BTS 2020 Grammys
BTS members (from left to right) Jungkook, V, Suga, Jin, RM, Jimin and J-Hope attend the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images
  • BTS will make history on Sunday as the first K-Pop act to perform one of their own songs at the Grammys.
  • The seven-member band's smash hit "Dynamite" is nominated for "Best Pop Duo/Group Performance."
  • The group released three albums last year, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

BTS will make history on Sunday as the first K-pop act to perform one of their own songs at the Grammys.

The seven-member band's smash hit "Dynamite" is nominated for "Best Pop Duo/Group Performance" and is up against the likes of Taylor Swift's "Exile," Justin Bieber's "Intentions," and Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain on Me."

This is the group's second shot at a Grammy after they were nominated for "Best Recording Package" for the artwork of their best-selling album "Love Yourself: Tear" during the 61st Grammys in 2019.

This year's Grammys – which will air live on March 14 – will be the first time BTS performs one of its songs live.

The seven-member group has attended the Grammys for the last two years: first in 2019, as presenters, and again in 2020, when they made a cameo during Lil Nas X's performance of Old Town Road. This year, they will be the show's only Asian performer.

Fans were charmed when BTS reacted live to their Grammy nod by posting a video along with an aptly-worded tweet that read: "Ohmmmmmmyyyyyyyyggghghhhhhhhgggggggggdhdhsjsixudbslsogbdsisgshdbxidjdbdidhdifjfiri."

BTS getting recognition for their achievements is also viewed as a sign that the Recording Academy is attempting to keep up with the times and be more inclusive where genres like K-pop are concerned.

When asked about their feelings regarding the nomination, member Jimin said that it was "really hard to express in words. Even now, we can't still believe that we were nominated, and we'll be able to perform at the Grammys. So, we're thankful. We're honored."

A global brand, an IPO, and national pride

BTS posters in Seoul
People walk past commercial posters showing K-pop group BTS members outside a duty free shop in Seoul on October 6, 2020. This was the day South Koreans rushed to pour more than $50 billion into the initial public offering for BigHit Entertainment, the management agency behind the K-pop sensation.
Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

According to a Forbes report, BTS was this week named the "top recording artist in the world" in the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's (IFPI) annual report. The group sold around 8.7 million records last year.

In terms of streams, BTS is now used to beating their own records. They are currently the Guinness World Record holders for most-viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours, with "Dynamite" having hit 101 million views in one day.

Apart from the awards and the streaming numbers, BTS has leveraged its popularity to build a global brand, and sign lucrative endorsements with companies like Samsung and Fila. They were named Time's Entertainer of the Year in 2020, and named one of the Wall Street Journal's Innovators of 2020.

The global success has propelled their label, BigHit Entertainment, to a $7.5 billion IPO valuation, and their global success has not only made them a source of national pride but has also helped contribute a whopping $4.65 billion to South Korea's GDP.

Read the original article on Insider