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South Korean girl group LOONA have scored their first ever Billboard’s Pop Airplay Chart hit with their 2020 English-language single, ‘Star’.
The Pop Airplay Chart ranks the most played tracks on over 160 mainsteam Top 40 radio stations across the US. The song secured its place on the chart at number 40, with over 750,000 audience impressions for the week of January 31, according to MRC Data (via Billboard). The number also represents a 53 per cent increase from the week of January 24.
LOONA’s presence on the chart, albeit at a relatively low positive, is still a remarkable feat for the 12-piece girl group as they are only the second K-pop all-female act to make it to the chart. The first was BLACKPINK in October 2020 with ‘Ice Cream’, featuring Selena Gomez.
To date, only four other South Korean artists (solo or group) have landed themselves on the Airplay Chart: BTS, PSY, Monsta X and Suga. LOONA is also currently the only South Korean act on the chart. The last was BTS’ Suga, for his collaboration “Blueberry Eyes” with American singer-songwriter MAX.
Bill Schulz, program director at Californian radio station KLCA, attributed LOONA’s success to the song’s “unique sound that top 40 is missing right now.” He added: “It’s a great balance record for sound and tempo.”
‘Star’ is the second single from the group’s third mini-album, ‘[12:00]‘, following title track ‘Why Not?’. The record debuted and peaked at number 112 on the Billboard 200 albums chart when it was released last year.
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