With K-pop boy band BTS gearing up for their comeback with Arirang after a four-year break, fans (aka ARMY) are revisiting their old tracks and videos that made the group a global phenomenon. Before new music drops and playlists change forever, we hit rewind, taking a look at songs that defined BTS, shaped the demography of pop culture, catapulted Korean music to worldwide fame, and stayed with the ARMY long after the last note faded.
Here are 10 popular BTS songs that still resonate with listeners every time they hit play.
10. Life Goes On
Released in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, Life Goes On is an alternative hip-hop and synth-pop song serving as a comforting, pandemic-era anthem of hope and resilience that the band dedicated to their fans to offer hope during the days of quarantine and isolation. The song, co-written by the rap trio RM, Suga and J-Hope, is a folky, acoustic number reflecting the abrupt halt of life.
9. Boy With Luv
The 2019 song Boy With Luv featuring American singer Halsey claims the ninth spot. This track brought BTS its much-awaited worldwide recognition and cemented the band’s place in global music. The song is an upbeat funk-pop and nu-disco that talks about the strength of finding joy and love in the smallest things in life.
8. Magic Shop
Written by Jungkook with contributions by the rap trio, Magic Shop is a comforting motivational synth-pop anthem that encourages seeking a safe mental space that welcomes self-love in exchange for fear, anxiety, self-doubt and apathy. Released in 2018, the concept of the term magic shop is inspired by James Doty’s book Into The Magic Shop.
7. Just One Day
Dropped in 2014, Just One Day is one of BTS’s early tracks that shot to popularity among K-pop listeners. The song is a tender, mid-tempo urban hip-hop song from their album Skool Luv Affair that explores the innocent desire to spend quality time with one’s beloved.
6. Idol
Idol, which dropped in 2018, emerged as one of BTS’s record-breaking songs. Upon its release, the music video garnered 45.9 million views in its first 24 hours, surpassing Taylor Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do (43.2 million) to become the most-viewed music video in 24 hours on the platform. The song is a unique blend of K-pop with hip-hop, electronic and trap elements with a fusion of African beats with traditional Korean instruments.
5. Spring Day
The fifth spot is claimed by the iconic 2017 track Spring Day, which explores an emotional alternative hip-hop ballad about longing, loss and the hope of returning to loved ones. The song, as some reports claimed, is a tribute to the 2014 Sewol Ferry Tragedy, in which 304 lives were claimed, with the vast majority being students from Danwon High School on a field trip, making it one of South Korea’s worst maritime disasters.
4. Butter
Released in 2021, Butter by BTS is an upbeat, 1980s-inspired dance-pop and EDM track, which is known for its smooth, charismatic and summer-themed vibe. It features a pulsating and bass-heavy beat track with confident, fun lyrics portraying the band members as ‘criminals’ who steal hearts.
3. Dynamite
BTS’s Dynamite is an upbeat disco-pop song centred on themes of happiness, confidence, and spreading positive energy during the difficult times of the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights the joy of little things in life, encouraging listeners to find hope and continue moving forward even after setbacks. The music video garnered over 100 million views on YouTube in its first 24 hours of release in 2020.
2. Run BTS
The song Run BTS is a high-energy hip-hop track from the band’s 2022 album Proof, which is celebrated as an anthem for the group’s relentless work ethic and challenging journey from being underdogs to global stars. The song speaks about endurance and resilience despite hurdles and nerve-wracking pressure, celebrating their journey together.
1. Mic Drop
The top spot is claimed by the 2017 song Mic Drop, which is heavily inspired by Barack Obama’s 2016 White House dinner exit. The song is a defiant hip-hop anthem celebrating global success and dismissing haters. Known for its aggressive bass, with Steve Aoki’s remix rendition, it narrates a powerful message.