SB19's A'TIN wins Billboard's 2023 Fan Army Face-Off
The fandom of SB19 emerged as the winner of Billboard's recently concluded fan army face-off.
In a blog post on Aug. 9, the American music magazine said the P-pop sensation's A'TIN got 51.1% of votes versus the 48.9% that K-pop act SEVENTEEN's Carats generated.
The showdown, which started on July 5, saw 64 fandoms competing to find out which was the strongest.
Fan armies for Cardi B, SB19, SEVENTEEN, and Shakira made it to the semifinals.
"This year’s competitors included fan armies who support luminaries in pop, hip-hop, K-pop, country, R&B, rock, dance and more," Billboard said in its post. "Some of these icons have been around for decades, changing the game and shifting the direction of culture, while others are newcomers, helping push music in bold new directions."
The magazine noted that more than a handful of them have graced the cover of Billboard and have topped its Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In Billboard's video announcement, SB19 thanked A'TIN for their love and effort.
"You’ve once again proven the power that you hold. Maraming salamat!" the group also said in its caption in sharing the video.
Last year's winner was STAY, fans of K-pop group Stray Kids. Past winners include Super Junior’s E.L.F, which won twice, T-ara’s Queens, which won thrice, and BIGBANG’s VIPs.
SB19, comprising Pablo, Stell, Ken, Justin, and Josh, debuted in 2018. It went on to become one of the leading P-Pop acts, making waves not only in the Philippines but also overseas.
Its hits include Go Up!, WYAT, MAPA, Bazinga, and What?. Its latest single Gento has become a dance challenge on TikTok, which was taken on even by South Korean acts like Cravity's Hyeongjun and Taeyoung, 2NE1's Minzy, and The Boyz's Jacob.
SB19 is currently on its world tour, with shows in the United States and Canada.