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BTS singer V returned to his music career on Friday (March 15) after stepping away for a time to enlist in the South Korean military. The tune comes only a few months after he dropped his first full collection on his own, Layover, and it’s clearly meant to tide fans over as he fulfills his national duty. The track was a quick sales win in America, and now, more than a day after it first dropped, V’s latest has become an even bigger smash.
“Fri(end)s” rose to No. 1 on the iTunes chart on Saturday (March 16). V’s new cut is, at the time of publishing, the bestselling song in the U.S. on that platform, which is widely regarded as one of the most important–if not the most important–sales site for singles in America.
Yesterday, iTunes was flush with exciting new releases–as is usually the case on Fridays–as well as some surging favorites. “Fri(end)s” launched at No. 2 on the U.S.-focused tally, missing out on the top spot by one very frustrating rung. V was forced to settle for the runner-up spot as he couldn’t beat Cardi B and her latest offering, at least not at first.
V takes over on the iTunes chart from Cardi, whose latest single “Enough (Miami)” begins to step down. After starting its time on this ranking in first place, the rapper’s new single dips to No. 2, swapping spots with the BTS star.
There are actually four versions of “Fri(end)s” charting well on iTunes at the moment. In addition to the main take, which is new to the No. 1 spot, three other editions find space inside the top 10. Currently, the slowed down, instrumental, and sped up takes are also present at Nos. 8, 9, and 10, respectively.
The fact that “Fri(end)s” is still selling well in its second day is a good sign for V. Many new releases sell and stream the strongest in the first few hours or day after they’re shared, but when they begin to decline–especially very rapidly–it’s typically a sign that interest in the cut doesn’t extend beyond an artist’s superfans.
If “Fri(end)s” continues to sell throughout the next five days or so, it may be headed for a lofty start on some Billboard charts. The cut will almost certainly earn an impressive launch on the Digital Song Sales ranking. The single may also hit the Hot 100, but if it is looking for an impressive debut, it may need to pick up more steam at streaming platforms in the U.S., which also factor into the most competitive and important songs ranking in the country.
