Why charting for longer matters [A post on chart longevity]

Today, I’m presenting one way to distinguish normal hits from the smashes that will go down in chart history: longevity. It’s the ability to chart for a long time, and in some cases, re-chart months or years after falling off the charts that separates the quick burn from the timeless.

Section I

Charting for a year or more (52 weeks) in the top 100 is already impressive enough, but there are hits that can last even longer than that.

Here are idol group songs that meet this standard (organized by year of release):

Yes, I know that it is easier to chart for longer now due to South Korea streaming more than downloading these past 2 years, which is why I want to mention the older songs that re-chart in the top 200 (a 2019 addition to Gaon’s digital charts).

Section II

Due to streaming, it’s now possible for songs that are years old to re-chart in the top 200 depending on:

• if a large fandom is active.
• the song being seasonally mass streamed.
• a song going viral.
• if it’s constantly streamed but not enough to chart top 100.

or any other combination thereof. Here are pre-2019 idol group songs that have re-charted in the top 200 of Gaon’s main Digital Chart after months (or years) with no appearance. In parentheses: the left of the semicolon represents the years a song has re-appeared; to the right tells how long a song charted in its original run without falling off.

There are a couple of things to note about this section.

1) This only lists the songs that have charted after a period of not being visible on the main chart. So songs that charted without stopping into 2019 and/or 2020 aren’t counted unless they showed up in 2021.

2) Songs that became hits during seasons or holidays are then associated with that time, and South Korean charts fall into a predictable pattern around this time.

3) No 2019-2021 songs are included. Why? They gained most of their revenue from streaming only. Whereas from 2014-2018, songs gained good revenue from downloads and streaming. Older songs showing up with part of their revenue source greatly reduced means a lot more.

Section III

In this last section, I wanted to highlight the small number of songs that charted in the top 100 of Gaon in 3 separate years:

I hope that this post is informative about 1 reason why certain songs are said to be bigger hits than others, because there are multiple reasons why.

No flopping, I will not allow it.

Quote from MassiveKpopFan

Today, I’m presenting one way to distinguish normal hits from the smashes that will go down in chart history: longevity. It’s the ability to chart for a long time, and in some cases, re-chart months or years after falling off the charts that separates the quick burn from the timeless.

Section I

Charting for a year or more (52 weeks) in the top 100 is already impressive enough, but there are hits that can last even longer than that.

Here are idol group songs that meet this standard (organized by year of release):

Display Spoiler

• GFriend – Me Gustas Tu (62 weeks)
• TWICE – CHEER UP (66 weeks)
• BTS – Blood Sweat & Tears (56 weeks)
• BTS – Spring Day (232 weeks*)
• WINNER – REALLY REALLY (72 weeks)
• BLACKPINK – AS IF IT’S YOUR LAST (67 weeks)
• Red Velvet – Red Flavor (64 weeks)
• Wanna One – Energetic (80 weeks)
• BTS – DNA (82 weeks)
• BTOB – Missing You (86 weeks)
• Wanna One - Beautiful (57 weeks)
• iKon – Love Scenario (60 weeks)
• BTS – FAKE LOVE (52 weeks)
• TWICE – Dance the Night Away (61 weeks)
• BTS – IDOL (79 weeks)
• BTS – Boy with Luv (120 weeks*)
• Mamamoo – HIP (54 weeks)
• OH MY GIRL – Nonstop (65 weeks*)
• OH MY GIRL – Dolphin (65 weeks*)
• BLACKPINK – How You Like That (57 weeks*)

* = currently charting top 100

Yes, I know that it is easier to chart for longer now due to South Korea streaming more than downloading these past 2 years, which is why I want to mention the older songs that re-chart in the top 200 (a 2019 addition to Gaon’s digital charts).

Section II

Due to streaming, it’s now possible for songs that are years old to re-chart in the top 200 depending on:

• if a large fandom is active.
• the song being seasonally mass streamed.
• a song going viral.
• if it’s constantly streamed but not enough to chart top 100.

or any other combination thereof. Here are pre-2019 idol group songs that have re-charted in the top 200 of Gaon’s main Digital Chart after months (or years) with no appearance. In parentheses: the left of the semicolon represents the years a song has re-appeared; to the right tells how long a song charted in its original run without falling off.

Display Spoiler

• BTS – IDOL (2021; charted well into 2020)
• BTS – DNA (2021; charted well into 2019)
• BTS – FAKE LOVE (2021; charted well into 2019)
• BLACKPINK – DDU-DU DDU-DU (2020; charted well into 2019)
• BLACKPINK – FOREVER YOUNG [summer song] (2020, 2021)
• BLACKPINK – AS IF IT’S YOUR LAST [summer song] (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Red Velvet – Red Flavor [summer song] (2019, 2020, 2021)
• TWICE – Dance the Night Away [summer song] (2020, 2021; charted consecutively to week 1 of 2020)
• TWICE – Heart Shaker (2019)
• TWICE – What is Love? (2019)
• TWICE – Merry & Happy [Xmas song] (2020)
  • I'm aware this song isn't a hit, it's just a seasonal song.

There are a couple of things to note about this section.

1) This only lists the songs that have charted after a period of not being visible on the main chart. So songs that charted without stopping into 2019 and/or 2020 aren’t counted unless they showed up in 2021.

2) Songs that became hits during seasons or holidays are then associated with that time, and South Korean charts fall into a predictable pattern around this time.

