ROSÉ has shared her genuine shock and gratitude after her smash hit collaboration with Bruno Mars, “APT.“, was officially named the number-one song of 2025 on the Billboard Global 200 Year-End Chart. The singer called the achievement something she “never in a million years” would have thought possible .
The song’s placement caps off a monumental year, during which it spent 12 weeks at number one on the weekly Billboard Global 200 chart and broke multiple records for K-pop artists on the global stage .
ROSÉ’s Emotional Response to the Milestone
Speaking on the Billboard No. 1s Livestream on Tuesday, December 9, ROSÉ opened up about what this historic year-end honor means to her. She connected the song’s success directly to her cultural identity and its global acceptance.
“Most importantly, the song that is being nominated for the Grammy contains so much of my culture in it. That proves so much to myself,” she said. “It proved to me that culture is loved. Different cultures are being accepted.”
The singer described “APT.” as more than just a chart-topper, calling it a joyful, unifying track inspired by a simple Korean drinking game. She reflected on the personal significance, stating it meant a great deal to her younger self who grew up feeling such global recognition might not be possible .
A Year of Unprecedented Chart Achievements
“APT.” securing the top spot on the Billboard Global 200 Year-End Chart for 2025 is just one of many records set by the collaboration . According to detailed chart analyses, ROSÉ has made history in several key areas:
- First Asian Act to Top Both Global Year-End Charts: “APT.” is number one on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Global Excl. US year-end charts for 2025. This makes ROSÉ the first Asian act in history to achieve this double chart-topping feat .
- Historic Hot 100 Year-End Placement: The song landed at number 9 on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 Year-End chart. This marks the first time any K-pop act has broken into the top 10 of this year-end list, surpassing previous records held by BTS’s “Butter” .
- Record-Breaking Streaming and Longevity: The song’s global appeal is undeniable. It became the fastest track by a K-pop act to reach one billion streams on Spotify and enjoyed a 25-week run on the weekly Hot 100 chart, demonstrating sustained popularity .
The song also performed exceptionally well on other year-end lists, ranking at number 3 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Year-End chart and number 12 on the Billboard Streaming Songs Year-End chart .
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Grammy Nominations and Award Show Success
The Billboard triumph follows the recent news that “APT.” earned three nominations for the upcoming 68th Annual Grammy Awards. The song is up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
This makes ROSÉ the first K-pop star to be nominated as a lead artist in the Grammy’s “Big Four” categories, a groundbreaking moment for the industry . The recognition from the Recording Academy adds another layer to the song’s already historic year.
The track has also cleaned up at major music awards in Asia. Just recently, “APT.” won the grand prize Song of the Year at the 2025 MAMA Awards. In her acceptance speech, ROSÉ expressed deep thanks to her fans, her production team, and her collaborator Bruno Mars, sharing the joyful news with him directly in her message .
The Lasting Impact of a Global Hit
Released on October 18, 2024, as the lead single from ROSÉ’s debut studio album Rosie, “APT.” was an instant global phenomenon . Its catchy chorus, based on the chant from a Korean drinking game, connected with audiences worldwide, topping charts in over 50 countries.
The collaboration with pop superstar Bruno Mars brought together distinct musical styles, creating a track that resonated across different cultures and markets. Critics praised the song for its energetic pop-rock sound, its playful nature, and its role in seamlessly integrating Korean cultural elements into mainstream global pop music .
As 2025 comes to a close, “APT.” stands as not just the biggest song of the year by metrics, but as a cultural milestone. For ROSÉ, the journey from teaching a drinking game to her crew in the studio to celebrating a year-end number one and Grammy nominations has been surreal, marking a definitive new chapter in her solo career and for K-pop on the world stage.
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