Stop the Rain
| "Stop the Rain" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg?lang=en) Official single digital cover | ||||
| Single by Tablo and RM | ||||
| Released | May 2, 2025 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:10 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Tablo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| RM singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Stop the Rain" on YouTube | ||||
"Stop the Rain" (stylized as 'Stop The Rain (TABLO X RM)' is a single by South Korean rappers Tablo and RM. It was released on May 2, 2025, through OURS CO. A music video was released simultaneously with the single's release.[1]
Background and release
[edit]In January 2023, a month after the release of RM and Tablo’s first collaboration song "All Day", Tablo teased that their second collaboration work was in the pipeline.[2] Tablo, made a decision to withhold release of the track earlier out of respect for RM, who was serving mandatory military service at the time. Tablo described the song as “pages from our journals,” and that it is a personal archive of both artists.[3]
In early 2025, RM personally reached out to Tablo and suggested that the song be finally released.[4] A teaser for the music video was published on April 24, 2025 via Tablo’s official Instagram page.[5] The single was announced for global release in May of the same year.[3][6]
Music and writing
[edit]The song combines Tablo’s signature emotional lyricism with RM’s deep, charismatic voice. It is a mid-tempo rap tune built on chiming electric guitar and a thumping beat following chipmunk sampling.[6][7]
In an interview with Weverse magazine, Tablo explained that reason for having chosen theme of rain in their lyrics was because concepts of rain and rainy days show up in Epik High’s music all the time. RM has songs such as “forever rain,” too, and there has always been a rainy sentiment to BTS’s music.[8]
Commercial performance
[edit]The song debuted in Spotify’s Daily Top Songs charts at 106th position with 1.5 million streams on its release day.[9]
On May 3, 2025, it debuted at number five on the US iTunes charts and climbed up to the number one spot. Subsequently, it reached number one position on iTunes charts in around 55 countries.[10]
An official lucky draw event was announced on May 10, 2025 wherein winners would receive limited edition commemorative deck of Stop the Rain themed playing cards. The event lasted from May 10-13, garnering over 100,000 applications creating a fierce competition for just three spots.[11]
The song was included in Spotify’s mid-year "Global Impact List - South Korea" on July 21, 2025.[12]
Music video
[edit]The music video is animated in lo-fi style. It starts off by depicting a young child whose mental health issues make them feel like they are in a free fall. Throughout the video there are black-and-white visuals depicting characters submerged in water, caught in endless rain, while being suspended in an emotional limbo.[3][7]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Global 200 (Billboard)[13] | 178 |
| India International Singles (IMI)[14] | 8 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[15] | 25 |
| UK Official Singles Downloads Chart (OCC)[16] | 9 |
| UK Official Singles Sales Chart (OCC)[16] | 10 |
| US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[17] | 4 |
| US Rap Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[18] | 1 |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee(s)/work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fact Music Awards | 2025 | Best Music (Summer) | "Stop the Rain" | Longlisted | [19] |
| KGMA | Best Listener's Pick | Nominated | [20] | ||
| MAMA Awards | Best Hip Hop & Rap Music | Nominated | [21] | ||
| Song of the Year | Longlisted |
References
[edit]- ^ McIntyre, Hugh (May 2, 2025). "BTS Star RM Goes Dark On New Collaboration". Forbes. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- ^ Release date and second collboration info
- Chin, Carmen (February 1, 2023). "Epik High's Tablo confirms new solo album and feature by BTS leader RM". NME. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- Shin, Min-hee (April 25, 2025). "Epik High's Tablo and BTS's RM to release collaborative track 'Stop the Rain'". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- ^ a b c Agarwal, Bhavna (May 5, 2025). "BTS leader RM and Tablo's Stop The Rain is a stark, unfiltered look at mental health". India Today. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- ^ Chaudhary, Aanchal (April 27, 2025). "Why Did BTS' RM & Tablo's 'Stop The Rain' Take 3 Years To Release? Epik High Member Reveals The Real Reason, Says Lyrics Got Too 'Personal'". The Free Press Journal. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- ^ "BTS' RM And Tablo Tease New Collaboration With Teaser Video: Fans Excited". Times of India. April 25, 2025. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Lee, Jung-youn (April 25, 2025). "BTS's RM, Epik High's Tablo to drop new single 'Stop The Rain'". The Korea Herald. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- ^ a b Partridge, Ken (May 2, 2025). "TABLO & RM Team Up For New Song "Stop The Rain"". Genius. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
- ^ Yoon, Haein (May 2, 2025). "TABLO: 'There's no saying for sure what'll happen, but we'll keep making something together'". Weverse. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
- ^ "Daily Top Songs Global - May 2, 2025". Spotify. Retrieved October 22, 2025. Note : Login required.
- ^ STR on iTunes charts
- McIntyre, Hugh (May 3, 2025). "BTS Leader RM Hits No. 1". Forbes. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- Martinez, Gavin (May 15, 2025). "BTS' RM, Epik High's Tablo top US chart with 'Stop the Rain'". Inquirer. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- Siddhacharjee, Riya (May 3, 2025). "BTS' RM's Stop the Rain feat Tablo debuts at No 5 on US iTunes, ARMY says it 'deserves to rule charts'". Pinkvilla. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ^ "굿즈 응모 10만 명"…타블로·RM, 신곡 한정판 굿즈에 리스너 폭주 ["100,000 people applied for merchandise"... Tablo and RM's limited edition new song merchandise has listeners flocking to the store]. MBC (in Korean). May 13, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ STR on Spotify Global Impact List
- Lee, Jung-youn (July 21, 2025). "Spotify's 2025 Global Impact List highlights rise of soloists". The Korea Herald. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- "Spotify releases 2025 Global Impact List, highlights rise of K-pop soloists like Jennie and Jin". The Straits Times. July 22, 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ^ "RM Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
- ^ "IMI International Top 20 Singles for week ending 12th May 2025 Week 19 of 52". IMIcharts.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "RM Chart History (New Zealand Hot Singles)". RMNZ. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b "CHART HISTORY OF STOP THE RAIN". UK singles charts. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ "RM Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ "RM Chart History (Rap Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ^ "TMA Best Music (Summer)". en.fannstar.tf.co.kr. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ "KGMA 2025 - Voting Guides". Archived from the original on October 11, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via KGMA.
- ^ Benjamin, Jeff (October 16, 2025). "MAMA Awards 2025: First Wave Of Performers Revealed For Hong Kong Show". Forbes.