Photo courtesy of Flickr
By Anika Singh ’24
Staff Writer
Sept. 5, 2020, was a historic day in the world of music as BTS’ new all-English single “Dynamite” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, the first South Korean act to do so. This was BTS’ first song entirely in English, made to bring a little bit more “funk and soul,” as the song says, to these dark times. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everything that was considered the norm, including BTS’ world tour that was to take place this summer. Its cancellation sent a wave of disappointment to not only the band’s fans, but the members themselves.
“Dynamite” aims to spread positivity far and wide in order to uplift the spirits of BTS and their ARMY, as RM points out in their interview with USA Today. “The goal of ‘Dynamite’ is really simple ... to explore the world with positive vibes and energy,” he said. “We’ve been through all the sadness and desperation but with this song and performance we just hope the world gets more positive and [can] be happy.” He is true to his word as “Dynamite” is an upbeat anthem with catchy lyrics — the band sings the chorus, "So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight/Shining through the city with a little funk and soul/So I’ma light it up like dynamite.” This disco-pop tune will get you dancing to the beat in no time.
This is not the first time BTS has been on the Billboard charts. Their hit song “Mic Drop” debuted at No. 28 on Dec. 16, 2017, and their latest album’s single “ON” debuted at No. 4 back in March. “Dynamite” outranks all of BTS’ previous singles as the 43rd single in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
BTS has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years and has amassed a fanbase called the ARMY. BTS debuted back in 2013 as Bangtan Sonyeondan (방탄소년단), also known as the Bangtan Boys, and consisting of seven members, all of whom remain active in the band today: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. Since then, they have continued to grow in popularity.
BTS did not have the backing of the “Big Three,” the three companies that have a huge role in the Korean entertainment industry — JYP, YG and SM Entertainment — yet they succeeded in breaking records nonetheless. BTS is signed under Big Hit Entertainment, a small company that has now expanded exponentially due to the international recognition of BTS and their other groups, TXT, GFRIEND, SEVENTEEN and more.
What sets BTS’ music apart from other boybands is its genre versatility, with releases ranging from hip-hop to pop to rhythm and blues. Each album follows a theme, including a series of subunits and solos from members to showcase their talent and musicality, but it does not stop there. Along with their ability to sing and rap, each of the members also masters complex choreographies that are performed live as well as showcased in their music videos.
BTS has helped popularize K-pop on a global scale. With growing numbers of chart-topping hits and consistently sold-out stadiums, they appear to be growing in popularity by the second. Their latest album “Map Of The Soul: 7” debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 422,000 album-equivalent units (including 347,000 sales) earned in its first week.
BTS itself seems to be riding the K-pop wave originally started by their predecessors, Big Bang.
Along with dominating award shows on both national and global scales, they have been giving back to charity and spreading their message of self-love not only through their music, but also through their UNICEF campaign “Love Myself,” which aims to empower youth and combat violence toward teens and children. They are considered an important part of South Korean culture and are regarded as the leaders of today’s youth, as they shared empowering messages regarding their inner struggles and how they rose above them for South Korea’s Youth Day, held on Sept. 19. On Sept. 23, they addressed the U.N. General Assembly for the second time, speaking on the mental hardships that quarantine and the pandemic had brought them.
In July, it was confirmed that BTS will be releasing their first self-produced album. So, keep an eye out for that, and stream “Dynamite.”