BTS shine at BBMAs with four wins, 'Butter' performance

Korean pop sensation BTS won big at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards by taking home trophies in all the four categories they were nominated in. The hit septet, comprising RM, V, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, and Jungkook, took home the award for top-selling song for their first English single 'Dynamite' and lit up the BBMA's stage with their debut performance on ''Butter'', their second English single.

The group also won awards for top duo/group, top song sales artist, and the fan-voted top social artist at the Sunday night ceremony here.

'Dynamite' was nominated alongside Gabby Barrett and Charlie Puth's 'I Hope,' Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's 'WAP,' The Weekend's 'Blinding Lights' and Megan Thee Stallion's 'Savage' featuring Beyonce, in the top-selling song category.

"It's really an honour to be a winner of such a significant title...We want to share some fresh energy with everyone with Dynamite," BTS leader RM said from Seoul.

In the top duo/group category, BTS registered their career's second win. They were up against American rock band AC/DC, indie pop trio AJR, American country music duo Dan + Shay and pop-rock band Maroon5.

'Dynamite', their first Billboard Hot 100 No 1 hit, helped BTS also win their maiden top song sales artist award, beating out music industry big wigs like Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd. The BBMA ceremony was aired live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, but the group joined virtually from Seoul, South Korea.

The group, whose full name is Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bulletproof Boy Scouts) or Beyond The Scene, their English branding, also received the top social artist award, for the fifth consecutive year.

Fellow K-pop bands BLACKPINK and Seventeen, pop star Ariana Grande and Filipino boy band SB19 were the co-nominees. "Top social artist for the fifth consecutive time. Thank you ARMY and BBMAs for such an incredible title," J-Hope said in a video shared by the Billboard Music Awards Twitter handle.

The performance on 'Butter', BTS's summer song, was a looked forward event at the BBMAs for fans around the globe and the group was also excited about it.

In a recent interview with PTI, BTS had said that it was a special feeling to return to the BBMAs with 'Butter' after having such a memorable run at the charts last year for 'Dynamite'.

"One of the most memorable moments last year was when we got our first number one song on the Billboard's Hot 100 chart. So it's an honour to perform 'Butter' for the first time at the awards show that bears such a special meaning for us," Suga had told PTI. The BBMAs were hosted by singer-actor Nick Jonas.