Global anticipation for BTS’s return continues to intensify as 2026 draws closer, with just half a month left before the new year begins—the time when the group is expected to make a comeback with a full album and embark on an eight-month world tour as a complete lineup, following a three-year hiatus. While industry observers are simply eager to see what kind of music the global K-pop superstars will bring to this highly significant return, the ARMY fandom finds itself needing to prepare for far more than mere excitement.
For a long time now, a K-pop idol’s comeback has not been just about casual listening for fans; it has increasingly come hand in hand with performance battles across digital streaming platforms. Digital metrics on major global platforms such as iTunes, YouTube, and Spotify have become ever more important indicators of an artist’s popularity and success. Achieving strong results on these platforms, of course, requires substantial contributions and coordinated efforts from fandoms.
ARMYs are widely regarded as one of the most experienced and resourceful fandoms when it comes to propelling BTS’s songs to the top of digital charts over the years. Even in the early days when music streaming was still relatively new to K-pop fans, ARMYs played a decisive role in helping BTS reach No.1 on Billboard through mαѕѕive digital streaming achievements. With BTS’s upcoming return, ARMYs are once again preparing by closely monitoring platform policies and global chart calculation systems, in order to design the most effective streaming campaigns for the new album and further expand the group’s achievements and reach.
Amid this anticipation, news of YouTube withdrawing its data from Billboard charts has caused considerable concern among fans, as YouTube has long been one of the core platforms they focused on. This major change is expected to significantly affect Billboard’s chart calculations, forcing fans to adapt and rethink their strategies.
Specifically, in an official statement, YouTube αѕѕerted: “Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported. This doesn't reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the mαѕѕive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription...We’re simply asking that every stream is counted fairly and equally, whether it is subscription-based or ad-supported—because every fan matters and every play should count...After a decade-long partnership and extensive discussions, they are unwilling to make meaningful changes. Therefore, after January 16, 2026, our data will no longer be delivered to Billboard or factored into their charts.”
Meanwhile, Billboard responded from the opposite perspective in an article published on the 18th:
The disagreement over how au∂ιєnce demand should be measured, combined with conflicting interests, has led to a historic split between YouTube and Billboard. However, this separation affects not only the two platforms themselves—fans and artists are also among those most heavily impacted. In particular, the timing of this development, occurring just ahead of BTS’s comeback, has sparked significant disappointment among ARMYs and caused notable disruption within the fandom.
For many years, most K-pop idols in general—and BTS in particular—have placed strong emphasis on releasing music and music videos on YouTube, shaping au∂ιєnce viewing habits around the platform. Moreover, BTS’s YouTube viewership is exceptionally concentrated and among the largest in K-pop, contributing substantial data to the group’s past No.1 achievements on Billboard. Under the new circumstances, however, no matter how impressive BTS’s YouTube view counts may be, they will no longer influence Billboard rankings, making the path to No.1 considerably more difficult.
This also means that fans are now compelled to shift their streaming priorities. Instead of focusing on YouTube, ARMYs must place greater emphasis on platforms that still count toward Billboard charts—such as Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music—if they hope to achieve a No.1 ranking in the U.S.
At its core, the conflict between Billboard and YouTube after more than a decade reflects a clash between two different definitions of “success” in music. Billboard seeks to retain its authority to standardize success based on revenue and consumption within the U.S. market, prioritizing metrics that generate direct income. In contrast, YouTube aims to protect its own model, where fan power and global reach are the central pillars, and refuses to allow Billboard to diminish the platform’s role or the value of its data.
YouTube’s decision to withdraw its data can therefore be seen as a clear message: “If your мєтнod of measurement devalues us, then we will no longer participate in that system.” On the other hand, Billboard also stands to benefit from prioritizing paid streams, as doing so strengthens the influence of platforms such as Spotify Premium, Apple Music, and Amazon Music—services that generate high direct revenue and maintain close relationships with major record labels and the U.S. music market.
