In a twist of global music charts, Jungkook from the sensational K-pop group BTS, finds himself in an unexpected competition as his latest single "Seven" climbs the ranks. Since its release a fortnight ago, "Seven" has not only topped domestic charts but also made its presence felt across various global streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, rewriting history in the process. Due to the song's immense popularity, it has secured a spot at number three on the UK Official Singles Chart. Now, all eyes are on Billboard.
According to the latest charts released on July 21, "Seven" climbed to third place in the Official Singles Chart Top 100, following Dave Central C's "Sprinter" and Olivia Rodrigo's "Vampire." The Official Chart, along with the US Billboard Chart, is recognized as one of the two major pop music charts. With the first week's Official Chart performance, attention naturally shifts to the Billboard Chart. It is certain that "Seven" will record high on the Billboard Hot 100, the main chart of Billboard. However, it's unclear whether it will debut at number one in the first week.
Looking at the most recent final predictions for the Billboard Hot 100 announced by Billboard prediction sites such as Chart Essential and Lip Prediction, "Seven" is all at number one. However, "Seven" has a formidable competitor. It's "Try That In A Small Town" by American country singer-songwriter Jason Aldean. "Seven" and "Try That In A Small Town" are engaged in a neck-and-neck race.
Chart Essential predicted that Jungkook's "Seven" would take first place on this week's Billboard Hot 100 by a narrow margin of 1 point. Likewise, Lip Prediction forecasted "Seven's" score as 307.30 points, while "Try That In A Small Town" was estimated at 306.97 points. It's indeed a photo finish.
In the initial predictions, Jungkook's competitors were not "Try That In A Small Town" but Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" and Luke Combs' "Fast Cars." "Try That In A Small Town," released in May, was not a competitor of "Seven." The name "Try That In A Small Town" was nowhere to be found in the mid-term predictions.
The two-month-old song suddenly gained attention due to the release of its music video on the 14th. The video, shot in a Tennessee courtroom, depicted scenes of protests and looting and the song's lyrics warned of repercussions for such behaviors in a small town. The music video, interpreted as racially discriminatory, and the lyrics implying gun use led to a boycott by CMT (Country Music Television), a cable broadcaster in the U.S. primarily dealing with country music. The conservative white base, the main fan base of country music, protested this action.
Despite denying the allegations against him, Jason Aldean has become a hot topic cleverly utilized by even right-wing politicians in the U.S. The conservative right-wing faction expressed their opinions by streaming or purchasing "Try That In A Small Town," thereby making it a competitor of "Seven."
With the release of the Billboard Hot 100 incorporating the latest rankings not far away, attention is focused on whether Jungkook, facing an unexpected competitor, can overcome this and write another page of history.
