Maniac Tour (2022) (Touring Data)
- Stray Kids Breaks K-Pop Record with Over 5.1 Million Stock Pre-Orders for 5-STAR (Soompi)
- K-Pop Male Artist Album Sales Share South Korea 2023 (Statista)
- South Korea: Female Artist Album Sales 2023 (Statista)
- South Korea: NewJeans Total Album Sales 2023 (Statista)
- K-Pop Events Market by Type, by Revenue Source, by Gender: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031 (Research And Markets)
- Biggest K-Pop Company by Market Cap 2024 (Statista)
- How Much Do K-Pop Fans Spend Worldwide 2023 (Statista)
- 16 Variety Shows Starring Your Favorite K-Pop Idols (BuzzFeed)
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