Despite Hiatus, NewJeans Named to Billboard’s ‘21 Under 21’ for Second Year Running

On May 16, Billboard revealed its annual 21 Under 21 list, showcasing the most creative and impactful artists or groups under 21, evaluated by album and track sales, streaming numbers, social media presence, radio and TV exposure, and overall influence in the music industry.

NewJeans Makes Billboard’s 21 Under 21 Again

Billboard recognized NewJeans’ consistent global presence throughout the past year, particularly pointing to the sustained success of their second EP Get Up, which topped the Billboard 200 in 2023. According to Luminate data, the EP sold an additional 227,000 units in 2024, placing it at No. 3 on the year-end World Albums chart and No. 50 on Top Album Sales.

In addition to Get Up, NewJeans released the double single How Sweet and their Japanese debut Supernatural, both of which achieved million-seller status. The title tracks remained on Billboard’s Global 200 chart for 13 weeks and 10 weeks, respectively, solidifying their position in the international music scene.

NewJeans also made history by becoming the fastest foreign act to perform at Tokyo Dome, achieving the milestone in just 1 year and 11 months since debut a testament to their massive drawing power.

These accomplishments led NewJeans to sweep major year-end Korean awards, including multiple Daesangs, and to receive the Excellence Work Award at Japan’s prestigious Japan Record Awards for two consecutive years.

KATSEYE Joins the “21 Under 21” Spotlight

KATSEYE, the multinational girl group formed through the HYBE x Geffen collaboration, also made the list this year. The group first made waves with their debut performance at KCON Los Angeles, which member Megan described as “chaotic but so much fun.” Since then, the six members have focused on building trust and emotional transparency.

“We had to learn to be there for each other,” member Sophia shared. “We’re able to just come up to one another, good or bad, and say, ‘Hey, I feel this way.'” That bond will be further reflected in their upcoming second EP Beautiful Chaos, following their 2024 debut EP SIS (Soft Is Strong), which featured the Mainstream Top 40 hit “Touch.” As member Manon teased, “This next era is really authentic to who we are.”

K-Pop Artists Featured on Billboard’s “21 Under 21” List:

• 2010 – Wonder Girls
• 2011 – HyunA
• 2012 – IU
• 2013 – Lee Hi
• 2014 – AKMU
• 2015 – SEVENTEEN
• 2017 – TWICE
• 2018–2020 – NCT DREAM
• 2024, 2025 – NewJeans

With global acts like NewJeans and KATSEYE leading the next generation, the future of pop continues to be driven by bold young voices redefining the boundaries of influence and identity.