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Blackpink. (provided by YG Entertainment)

South Korean K-pop acts Blackpink and BTS occupy the top two spots on the Billboard Artist 100 chart, which measures the overall popularity of music acts on Billboard charts.

“Blackpink surges from No. 65 to No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart [. . .] thanks to the group’s debut full-length ‘The Album,’” Billboard reported on Oct. 13.

“Blackpink becomes the first all-female group to lead the Artist 100, dating to the chart's 2014 inception.”

BTS. (provided by Big Hit Entertainment)

BTS holds the No. 2 spot, just behind Blackpink. BST rose to No. 1 on the Artist 100 chart on Sept. 29, its 10th time topping the chart.

“Two K-pop acts have monopolized the chart’s top two positions,” Billboard noted.

Billboard’s Artist 100 is one of the major charts tracking pop stars’ influence and profile. The chart takes into account a wide range of factors, including album and single sales, radio play, online streaming, and social media activity.

Blackpink has also become the first all-female group to have two songs on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard’s main singles chart, at the same time.

“Lovesick Girls,” the leading track on “The Album,” reached No. 59 on the latest Hot 100 chart, released on Wednesday along with Artist 100. “Ice Cream,” a pre-release single from the same album, ranked No. 64, charting for the sixth week in a row.

By Kim Kyung-wook, staff reporter

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