BTS performs during the halftime show of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19 (local time). [Getty Images]
BTS performs during the halftime show of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19 (local time). [Getty Images]

BTS's "Normal" is staging a chart comeback.

According to Billboard's latest chart dated Aug. 1, released Tuesday, "Normal" — a B-side from BTS's fifth studio album "Arirang" — re-entered the Hot 100 at No. 33.

The track had originally debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 41 on the April 4 chart. Its latest position marks a new peak for the song and makes it BTS's 19th top-40 entry on the chart.

Hybe attributed the resurgence to the release of a music video and Korean-language audio track on July 17, which reignited interest in the song. According to Billboard, "Normal" logged 26.6 million streams and 44,000 units in sales worldwide from July 17 to 23, as tracked by Luminate.

A clever promotional campaign in the United States also helped drive the comeback. On July 13, an advertisement headlined "BTS spotted in bathroom late at night" ran in the San Francisco Chronicle, followed by a similar placement in the New York Post the following day. The mock tabloid-style ad featured the members standing at urinals with their backs to the camera.

The album "Arirang," released in March, is also charting again, climbing 17 spots to No. 9 on the Billboard 200. The album has now spent a cumulative 13 weeks in the Billboard 200's top 10, extending its record as the longest-charting Korean album in that tier.

Billboard reported that "Arirang" sold approximately 40,000 units in the tracking week, a 62 percent increase from the previous week. The decisive catalyst was BTS's halftime performance of "Dynamite" at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19 (local time).

The group's global chart performance also strengthened. "Normal" climbed to No. 4 on the Global 200, a new personal best, and reached No. 2 on the Global Excl. US chart. Title track "SWIM" landed at No. 10 and No. 5 on those respective charts. "Normal" topped the Digital Song Sales chart, while "Arirang" rose 17 spots to No. 2 on the Vinyl Albums chart. On the Top Album Sales and Top Streaming Albums charts, the album advanced nine and 10 spots to No. 3 and No. 28, respectively.

BTS will continue their North America tour at MetLife Stadium in New York on Saturday and Sunday. The group's full-lineup comeback has also lifted Hybe to record financial results: the company posted revenue of 1.45 trillion won ($989 million) and operating profit of 170.9 billion won in the second quarter, its best performance since its founding.


shee@heraldcorp.com