Top 30 male idols with the highest number of Unique Listeners Melon in history: BTS is overwhelmingly leading, the only NCT unit in the top is not NCT Dream
Gen 2 and 3 idols still dominate this list because not only the group but also some solo idols have impressive figures.
Anyone interested in the Korean music industry must have heard of the concept of Unique Listeners (unique users, or ULs for short) on the Melon chart once. Unlike the amount of streaming that can be counted multiple times for the same account, with Unique Listeners, no matter how much an account listens to a certain song over and over, it will still only be counted as one ULs unit. For this reason, while streaming volume reflects fandom power, Unique Listeners are considered the most accurate measure of the public popularity of any artist or song.
Recently, Korean netizens have compiled and shared a ranking of 30 male idols (both idol groups and solo idols) with the highest number of Unique Listeners on Melon in Kpop history. This ranking also mentions many other factors including cumulative streaming, most streamed songs and songs with the most Unique Listeners by each artist. However, the key factor that determines their rankings is the total number of Unique Listeners they have in their careers, thereby showing which male artists have the highest public recognition on Melon.
1. BTS
Total number of Unique Listeners: 262.28 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 10,95624 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Spring Day” (810.2 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Spring Day” (7.4 million people)
2. EXO
Total number of Unique Listeners: 161.66 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 7,93977 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Ko Ko Bop” (779.6 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Growl” (4.6 million)
3. Big Bang
Total number of Unique Listeners: 155.93 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 2.78767 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Bang Bang Bang” (189.5 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Bang Bang Bang” (5.1 million people)
4. Zico
Total number of Unique Listeners: 80.23 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.75804 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Any Song” (194.7 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Any Song” (5 million people)
5. SHINee
Total number of Unique Listeners: 74.7 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.38795 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “View” (150.8 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “View” (3.4 million people)
6. BEAST
Total number of Unique Listeners: 73.56 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.37384 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “On Rainy Days” (121 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “On Rainy Days” (5 million people)
7. BTOB
Total number of Unique Listeners: 70.51 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.92257 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Missing You” (319.4 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Missing You” (5.3 million people)
8. SEVENTEEN
Total number of Unique Listeners: 70.12 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 2.83849 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “VERY NICE” (159.7 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “VERY NICE” (3.7 million people)
9. g.o.d
Total number of Unique Listeners: 63.18 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 664.95 million times
Most Streamed Song: “The Lone Duckling” (52.4 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “One Candle” (3.2 million people)
10. G-Dragon
Total number of Unique Listeners: 61.42 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.03767 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Untitled, 2014” (151.7 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Untitled, 2014” (4.5 million people)
11. WINNER
Total number of Unique Listeners: 58.75 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.75804 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Really Really” (277.1 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Really Really” (5.3 million people)
12. Block B
Total number of Unique Listeners: 53.03 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 923.89 million times
Most Streamed Song: “HER” (117.4 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “HER” (4.4 million people)
13. Wanna One
Total number of Unique Listeners: 51.6 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 2.925 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Energetic” (498.6 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Energetic” (5.2 million people)
14. TVXQ
Total number of Unique Listeners: 50.36 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 495.26 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Mirotic” (30.3 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Mirotic” (2.4 million people)
15. INFINITE
Total number of Unique Listeners: 48.59 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.036 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Bad” (79.9 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Be Mine” (2.5 million people)
16. F.T.Island
Total number of Unique Listeners: 43.68 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 573.91 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Love Sick” (54.7 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Love Sick” (3.5 million people)
17. iKON
Total number of Unique Listeners: 42.83 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.113 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Love Scenario” (281.5 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Love Scenario” (5.7 million people)
18. Kyuhyun
Total number of Unique Listeners: 42.5 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 686.41 million times
Most Streamed Song: “At Gwanghwamun” (162 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “At Gwanghwamun” (5.2 million people)
19. Baekhyun
Total number of Unique Listeners: 41.65 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.79065 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Candy” (167.4 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Dream” (4.2 million people)
20. 2AM
Total number of Unique Listeners: 34.46 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 436.2 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Can’t Let You Go Even If I Die” (47.6 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Can’t Let You Go Even If I Die” (2.9 million people)
21. 2PM
Total number of Unique Listeners: 34.2 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 431.76 million times
Most Streamed Song: “My House” (49.6 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Heartbeat” (2.4 million people)
22. Super Junior
Total number of Unique Listeners: 33.76 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 472.57 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Devil” (38.6 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Sorry Sorry” (2.5 million people)
23. Shinhwa
Total number of Unique Listeners: 33.74 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 383.18 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Sniper” (27.6 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Brand New” (1.5 million people)
24. B1A4
Total number of Unique Listeners: 32.19 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 514.23 million times
Most Streamed Song: “What’s Happening?” (48.3 million turns)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “What’s Happening?” (2.4 million people)
25. Taeyang
Total number of Unique Listeners: 30.98 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 474.7 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Eyes, Nose, Lips” (156 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Eyes, Nose, Lips” (4.7 million people)
26. Song Mino
Total number of Unique Listeners: 28.98 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 717.5 million times
Most Streamed Song: “FIANCÉ” (167.2 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Fear” (4.4 million people)
27. CNBlue
Total number of Unique Listeners: 28.92 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 388.54 million times
Most Streamed Song: “I’m Sorry” (44.7 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Love Light” (2.6 million people)
28. NCT 127
Total number of Unique Listeners: 28.47 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 1.04705 billion times
Most Streamed Song: “Kick It” (87.9 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Kick It” (1.5 million people)
29. Sechs Kies
Total number of Unique Listeners: 27.82 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 795.27 million times
Most Streamed Song: “THREE WORDS” (87.8 million)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Couple” (3.3 million people)
30. Jonghyun
Total number of Unique Listeners: 26.76 million people
Cumulative streaming volume: 551.51 million times
Most Streamed Song: “Lonely” (118.3 million streams)
Song with the most Unique Listeners: “Lonely” (3.8 million people)
