Top 10 BTS Songs, Ranked
BTS’ much-anticipated and record-shattering new single, “Dynamite,” hit the internet (and the universe) this past Friday, and not only have all of our lives changed incontrovertibly for the better, but a lot of people — and Americans in particular — are finally saying, “OK, maybe it’s time to pay attention to this Korean boy band I keep hearing about.”
Not to worry, young padawans! I, Hannah, a fairly recent convert myself, am here to guide you into full BTS Force Masterdom! Not sure where to start in the pantheon of BTS content? Not to worry! We got you.
In other places, I’ve explored interesting facts about the 7 member band who stole our hearts, and listed 7 reasons you should be listening to them instead of anything else. I also have a Spotify Playlist of some of my favorite BTS songs.
But here let’s just get straight to the good stuff and I’ll give you my personal Top 10 BTS Songs, Ranked. (This was an incredibly difficult exercise because I really love all my children equally.)
10. Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)
If you live in NYC/LA/SF you’ve probably heard this on the radio a good bit. (Y’all other people out there tell your girl if you’ve heard it, too!) With the strategic Halsey collab, and performances on The Voice and Saturday Night Live, this song hit some of the American consciousness last year. (Including my parents, who are fans now, go Mom and Dad!!!!) Why do I love it? It’s just catchy as hell and the dance moves are FIRE.
9. IDOL
The lead single from their 2018 compilation album, “Love Yourself: Answer,” IDOL is a play on the word used for the type of musical group that BTS is: a K-Pop “idol” group. (Westerners: think of it roughly as like “superstar”?) The song speaks directly to the band’s critics, who have unfairly claimed that as part of an “idol” group they aren’t real artists. The lead rapper RM, who along with the other members writes and produces the majority of their music, renounces these distinctions in the opening lines: “You can call me artist / You can call me idol / No matter what you call me / I don’t care / I’m free. / No more irony / Cuz I was always just me.” Throughout the song, the members sing about staying true and honest to themselves as artists, and maintaining an earnest and open worldview despite cynics and critics.
8. Make it Right
Just a classic song of loving and looking out for another person, whether that be a friend or lover, and wanting to make their life better. Something about the opening riff, the easy sound, the beautiful vocals, keeps me coming back to this song over and over again. Also the way Jimin growls out “baby, I…” about 20/30 seconds in is literally maybe the sexiest thing ever.
7. Airplane pt. 2
Maybe it’s just because of this ICONIC live performance, which I have watched at least a zillion times, but this song immediately makes me feel ON TOP OF THE WORLD. It’s also a great example of the breadth of influences that K-Pop incorporates into their sound, with the overt Latin rhythm and instrumentation. Many fans of BTS have been drawn to them because of the kaleidoscope of influences, visuals, and sounds they represent. This is a great example of that.
6. Inner Child
It’s kind of a lie for me to put this at 6 because I think it may be my personal most-replayed song of theirs. Released on their massively popular early 2020 album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” this song is written and performed by my personal bias wrecker, V (given name, Taehyung). Written with RM’s help, the lyrics are crafted as a letter to Taehyung’s younger self, before BTS and stardom. Anyone who has been to any amount of therapy has probably done something like this, and the result from the song is no less poignant. Taehyung, who grew up very poor, encourages his younger self to push through his hardships and gives the promise and the caution: “We gon’ change.” By the time he gets to the end of the bridge and belts out “You’re my boy, my boy, my boy” who doesn’t have tears in their eyes!?!?!?
5. Burning Up (Fire)
This song comes from one of their earlier albums where their message focused heavily on the struggle and promise of youth, the fight against oppressive authoritarianism, and active individual and cultural revolution. This song in particular gives young people the freedom to be and find themselves through their mistakes and flaws (“Stop comparing, I’m only human”), and asks others to join them in — well, burning it up! (All you with a lot of fear, come here / All you who are suffering, come here / Lift up your fists, all night long.”) But honestly, beyond all that meaningful stuff, this song just slaps and the choreography will blow your mind. Play this song on a workout and I promise when they break into the chorus you’re gonna hit a new PR.
4. Silver Spoon (Bepsae)
Another great one for a workout. I just love the way this song sounds! On top of that, it’s also crafted as social commentary, preaching against the class divides that keep many Koreans in poverty. (“Parasite” vibes, anyone?) A bepsae is a type of bird translated as a crow-tit. As explained in this Billboard article:
“The Korean idiom, ‘if a crow-tit walks like a stork it will break its legs,’ is frequently quoted as a reminder for people to remain in their lane, and is often used in relation to someone seemingly low-class trying to reach the upper echelons of society. By embracing the identity of a crow-tit, BTS take ownership of the underdog nature of their career path, and that of their generational peers trying to achieve success in a world that appears biased against them.”
Also the video linked above is just fun because their street fashion is ON F***ING POINT.
3. Magic Shop
This song is just so pretty! It’s also a beautiful piece about self-reflection, self-confidence, and self-love. Based on an autobiography called Into the Magic Shop that follows the story of a man who grew up experiencing poverty and loss, and hardened his heart to the world — only to one day learn while in a magic shop the importance of keeping one’s heart open. The song is about connecting to others with vulnerability and love, and even has a call and response part with the audience, “So show me / I’ll show you.” (BTS’s fans — known as “ARMY” — have a unique relationship to the band, and are a huge part of the band’s success and telling their story.) I just love the chorus drops every time they belt out “MAGIC SHOOOP!!!”
2. Mic Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)
THIS. SONG. SLAPS. That’s all I have to say. The music video, linked above, is the coolest shit ever, and you can also watch them perform it on Saturday Night Live in incredible outfits that make American fashion look like stupid garbage. Or if you want every possible version of this awesome dance, you can also watch their dance practice version. Lastly, according to RM who wrote it, this song was inspired by Obama’s iconic mic drop moment at the 2016 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
YouTube is filled with videos of hip hop artists and dancers reacting to how awesome this music video is.
1. Spring Day
This song holds a special place in the hearts of BTS fans, and Koreans in particular. Written about the loss of a friend, the song explores the psychological effects of grief — sadness, denial, hatred, despair — repeating in the chorus “I miss you, I miss you.” And yet towards the very end of the song, in a beautiful bridge sung by V and Jungkook, we also get a promise that “no darkness, no winter is eternal.” The meaning of the song is even more significant to Koreans, as many believe BTS used the song and music video to memorialize the sinking of the Sewol Ferry in 2014, a national tragedy that left 304 dead including 250 high school students. This video gives a thorough and beautiful explanation of that hidden meaning.
