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recent appearance
on Saturday Night Live, K-Pop royalty BTS have, at this point, solidified their
position as global-dominating superstars in a league of their own. But, chalk it
up to their ostensible boy-band format, theories about the reasoning
behind their U.S. push, or the fact that so much of their success has been
mischaracterized as manufactured phenomena, and much of what truly
accounts for their appeal tends to get lost in the conversation. This is a
mistake, as the seven young men who make up BTS — RM, Suga, Jin, J-Hope,
Jimin, V and Jungkook — are first and foremost musicians. And their rise is
fundamentally based on their musicality and artistry, captured throughout
their six-year catalogue — both together and solo — and in their standout
performances.
In an attempt to cut through all the surface noise, we’ve selected the 25
essential BTS songs that best exemplify their musical universe, presented
chronologically by release date, to gain a clearer understanding of what
actually makes them so good and equally so unstoppable.
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“Lost,” Wings (2016)
The producers at BigHit prefer minimalist and elegant composition, and this
number represents the greatest success of this approach. The melodic
progression is smooth and logical, clearly displaying the variety of timbre and
techniques in the group’s vocals.
“Forever Rain,” Mono. (2018)
This stands as one of the greatest pieces produced by RM throughout BTS’s
discography, and it comes off his second solo mixtape. The notes extend into
lethargy and listlessness, then the guitar riffs quickly change the pace. The
lyrics explore the paradoxical meaning of solitude for an artist, which is not
always an empty space but a trusty companion. The rain is a true friend
because it enables one to face oneself. The trailing guitar sound makes the
listener want the song to never end.
Youngdae Kim is the author of BTS the Review: a Comprehensive Look at the
Music of BTS. T.K. Park is a blogger for Ask a Korean!