“Absolutely deserved” – Fans celebrate as “stop the rain” tops iTunes charts worldwide, earning Tablo his first and RM his seventh #1
Stop The Rain, the latest collaboration between EPIK HIGH's Tablo and BTS' RM, aka Kim Nam-joon, has debuted at the top of several iTunes charts worldwide. The song, released on May 2, 2025, at 1 pm KST (May 1, 9 pm PT), was fast-tracked to #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart, European iTunes Song Chart, as well as the US iTunes Chart.
This marks Nam-joon's seventh career No. 1 on the US iTunes Chart and a significant milestone for Tablo, earning him his first chart-topping single on the platform.
The track, sung solely in English, was released simultaneously with an animated music video uploaded on EPIK HIGH's official YouTube account. Listeners worldwide have widely received the song's haunting sound and heartfelt message.
The fans welcomed the record with open arms, with some of them pouring out their approval on social media, calling the achievement "absolutely deserved" and celebrating, with one fan commenting:
"Congrats to Tablo and Joon! Absolutely deserved <3"
"#StopTheRain by #TABLOxRM is a hauntingly beautiful song with heart wrenching and impactful lyrics that poetically touch on mental health issues, it deserves to be heard by more people," wrote another fan.
"I’m so dang proud of ‘em, this track totally deserved it," said this netizen.
"Zero promotion only bts members can do it," posted an X user.
"ORGANIC!!! IT'S HIS 7TH #1 WITHOUT PAYOLA!!! WITHOUT WESTERN COLLAB!!" commented an individual on X.
The collaboration between Tablo and RM sparked a wave of praise. Fans flooded social media, admiring the collaboration's global success and the recognition it brought to both artists. Many celebrated the moment as long overdue recognition for Tablo and another milestone for the BTS leader.
"BTS don’t catch careers, BTS give careers This is so frickin’ dope," shared one netizen.
"I love when BTS members gives other artist their first 1’s," read a comment from a fan.
"Let’s be honest with everybody, epik high @blobyblo deserve this kind of recognition way before now," said a supporter.
"This is how Army does it with the best quality Art! We honor Artists and their work and everyone who collaborates with them!" added another fan.
Tablo and RM release collaborative single Stop the Rain exploring themes of struggle and resilience
Epik High's Tablo and BTS's RM dropped their new collaborative single, Stop the Rain, on May 2, 2025, an R&B song that captures mutual experiences of hardship, personal growth, and emotional resilience. The song is their first collaboration since All Day from Kim's 2022 solo album Indigo.
Stop the Rain merges reflective lyricism with dialogue-like verses, a conversation between two people going through similar emotional struggles. The song leans on themes that have long existed within Epik High's discography, especially the use of rain as a metaphor for hardship.
During an interview with Weverse Magazine on May 2, Tablo said rain was always utilized in the group's lyrics to symbolize the youth's struggles and rain's eventual disappearance as a metaphor for overcoming those challenges.
Though the track addresses emotional weakness, Tablo pointed out that the message itself is still that of strength and optimism. "There's no need to worry," he said, explaining that though its mood is gloomy, the song as a whole is optimistic. He emphasized the rawness of the writing process, comparing the lyrics to personal journal entries.
The making of Stop the Rain, as per the rapper, started almost two years ago. Tablo stated that BTS' leader laid down his verse only a few hours before he enlisted for his compulsory military service. Because of the LOST! rapper's enlistment and Epik High's release schedule, the song's release was postponed.
Tablo held off on releasing the project until he got the BTS members' permission. In a video on his Producer Story Yoon Il-sang channel, Tablo explained that he had initial doubts about releasing such an intimate song but proceeded after getting approval from RM.
Tablo also confirmed that no promotional activities were set for Stop the Rain, and he expressed that he would rather let the music do the talking. He encouraged listeners to interpret and share the song according to their will. With its low-key tone and contemplative narration, Stop the Rain showcases both artists' dedication to realist expression rooted in their own and combined experiences.
Stop the Rain comes just a month before Kim Nam-joon's expected military discharge on June 10, 2025. He will be discharged along with fellow BTS member V, followed by Jimin and Jungkook the next day. The last member to be discharged, SUGA, will also be out of the military later that month.
