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Why is BTS’ Jimin facing calls for Spotify ban? All about 200 million streams drop and ‘fraud’ claims against HYBE
BTS’ Jimin faces criticism and fan defense after Spotify removes over 200 million streams from his hit track Who. This sparked a fresh debate over artificial streaming.
BTS’ Jimin has found himself in the middle of a heated online debate after Spotify removed a significant number of streams from his solo track Who. According to fan estimates and streaming trackers, more than 15 million streams were wiped from the song this July alone. It brings the total number of deleted streams to over 200 million since its release in July 2024.
The unexpected drop has sparked backlash, conspiracy theories, and a fierce clash between fans and critics. It reignited long-standing debates about the use of manipulated metrics in K-pop.
What are artificial streams?
Spotify, one of the global music platforms, has consistently warned against the use of artificial streaming tactics. According to their official guidelines, "artificial streams" refer to any plays that don't reflect genuine user intent. It is often triggered by bots, scripts, or inflated bulk streaming from suspicious sources.
To combat this, Spotify conducts monthly purges, where it removes what it flags as non-authentic plays. These clean-ups typically occur at the beginning of each month and affect a wide range of artists. However, July's sweep has particularly hit the K-pop world hard.
Many K-pop stars affected, but Jimin hit the hardest
While Jimin's numbers are making headlines, he's not the only idol affected. BLACKPINK's Rosé and Jennie reportedly lost about 2 million streams each on their solo tracks. BTS members Jungkook, V, and Jin also experienced major drops.
Jungkook's Seven and 3D lost millions, while V's Winter Ahead saw a global drop of nearly 13 million streams. Jin's Don't Say You Love Me was hit with a 15 million stream removal. But none compares to the scale of deletion Jimin has faced. With over 200 million deleted streams, critics are raising eyebrows.
Is HYBE manipulating numbers?
Following the mass deletion, some critics accused HYBE, BTS' parent company, of stream manipulation. The argument? Numbers this large don't just vanish without some kind of behind-the-scenes boosting.
The accusation has sparked online suspicion, with claims that HYBE might be engaging in paid stream manipulation tactics to maintain appearances. It's a claim the company has not publicly responded to.
ARMY fires back
Jimin’s fans, however, are not staying silent. ARMYs have taken to social media to defend the artist. They point out that Who has consistently charted well and broken global streaming records, even after repeated purges. Some also argue that high levels of fan engagement are being wrongly labeled as artificial just because of the song’s overwhelming popularity.
