The latest breakthrough of BTS on the Billboard Artist 100 ranking shows that RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have broken the language barrier in the West, the world's largest music market.

The South Koreans returned to No. 1 on this week's authoritative list, which combines the performance of music acts across the Billboard 200 album, the Hot 100, and the Social 50 chart, becoming the first group to spend a milestone 20 weeks on top.

The septet has two albums on the current Billboard 200 tally (dated August 28). Their 2021 Japanese language album "BTS, the Best" charts at No. 95, while their 2020 Korean record "Map of the Soul: 7," which previously peaked at No. 1 and has logged 78 weeks on the list, ranks at No. 121.

BTS began leading the charge at breaking the Asian pop glass ceiling in the United States in 2015 with their fourth mini-album "the Most Beautiful Moment in Life pt 2," their first entry on the Billboard 200.

Over the next few years, BTS would collect a series of firsts, not only for their group but the entire K-pop industry as well, that attest music, not English, is the universal language.

In 2017, BTS became the first-ever South Korean act to enter the top 10 of the Billboard 200 with their fifth EP "Love Yourself: Her." The Bangtan boys, along with South Korea, soon scored their first No. 1 in 2018 with their third studio album "Love Yourself: Tear," a follow-up to the aforementioned release.

Overall, the pop act has 14 albums on the authoritative list, with five that landed on top— "Love Yourself: Tear," "Love Yourself: Answer," "Map of the Soul Persona," "Map of the Soul: 7," and "BE."

Meanwhile, BTS also has two songs on the latest Hot 100 chart (dated August 28). Their record-breaking single “Butter,” the longest No. 1 hit of 2021 so far, ranks at No. 8, while “Permission to Dance” is placed at No 66.

In less than a year, the Bangtan boys have clinched a total of 5 Billboard Hot 100 leaders.

In August 2020, BTS snagged South Korea its first Hot 100 No. 1 with their disco-pop "Dynamite." The disco-pop was soon followed by "Savage Love (Laxed Siren Beat)" in October, and "Life Goes On," the first and only track sung in Korean to reach No. 1, in December.

Their latest smash hits "Butter" and "Permission to Dance" followed in June and July this year.

While "Dynamite" kicked off a hot streak for the music icons, it was not the first time BTS made history on the chart. The pop juggernaut earned their first Hot 100 entry in 2017 with their electro-pop tune "DNA," which made its debut at No. 85. The following week, the EDM track peaked at No. 67, surpassing the record of Wonder Girls' "Nobody," as the highest-ranking song by a K-pop group on the tally.

About a year later, BTS became the first South Koreans to reach the top 10 with their rap-rock single "Fake Love."

The Bangtan boys have since pulled a career total of 22 titles on the ranking in three different languages — Korean, English, and Japanese. Of the number, 8 songs broke into the top 10. Their No. 1 titles are accompanied by "Fake Love," "Boy With Luv" featuring Halsey, and "ON," which peaked at No. 10, No. 8, and No. 4 respectively.

While the Billboard Social 50 ranking, the metric used to measure streaming and social media fan interactions for the Artist 100, is halted indefinitely, the power of BTS on the digital landscape is indisputable. Apart from currently holding the record for most weeks spent at No. 1 on the temporarily suspended list, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, have repeatedly proven their massive pull online after winning the Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artist for five consecutive years.

Among other performers, BTS is the fourth act to spend the most frames atop the Artist 100, trailing behind Taylor Swift, Drake, and The Weeknd, who have respectively tallied 48, 32, and 22 weeks ruling the tally.

Apart from the multi-dimensional ranking, the supergroup also continued to lead the Song of the Summer and Digital Song Sales chart with "Butter."

BTS, who had been appointed by the Blue House as the Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture, is set to head to the United States in September to speak at the 76th United Nations General Assembly.