Two of the defining acts of their genres collide in the “new releases” section: BTS with Arirang and Ye (fka Kanye West) with BULLY. We’ll begin with the former if only for the K-Pop icons having achieved the more immediate success: “SWIM” stamps the #6 spot, notching an additional 3 top 100 tracks with “Body to Body,” “Hooligan,” “FYA.”
Though stateside performance is always our focus, we will note that this return to form is faring far better on global charts, an indication that our home country may be behind the curve on this particular issue. Nonetheless, it shouldn’t require a full dissertation to make the case for the hitmakers in this latest chapter; it’s a bonafide comeback album, their first in three years and the start of the post-military service arc for the band after they each fulfilled national obligations and charted solo careers. With massive worldwide hits under their belt, would anyone be surprised to see them mint at least one more in this new era? “Body To Body,” as metrics catch up across the board, is set up as the clubhouse leader.
Then to a far knottier issue with the return of Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Anyone with an eye on any newswire likely knows that he’s been embroiled in widespread controversy for the better part of a decade, something he frequently waded into as he transitioned from his VULTURES era alongside Ty Dolla $ign into a return to solo material. As we noted in our original review, on a strictly calculated level, the distance between how unseemly following someone who remains one of hip-hop’s greatest ever and the quality of the music that bore out was growing unsustainable at the time of that Dolla Sign-assisted record.
Is Ye Back? The Goo Goo Dolls Never Left
To say nothing of the “separating the art from the artist” quandary (or quagmire, really), reports across the board cite BULLY as a spike back towards those previous musical heights, even if Ye doesn’t reach them entirely. That’s evident with the performance of its material, planting 9 tracks between #30 and #50, with “FATHER” the standout. Given the record is already trending towards a #2 debut on Billboard, those numbers will likely only grow in the weeks to come, foregrounding the conversation of whether Mr. West deserves a “seat at the table” in the mainstream anew.
We’ll close with “an oldie but a goodie.” “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls has, in truth, been a factor on all of our 2026 reports and stretches back into some late 2025 charting as well. However, this is the week where it has reached a fever pitch, capturing its peak to date at #16. As any TikTok user or short video enjoyer could report, the “what I was like in the ‘90s” trend is a undeniable driver in this single’s resurgence, but as with many of the “what’s old is new again” hits of this category, baked-in mainstream appeal doesn’t hurt. Jumping back to its original release, it quickly surpassed its soundtrack origins to become one of the best-selling singles of all-time, a level of pop sensibility and catchiness that well sets the stage for this second wind.
As always, you can find the music featured in this piece wherever you find your music.
