[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] The Japanese boy group &TEAM, under HYBE, is gaining significant popularity with their new album, leading to a spike in global online search interest.
According to Google Trends, weekly searches for “&TEAM” reached their highest level in a year during the week of April 27 to May 3. Google Trends measures changes in search volume on a scale of 0 to 100, offering insight into public interest in products and artists over time.
&TEAM is a multinational boy group under YX Labels (formerly HYBE Labels Japan) that debuted in December 2022. Formed through the audition program &AUDITION – The Howling, the nine-member group includes members from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
Their third single Go in Blind, released on April 23, has fueled their rising popularity. The single sold 620,000 copies in its first week—breaking their own record—and topped the Oricon Weekly Combined Singles Chart in Japan.
Buoyed by praise for their musical talent, &TEAM has kicked off their Asia tour. Starting with a concert in Aichi, Japan, on May 10–11, the group will perform in nine cities over the next two months, including Tokyo, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Hyogo, Seoul, Jakarta, Taipei, and Hong Kong. Their Seoul concert is scheduled for June 7–8 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium.
The success of &TEAM’s Asia tour could serve as another testament to HYBE’s strength in global entertainment following the rise of BTS.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
