BTS are taking an unconventional route for their latest visual release. The group has confirmed that the performance video for “Swim,” a highlight from their fifth studio album Arirang, premieres exclusively on Spotify and Apple Music.
Accessing the video depends on the platform. On Spotify, the “Swim” performance is appears through the app’s video features, while Apple Music users can find it in the music videos section. Both platforms require an active subscription for full playback, positioning the release as a streaming-first experience rather than a traditional YouTube premiere.
The strategy follows a shift already signaled by Taylor Swift, who earlier in 2026 debuted the “Opalite” music video exclusively on Spotify and Apple Music before making it available on YouTube days later. That rollout gained added significance after January 16, when YouTube views were removed from Billboard chart calculations, ending a long-standing data partnership that had shaped the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 for over a decade. BTS’ decision appears aligned with this evolving ecosystem, prioritizing platforms that now hold greater direct influence over chart performance.
Momentum around Arirang reinforces the impact of the move. Released on March 20, 2026, the album opened with 110,005,265 global streams on Spotify in its first 24 hours, the largest debut for any K-pop album in the platform’s history. That figure also stands as the biggest single-day streaming total of 2026 so far and ranks as the 12th-highest of all time. On release day, BTS were the most-streamed act worldwide.
“Swim” led the charge, debuting at No. 1 on the Spotify Daily Global chart with 14.644 million streams, surpassing Harry Styles’ “Aperture,” which previously held the 2026 record at 12.478 million. The album’s dominance extended across its full tracklist, with all 14 songs occupying the chart’s top 14 positions simultaneously. Physical sales mirrored that scale, with Arirang moving 3.981 million copies on its first day via Hanteo. The album is also expected to move around 550,000 units in the US.
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