BTS: HOW BIG
WILL IT BE?

Following their most successful U.S. single ever, "Dynamite," BTS is poised to further shatter expectations. They are, after all, the world's most popular group.

In February, Map of the Soul: 7 landed a massive debut, with 422k, a number that ranks fourth for the year, trailing only bows from Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and Juice WRLD. So what should we expect from BTS' second album of 2020, BE (Big Hit/Columbia)?

We'll start the first-week forecast for BE at 300k, as we did for MOTS7. The ATD for the album will approach 500k, counting the total activity from "Dynamite." Will BE get to 400k its first week? Is 450k a possibility?

Consider that MOTS7 did not have a huge single ahead of it. By contrast, BE's lead-in has been BTS' most successful song by every metric—radio, sales, streams, views. "Dynamite" is already over 2m in total activity.

Meanwhile, the K-Pop gods will bless the Army with a video for second single "Life Goes On" upon album release tonight (11/19) and will follow up with the track's world-premiere performance on the AMAs Sunday night (11/22).

If "Life Goes On" is anything like "Dynamite," BE has the potential to be BTS' biggest album yet.

Still, their first-week number could be handicapped by new chart rules that have negatively affected some high-profile debuts since they took effect in October. BE will be the first true test of a sales champion in the new chart era—not to mention the changed sales climate of the pandemic era.

Speaking of, packaging will play a role in the album's performance as well, with the entry-level physical package priced at $48 (Target), significantly more than MOTS7, which was listed at $28.

Another factor worth noting: "Dynamite" was the act's first English-language single; how many other of BE's tracks will be in English?

All of the above notwithstanding, the BTS set is a lock for #1. Are you a BE-liever?