The global phenomenon, South Korean boyband BTS is all ready to come back with their latest album BE on November 20th. Before they set the world on storm all over again, here’s a quick catch up.
BTS, the Kpop boy band which has altered the global dynamics of the music industry in the last couple of years, charting at number one on Billboard Hot hundred multiple times a year, breaking Youtube views records with every single comeback, and showing the world that music has no barrier, only a warm invitation to bind us all in a universal message of love and more.
BTS is also widely popular for their phenomenal and complex discography, their conscious choice of themes which range from socio-political issues to mental health, the need for self-love, and a message of acceptance which is also very important to the Army; as their extremely diverse and devoted fans are called.
If you are new to BTS’s music or simply want to take a quick look at their extremely cohesive yet diverse studio albums, here’s a catch-up guide.
2 Cool 4 Skool
BTS debuted in 2013 with their lead single No More Dream which was a part of their first album 2 COOL 4 Skool. The album had 7 main tracks and two hidden tracks in total. The album though their first doesn’t shy away from delving deep into the feelings of students and how vague ambitions and pressures of families can be deafening for children to achieve their dreams. BTS knew head-on that they are here to make you pay attention and this album was a beckoning to that path.
O!RUL8,2?
Released in the same year, O!RUL8,2? explores the theme of young students' hopes and ambitions shattered by societal pressure based on the members’ personal experiences.
Skool Luv Affair
Skool Luv Affair came in 2014 with 10 tracks and it was established straight away that Angry BTS is the best BTS. Within these ten tracks, they managed to show an array of emotions that a young person feels while navigating through hardships and heartbreaks. Coupled with their hip-hop twist and jarring lyrics, BTS showed their incredible uniqueness right from the start.
Dark & Wild
Embodying the angry BTS persona in its true vigor with more hip-hop and rock-influenced music, Dark & Wild is complex, emotional, angsty, and everything in between.
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life
Released in three different parts, this beautiful album explores a different side of BTS. With a more soulful tone and heartfelt lyrics stemming from their deep and personal feelings, this album is a window to a discourse on mental health and various emotions that they have felt. “Save me, save me/I need your love before I fall, fall”
Wings
Wings created a whole new dimension in BTS’s discography. The emotions in their songs are now dizzyingly complex, yet extremely relatable. Blood, Sweat & Tears, a song from this album portrays an accurate picture of personal growth and loss of things in the journey and a determination to go beyond every temptation.
Love Yourself: Trilogy
BTS in Love Yourself, Trilogy is the BTS that has turned a pioneer for a new world where talking about mental health isn’t a taboo. For the listeners, this album is almost a guide on how to love yourself accepting every flaw, every desire, a clap back to every bully, a stern stand against discrimination of any kind.
“I know what I am/I know what I want/I never gon' change/I never gon' trade”
Map of the Soul: 7
Exploring further into Jungian psychology, BTS’s last album is mature and intricate with themes that track their growth as they became globally recognized, their self-awareness which came with the huge responsibility as “idols” and more. It is truly a map to know who they are when they aren’t posing for the camera but encountering the countless thoughts that come with the power they hold.
