- By Swati Singh
- Fri, 23 Jan 2026 07:42 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
BTS are officially back, and the excitement is already off the charts—even before the album’s release. Their upcoming comeback album, ARIRANG, has made history by crossing four million pre-orders in just seven days, signalling one of the biggest global music comebacks in recent years. According to album distributor YG Plus, ARIRANG recorded 4.06 million pre-orders as of January 22, just a week after pre-bookings opened on January 16.
With this milestone, BTS have surpassed their own previous record set by MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 in 2020, which had logged 3.42 million pre-orders in its first week before going on to sell over five million copies on the Circle Chart. The overwhelming response highlights just how long fans have waited for BTS to reunite as a full group after a three-year gap. The combination of the reunion factor and anticipation for new music has driven the album’s pre-orders to record-breaking levels in record time.
What makes the achievement even more impressive is the timing. With almost two months remaining before the album’s March 20, 2026 release, industry insiders are already speculating how high the final pre-order numbers could go. At its current pace, ARIRANG is not only breaking BTS’ own records but is also inching closer to global milestones.
“ARIRANG” by BTS has recorded 4.06 million pre-orders.https://t.co/8T0sbMJCAX pic.twitter.com/s8Wcztob5J
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) January 23, 2026
The excitement has spilled across platforms as well. After the album announcement and the confirmation of a world tour on Weverse, BTS’ official fan club reportedly saw its memberships triple. On Spotify, ARIRANG crossed one million pre-saves in just two days, doubled that figure by day four, and continues to grow steadily.
With these numbers, fans are now watching closely to see if BTS can challenge the record for the most Spotify pre-saves, currently held by Taylor Swift’s The Life of A Showgirl at six million.