3) No 2019-2021 songs are included. Why? They gained most of their revenue from streaming only. Whereas from 2014-2018, songs gained good revenue from downloads and streaming. Older songs showing up with part of their revenue source greatly reduced means a lot more.

Section III

In this last section, I wanted to highlight the small number of idol songs that charted in the top 100 of Gaon in 3 separate years:

Display Spoiler

• BTS – IDOL (2018-20) [continuous]
• BTS – Spring Day (2017-20) [continuous, still charting]
• BTS – Boy with Luv (2019-21) [continuous, still charting]
• BTS – DNA (2017-2019) [continuous]
• BTOB – Missing You (2017-2019) [continuous]
• Wanna One – Energetic (2017-2019)

I hope that this post is informative about 1 reason why certain songs are said to be bigger hits than others, because there are multiple reasons why.

Display More

And to have transparency: this applies to all songs, I just used idol group songs to highlight the small number of exceptions.

Here are the songs that appeared in all 3 sections:

IDOL

DNA

Spring Day

Quote from erighter

232 weeks for Spring Day... is that the all-time record?

Yes, and it's just extending its lead. The closest song is Every Day Every Moment.

Quote from erighter

Boy with Luv coming for #2

It's currently number 6.

Quote from erighter

I assume 2002 is #5 or #4 then, it has like 12 weeks on Boy with Luv I think

1. Spring Day

2. Every Day Every Moment

3. Through the Night

4. Me After You

5. Paris in the Rain/2002

6. Boy with Luv

Quote from omnimorphism

What changed in Gaon in 2019?

Downloads falling off a fucking cliff, it started in the 2nd half of 2018 honestly.

A grand total of FOUR 2019 are certified for 2.5M downloads.

Quote from dummi

These are a lot of words interesting read tho

Quote from Tic_tac_toe

I didn’t read all that.

You two:

Quote from Slayurfaves

impressed by bp's longitivtiy

As If It's Your Last is probably one of the most overlooked 2017 hits from idol groups.

Quote from Tic_tac_toe

But I agree charting long matters prolly more than even the peak.

Being remembered is more important. It’s no use if you were #1 and then dropped off. But even a lower charting song that’s remembered longer that’s more important IMO.

I believe this too, but it's better to have both if possible.

Quote from thirstaer

SD remains eternal. :-D

bwl can only catch-up in logetivity if SD falls off, which i doubt.

The longetivity of dolphin impresses me. B-side song did that.

BWL is so big it's hard to imagine any other K-pop song being bigger than it, and then you realize that there is...and it's not even close to falling off.

Dolphin is impressing me as well, it started charting in the old real-time system so it can't be diminished as being a "24Hits" hit either.

Quote from ForgottenSoul

I think charting longer is like a given now at least on Melon and in general songs seem to stay at the top longer then before.

Honestly, your statement is a myth. I've seen several songs peak in the top 20 or even top 10 and then proceed to chart for less than 20 weeks.

See: Davichi's Just hug me, Gidle's HWAA, Sunmi's Tail, AKMU's Happening, Taeyeon's What Do I Call You?, BP's Ice Cream, HyunA's I'm Not Cool, Jessi's What Type of X, Epik High's Rosario, etc.

Only true hits are having good longevity in the current system. The public will let and has let several songs tank over the past year.

Quote from nevermindmejin

It’s interesting not many idol groups are in the lists. It’s the usual suspects. BTS being the GOAT as usual. And now I can see why BP and Twice are in the top 3 for 2nd gen. Both have digitals and physicals, with strong international presence.

It's only the usual suspects that have good longevity and can re-chart.

Quote from erighter

I assume 2002 is #5 or #4 then, it has like 12 weeks on Boy with Luv I think

It has 6 weeks on BWL.

Quote from omnimorphism

What changed in Gaon in 2019?

Quote from MassiveKpopFan

Downloads falling off a fucking cliff, it started in the 2nd half of 2018 honestly.

A grand total of FOUR 2019 are certified for 2.5M downloads.

To elaborate on my former point, those 4 songs are the only songs to be certified from 2019-now. No other 2019 hits or 2020 hits are certified for downloads.

Quote from ForgottenSoul

Those songs were not hits I think hits stay much longer.

Nope. You said that

Quote from ForgottenSoul

I think charting longer is like a given now at least on Melon

You didn't specify that hits stay longer, you spoke in general. Which is not the case with 24Hits. It's a chart of extremes: hits will chart for a really long time, songs that flop will fall really quickly.

And then of course there are the songs from 2018 and 2019 that are still charting, but those came under a different system.

Quote from ForgottenSoul

Songs that chart then fall off are not really charting at all .

I feel like you're not getting what I'm saying.

Quote from Tic_tac_toe

Less words massive less words

I'm not good at that, but I'll try.

Quote from MassiveKpopFan

And to have transparency: this applies to all songs, I just used idol group songs to highlight the small number of exceptions.

Here are the songs that appeared in all 3 sections:

IDOL

DNA

Spring Day

Display More

barnaby what's funny about this post?

Quote from selfmate

good work as always my friend

Thank you!

Quote from gerrard174

• BLACKPINK – FOREVER YOUNG [summer song] (2020, 2021)
• BLACKPINK – AS IF IT’S YOUR LAST [summer song] (2019, 2020, 2021)

Finally someone recognising them as summer songs!!!

Well duh. They are, they always re-chart in June and July.

Quote from dummi

treat ur fans nicely bro

No. :D

wait @dummi don't cry