Asian artists do not hold back as they claim recognition internationally. With various genres, they have won the hearts of people all over the globe.
If you havenβt heard of these fantastic talents yet, now is an excellent chance to get to know them.
Three Man Down
Speaking of Thai urban culture and T-pop⦠Three Man Down is a five-piece band that started in 2013 as members of different university bands. Their career went from being a university boy band to competing in numerous competitions. At the Band Lab show, everyone showed off their talents. They won the runner-up award, and the people voted to make them the winner. They have signed with the label Gene Lab.
As of 2020, Three Man Down has been the most-streamed group on Spotify in Thailand. The band was also a part of Thailand’s first virtual music festival, Online Music Festival Top Hits Thailand.
Recent hits like ΰΉΰΈΰΈ²ΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ and ΰΈΰΉΰΈ²ΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ΄ΰΈ both received more than a million views on YouTube. Definitely, these Thai artists deserve to be on our top list.
BTS
South Korean boy band BTS (also called Bangtan Boys, Behind the Scenes) officially debuted in 2013. They consist of seven members: Jungkook, Jimin, J-Hope, Jin, Suga, RM, and V. The group co-writes and produces their own songs. BTS started as a hip-hop group. Throughout the years, BTS expanded its style into many different genres. Their lyrics focus on various topics like mental health, youth struggles, and loss. They also write about loving yourself and accepting who you are.
They released their first album, “2 Cool 4 Skool,” back in 2013, but it took years to get their first major music award. Their first million-copy album in South Korea was βWings.β
In 2017, BTS led the Korean wave in the United States. They received a lot of recognition in the international music industry. Their single “Mic Drop” sold 365,096 physical copies in just a week.
BTS is the first Korean group to receive certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Since then, this music industryβs underdog has continued to sell millions of copies globally. Even amid the pandemic in 2020, they topped in Billboard Hot 100 with three songs.
Recently, BTS addressed the ongoing hate against Asian people in the United States. They said that they “stand against racial discrimination.β Everyone has “the right to be respected,” they added.
BLACKPINK
A South Korean girl group under YG Entertainment, Blackpink is one of Korea’s biggest acts. The group consists of four-piece powerhouse girl group Jisoo, Jennie, RosΓ©, and Lisa. They made their debut in August of 2016. The band’s debut album, Square One, featured their singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah.β Both singles reached number one on Japan’s Gaon Digital Chart and the Global Digital Song Sales chart.
They were the first Korean group to occupy the top spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artist chart. Also, they have been on the top Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart three times. With their hit single “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” Blackpink became the first female Korean group to receive a Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) certification.
Both “Kill This Love” and “How You Like That” have set records for the most-viewed music video in the first 24 hours. βHow You Like Thatβ broke three Guinness World Records and set two new records. Their music videos received one billion views on YouTube. It made them the first Korean group and the first Korean act to achieve such a remarkable feat. A group called Blackpink is currently the most popular girl group on Spotify. Their YouTube channel has over 59 million subscribers. This achievement made them the top Asian girl group on YouTube.
Throughout their careers, they received a variety of recognition. They also won an MTV Music Video Award and an MNet Asian Music Award in 2020. Blackpink was also included in Forbes’ list of 30 Under 30.
JJ Lin
Singaporean singer, producer, songwriter, and actor Wayne Lim Junjie is better known as JJ Lin. Lin’s music career began when he released his debut album, Music Voyager, in 2003. Lin has won three Golden Melody Awards. It includes Best Mandarin Male Singer and Best New Artist.
Lin also sings in English, Hokkien, and Cantonese. At the Golden Melody Awards, he won the Best New Artist award in Taiwan. In 2002, he completed his national service. Later on, he signed with Ocean Butterflies International, which released his debut album. Lin signed a new contract with the label Warner Music Taiwan in 2011.
While he was still a trainee under Ocean Butterflies, JJ Lin also wrote songs for various musicians. His songwriting resume includes more than a hundred songs for different artists.
A Guinness World record was achieved in July 2007 when he signed 3,052 CDs in 2 hours and 30 minutes. He was forbidden from drinking or eating during that time. It took him an average of 2.7 seconds to sign a CD.
Lin was awarded three awards during the 14th Composer and Author Society of the UK Awards Presentations in May 2009.
In 2009, JJ Lin had to take a break. A combination of acid reflux, flu, and a hectic schedule caused his voice to be damaged. He returned to Singapore to recover and receive treatment due to his bad health.
After years of hard work, Lin released a song entitled “I’ll Stay with You.” He dedicates the song to the medical staff of COVID-19 infected patients in Wuhan, China.
Ben&Ben
Originally called The Benjamins, Ben&Ben is a Filipino folk & pop-rock band. In 2015, this multicultural rock band was known for smash hits songs Ride Home and Leaves. One of their works is the critically praised Kathang Isip.
Ben&Ben is the most streamed Filipino artist of 2020. They became successful in just three years. Their first album, “Limasawa Street,” received platinum status in a short time. The nine-piece band took over the mainstream music world by storm. Their vision is to make intimacy feel big and expansive. This is why many people around the globe love them.
These musicians have won many awards. These include Awit Awards and several Myx Awards.
There are numerous Asian artists yet to be discovered internationally. With their talent, they will surely touch the hearts of old and new fans alike. If you love listening to refreshing music, our top 5 Asian artists above are surely worth your time.