Thematically, it draws influences from texts like "Demian" by Herman Hesse. "Wings" took BTS to an entirely new level. Its repackage album, "You Never Walk Alone," was released on February 13, 2017. "Wings" was released on October 10, 2016. Worst songs: "Louder Than Bombs," "ON (feat.
In a discography like BTS', that matters.īest songs: "Intro: Persona," "Black Swan," "Filter," "Moon," "Respect," "Outro: Ego" While there aren't any truly bad songs on "Map of the Soul: 7" (perhaps with the exception of the version of "ON" featuring Sia), it lacks the cohesion and dramatic arc of some of the group's earlier albums. It's also a reward for longtime listeners of their music: in examining their identity, BTS samples tracks from their earliest years, repurposing them in RM's "Intro: Persona," Suga's "Interlude: Shadow," and J-Hope's "Outro: Ego." The Halsey-assisted "Boy With Luv" and "ON" are inversions of the group's 2013 single "Boy In Luv" and 2014 single "N.O," respectively. More than anything though, "Map of the Soul: 7" feels like a bridge between the group and their passionate fans, ARMY, offering glimpses into the members' fears, joys, and memories. The album's solo tracks, particularly Jimin's simmering "Filter" and Jin's lush, affectionate "Moon," are some of the best across the group's discography. Lead single "Black Swan" is shockingly candid, grappling with the members' fear of a "first death" from falling out of love with music. However, it does have some of the group's best tracks to date. Using selections from their 2019 EP "Map of the Soul: Persona" as a five-track introduction, "7" is a wild journey that doesn't feel quite as cohesive as some of the group's other albums. Prior to "Be," "Map of the Soul: 7" was marked as the group's most personal album, leveraging Jungian psychology to examine the self. The fact that "Map of the Soul: 7" falls in the lower half of this list is a testament to how ridiculously stacked BTS' discography is.
"Map of the Soul: 7" was released on February 21, 2020.
Still, as a standalone album, it's a tight product with few low points - even its worst song, the anthemic "So What" is more than capable of holding its own.īest songs: "Fake Love," "The Truth Untold," "Paradise," "Outro: Tear" It starts with V's simmering neo-soul introduction, "Singularity," before launching into the primary single "Fake Love," which laments the trials of trying to change yourself for love.įrom there, "Tear" picks up the pieces, sinking into the vocal depths of Steve Aoki-produced "The Truth Untold" and embarking on a pop journey that culminates in the rap line's explosive "Outro: Tear."Ĭompared to some of the group's deepest dives like "Map of the Soul: 7" or "Wings" though, "Love Yourself: Tear" isn't quite as ambitious or elaborate, nor did it represent a profound shift in their career like "The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever." A tight, 11-song package, "Tear" is one of the group's shortest studio albums, and it puts the brevity to use.ĭespite some impressive genre-shifting over the course of the album, the sequencing is impeccable. "Love Yourself: Tear" is a middle installment of BTS' "Love Yourself" series, and is primarily concerned with the darker sides of love. "Love Yourself: Tear" was released on May 18, 2018. Worst songs: "Could You Turn Off Your Cellphone," "24/7=Heaven" While "Dark & Wild" is a diverse set of angst-driven bops, it doesn't quite measure up to its successors.īest songs: "Intro: What Am I To You," "Danger," "Let Me Know, "Rain," "Look Here" The group waxes poetic about love troubles in one track and reflects on their hip-hop influences in the next, and certain tracks like "Could You Turn Off Your Cellphone" fit the album's groove but aren't as strong lyrically. Ultimately, "Dark & Wild" doesn't bear the same kind of thematic resonance present in many of BTS' later works. Tracks like "Let Me Know" and "Rain," which lean more towards melancholy, are two of the best songs on the album and standouts even in BTS's wide discography. "Dark and Wild" isn't nearly as cohesive nor polished as the group's later albums, and doesn't quite have their heart.īut, it's a wild ride through and through: while dominated by passionate tracks like "Danger" to flirtatious cuts like "War of Hormone" or "Look Here," there's still a sense of balance on the album. It bears the hip-hop style that dominated their early single albums and EPs, driven by a rap line - RM, J-Hope, and Suga - that could spit solid bars from the get-go. "Dark and Wild" may have come in at last on this list, but overall, it was a strong showing for the group's first full-length album. "Dark & Wild" was released on August 19, 2014.