BTS named the top-selling music act of 2021

It's the second year in a row that the K-pop group have taken the honour

BTS through the years: the K-pop band at the Korean Culture Convention (K-Con), held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on August 10, 2014. AFP

Members of BTS arrive on the red carpet for K-Con 2014. AFP

BTS on the red carpet for the Asia Artist Awards in Seoul on November 16, 2016. AFP

Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and JungKook of BTS at Music Choice in New York City on March 22, 2017. Getty

BTS perform Fake Love at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20, 2018. AP

BTS accept the Top Social Artist award at the Billboard Music Awards on May 20, 2018. Reuters

BTS attend the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2018. AP

BTS perform during a Korean cultural event in Paris as part of the South Korean president's official visit to France on October 14, 2018. AFP

BTS on the red carpet at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in Hong Kong on December 14, 2018. AP

BTS at the Seoul Music Awards on January 15, 2019. Getty

BTS present the award for Best R&B Album during the 61st Grammy Awards on February 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. AFP

BTS perform on Saturday Night Live on April 11, 2019. Getty

BTS before rehearsals for KBS 2TV's Music Bank in Yeouido, Seoul, on April 19, 2019. Getty

BTS perform at concert to promote 18th Fina World Championships at a stadium in Gwangju, South Korea on April 28, 2019. EPA

BTS and Halsey performing Boy With Luv at the Billboard Music Awards on May 1, 2019. Reuters

BTS attend Youth Day at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul on September 19, 2020. Reuters

BTS present a purple gift box to President Moon Jae-in during the inaugural Youth Day event in Seoul on September 19, 2020. EPA

BTS on the red carpet during the annual Mama Awards at Nagoya Dome in Nagoya, Japan, on December 4, 2019. Reuters

BTS at the 34st annual Golden Disk Awards ceremony in Seoul on January 4, 2020. EPA

BTS arrive at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020. AP

BTS visit the Today Show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on February 21, 2020. AFP

BTS give an address as part of the YouTube Originals Dear Class of 2020 speeches. YouTube Originals

BTS performing as part of the YouTube Originals Dear Class of 2020 speeches. YouTube Originals

BTS perform 'Dynamite' during the MTV Video Music Awards on August 30, 2020. Reuters

BTS accept the award for Best Pop Video for 'On' during the MTV Video Music Awards on August 30, 2020. AP

BTS arrives to security check-in at the United Nations headquarters during the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20, 2021. AFP

V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope of BTS arrive at the 2021 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on November 21, 2021. Reuters

BTS accepts the award for artist of the year at the American Music Awards in 2021 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. AP

Jin, Suga, V, Jungkook, RM, Jimin, and J-Hope of BTS hold their award for the Favourite Pop Song, Favourite Duo or Group and Artist of the Year awards during the 2021 American Music Awards. Reuters

BTS pose on red carpet of iHeartRadio Jingle Ball concert in California on December 3, 2021. Reuters

BTS perform at Jamsil Olympic Park in southern Seoul, South Korea on March 10, 2022. EPA

BTS pose on red carpet of 64th Annual Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3, 2022. Reuters

BTS perform Butter during 64th Annual Grammy Awards show in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3, 2022. Reuters

BTS Permission to Dance concert in Las Vegas on April 10, 2022. Photo: Big Hit Music

Members of BTS join Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, centre, during a news conference at the White House in Washington DC on May 31, 2022. Photo: Oliver Contreras / Sipa / Bloomberg

K-pop superstars BTS have been named Global Recording Artist of the Year for a second year in a row.

The annual top 10 list of the world’s bestselling artists is compiled by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which represents the music recording industry worldwide.

"BTS' phenomenal success over the last year is a testament to their creativity, hard work and ongoing commitment to continuing to find ways to bring their music to the world," said the federation's chief executive Frances Moore.

"By performing in three different languages, they demonstrate their extraordinarily unique global appeal, and their dynamic and passionate fan base has helped to make them the first artists in history to top the Global Artist Chart in two consecutive years."

According to the federation, the honour is determined by an artist or group’s worldwide performance across digital and physical music formats, including streaming and vinyl, and spans their entire discography.

BTS released three new songs in 2021: Butter, Permission to Dance, and My Universe, a collaboration with Coldplay. The group also sing in Korean, Japanese and English.

The Grammy-nominated band are the first to win the title for two years in a row. Taylor Swift and Drake are also two-time winners of the award, but their wins were not consecutive.

Swift, Adele, Drake and Ed Sheeran rounded out the top five, while The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, fellow K-pop group Seventeen and Olivia Rodrigo made up the rest of the top 10.

Last week, it was announced that the boy band would be doing a mini residency in Las Vegas, bringing their Permission To Dance On Stage concert to the US city for four shows on April 8, 9, 15 and 16.

Set to take place in the nearly 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium, all four gigs will be broadcast live at the nearby MGM Grand Garden Arena in an event called Live Play in Las Vegas. For fans who cannot attend, the last show will also be live-streamed online.

The top 10 bestselling acts of 2021

1. BTS
2. Taylor Swift
3. Adele
4. Drake
5. Ed Sheeran
6. The Weeknd
7. Billie Eilish
8. Justin Bieber
9. Seventeen
10. Olivia Rodrigo