‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Single ‘Golden’ Goes Up Up Up To No. 1 On Billboard’s Hot 100

“Golden,” one of several breakout tracks from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation’s animated hit KPop Demon Hunters, has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing its status as one of the summer’s biggest music successes and furthering the film’s already impressive list of historic achievements.

Performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the song debuted at No. 81 in early July and climbed steadily to the top, recording nearly 32 million official streams in the first week of August.

The film follows fictional K-pop girl group Huntr/x as they protect humans from demons with their superpowered music. Since its June release, it has become Netflix’s most-watched animated feature and the platform’s fourth most successful original film overall. When today’s weekly streaming data is released by Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters will likely be number two on the streamer’s list of most successful original films.

“Golden” is the ninth K-pop song to lead the Hot 100 and the first by female performers, but the soundtrack’s success extends beyond its lead single. Your Idol, a track performed by the fictional rival group Saja Boys, currently holds the No. 8 spot on the Hot 100. Both songs dominated U.S. Spotify charts in July, surpassing top tracks by established K-pop acts.

Internationally, Golden also secured the top position on the U.K. Singles Chart, making it only the second K-pop single to do so after Psy’s Gangnam Style in 2012.

With its combination of ear-catching music and visually dynamic storytelling, KPop Demon Hunters has connected with global audiences on a level never before seen from a Netflix film. We’re told that the streamer and Sony Pictures Animation are exploring franchise potential, with sequels in development and an animated short to tide over audiences in the meantime.