“Golden,” from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, holds at No. 4 on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart, tying Rosé’s record for the highest-peaking K-pop hit in the list’s history. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 16: (L-R) Audrey Nuna, EJAE and Rei Ami attend the KPop Demon Hunters Special Screening at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
Getty Images for Netflix
Since mid-August, “Golden” — the worldwide behemoth that emerged from Netflix’s hugely successful animated musical KPop Demon Hunters — has ranked as one of the biggest songs in America. The tune has enjoyed several runs at No. 1 on the Hot 100, and even when it hasn’t appeared in the top spot, “Golden” rarely strays far from the summit… Unless, of course, Taylor Swift invades the chart with all 12 songs featured on her blockbuster The Life of a Showgirl.
“Golden” is in the midst of something of a comeback as tunes from Swift’s latest album begin to dwindle in popularity. As the track makes a play to return to the Hot 100’s summit, it also holds at its all-time peak on the Radio Songs ranking in what has turned out to be a historic space.
“Golden” Holds at Its All-Time Radio Chart High
This frame, “Golden” is steady at No. 4 on the Radio Songs list. Billboard’s Radio Songs chart ranks the individual tracks that reach the largest total audience throughout America, regardless of how many stations are playing the tune or what format it’s being promoted to. “Golden,” which is credited to the fictional girl group Huntr/x as well as Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, reached No. 4 a short time ago and made history when it pushed to that spot.
“Golden” Ties Record for Highest-Rising K-Pop Hit Ever
“Golden” is tied as the highest-rising hit by any K-pop act in the history of the Radio Songs chart. The KPop Demon Hunters smash is on the same level as “Apt.” by Blackpink star Rosé and Bruno Mars. That tune also stalled in fourth place and, for a short time, claimed this record on its own — but now it shares the spotlight.
2025 Has Been Huge for K-Pop on American Radio
It’s telling that the two highest-peaking hits of all time by K-pop artists on one of Billboard’s most competitive song charts both reached their historic slots in 2025. K-pop has been growing in popularity in America for well over a decade, and each year, seeing South Korean artists, groups, songs, and albums rise higher and last longer on the charts becomes increasingly common. Even radio — which for many years was hesitant to embrace the K-pop craze — seems to have fundamentally changed. Now, there’s room not only on niche formats, but also at mainstream top 40 pop and other similar fields, for K-pop stars to thrive.
South Korean-New Zealand singer Roseanne Park aka Rosé poses with the award for Best Song for “Apt.” in the press room during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz / AFP) (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
It’s also worth mentioning that while names like BTS and Stray Kids have been cited as some of the biggest acts in K-pop globally, it is women — in this case, Rosé and the three vocalists that comprise Huntr/x — who are responsible for producing the tunes that have reached the greatest number of Americans via radio, a format often considered uniquely important in the U.S.
Will “Golden” Outlast “Apt.” on the Radio Songs Chart?
There is a big difference between “Golden” and “Apt.” and their lives, at least thus far, on the Radio Songs chart. “Apt.” fell away after 41 weeks on the ranking. That remains far and away the longest stretch ever enjoyed by any track credited to an artist typically associated with K-pop.
“Golden” reached the same heights as “Apt.” in just its tenth week on the roster. Of course, “Golden” will continue to appear inside the top 10 for at least a few more weeks, and it might even climb higher, passing Rosé and Mars. Then there’s the decline, which could take weeks or months. So, by the time “Golden” finally slips away, it might match or even beat the 41 frames that “Apt.” collected during its run.
“Ordinary” Leads American Radio as “Golden” Gains
The current edition of the Radio Songs tally is led by “Ordinary” from relative newcomer Alex Warren. This frame marks the track’s nineteenth week running the show, and it now stands as the third-longest-running ruler among all songs in the tally’s history.
In between “Ordinary” and “Golden” are Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” and Leon Thomas’s breakout hit “Mutt,” which are steady at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. All three tracks are big hits in the U.S., but “Golden” has a lot of momentum behind it, and could gain again in the coming frames — perhaps even making a play to become the first K-pop No. 1.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/11/03/ross-historic-radio-record-has-been-tied—will-she-be-beaten/
