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Members of BTS pose for a photo at a press conference held in Seoul for the release of their new single “Butter” on May 21. (provided by Bit Hit Music)

K-pop group BTS has beaten another of its own records, with its single “Butter” ranking at number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for the fourth week in a row.

The number-one ranking of BTS’ single — which debuted on May 21 — was confirmed with Billboard’s publication of the latest edition of the Hot 100 on June 21.

“Butter” breaks the record set by BTS’ past hit “Dynamite,” which held the top spot for three non-consecutive weeks last year. “Dynamite” was number one for its first two weeks on sale before dipping to number two for another two weeks and then returning to the top for a third.

In the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, only 54 songs have reached the summit in their very first week. “Butter” is one of just 13 songs that debuted at #1 and remained there for at least four weeks.

BTS is the first group to achieve this feat since the rock band Aerosmith, which did it in September 1998 with “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” This makes BTS the first group to do so in the 21st century.

“Butter” has recorded the second-longest run at #1 this year after “Driver’s License,” a song by US singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo that topped the chart for eight straight weeks. Rodrigo is currently on BTS’ heels at #2 with her latest single “Good 4 U.”

Released by Billboard on Monday, the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the third week of June showed “Butter” at number one again. (Twitter screenshot)

BTS is the first Asian act to remain at #1 on the Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks. The previous record was set in 1963 when Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto became the first Asian artist to spent three weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 with his song “Sukiyaki.”

BTS has now spent nine total weeks at the top of the Hot 100: three with “Dynamite,” one as a featured act on the remix of “Savage Love,” one with the Korean-language “Life Goes On,” and now four with “Butter.”

The Hot 100 is considered one of Billboard’s two main charts together with the Billboard 200 album chart. Rankings are based on a combination of data, including streaming, downloads, and radio airplay.

In a Twitter message, the members of BTS wrote, “Unbelievable! #BTS_Butter is on the top of the chart 4 weeks in a row! Thanks soooo-much #BTSARMY.”

By Jung Hyuk-june, staff reporter

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