BTS Beat Every Other K-Pop Group to Apple Music's 2026 Best Songs With SWIM

Out of every K-pop group released this year, BTS is the only one on Apple Music's 2026 Best Songs list. The pick is "SWIM," the title track of their fifth studio album ARIRANG, according to BIGHIT MUSIC, which shared the news on the 11th after Apple Music published its year-end playlists on the 7th (local time).

"SWIM" did not stop there. It also landed on three other Apple Music lists: A-List Pop, Viral Hits and KPOPWRLD, so a single track now sits across four separate year-end playlists.

Apple Music framed the ARIRANG release as a payoff for a long wait. In its write-up, the service called the comeback "a moment K-pop had been waiting for," a meaningful return after years of built-up anticipation, and said the group had redefined the shape of K-pop in 2026.

Jennie and Yunchan Lim on the same list

BTS were not the only name from Korea on the Best Songs list. BLACKPINK's Jennie was included for "Dracula," her collaboration with Australian act Tame Impala. Pianist Yunchan Lim was also picked, for his live recording of Variation 13 from Bach's Goldberg Variations, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York last year.

Seeing a K-pop idol, a pop-rock collaboration and a classical piano recording share one list is a small reminder of how wide Apple Music's editorial net runs.

What BTS do next

The recognition arrives as the group heads back on the road. Starting on the 19th in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, BTS will carry the ARIRANG world tour through Southeast Asia: Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta follow, for 15 shows across five cities.