WEEK 40 | Let’s Rock and Roll
October 7-13, 2024
Explosive.
At the end of February, 2020, BTS released MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 and announced that they’d be going on a massive world tour starting that spring to support it. Dates and locations were announced and when tickets went on sale, they sold out in record time. ARMYs around the world posted videos and screenshots after successfully making it through the stressful ticket-buying experience.
Just weeks later, that elation would turn into disappointment as COVID-19 swept across the globe, causing the tour (and pretty much everything) to be canceled. We all went into lockdown, artists and entertainers included, and each day brought more news of a rising death toll and uncertainty over what the disease we were fighting even was or how it spread.
"Dynamite" Performance on the rooftop for the 63rd Grammy Awards
Over the next six months, BTS would pivot and remake all their plans—instead of album promotions and touring, they would focus on connecting with ARMY through LIVEs, VLOGs, and online performances. And then, in August, they took their comfort mission one step further, by trying something they’d never done before—releasing a song entirely in English.
The group had already proven they could make roads in the Western market while singing in Korean—there was no need for them to release an all-English track in order to succeed. Of course they still dreamed of having a song top the Billboard 100 in America, and while they weren’t ignorant to the fact that an English language song could potentially secure that for them, it’s not the main reason they decided to record one. They did it mostly because they wanted to give everyone (not just ARMY) something else to focus on for a bit besides the bleak reality of COVID-19. It was meant to just be a fun lark—something to sing and dance along to.
Little did they know, this fun little gift would end up launching their already impressive fame into the stratosphere. “Dynamite”, meant to be a random one-off, ended up changing the entire trajectory of their next few years, and truly—their entire career.
Playlists & Lyrics
BTS: BE ALBUM SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (also embedded at bottom of post)
ARMY PROJECT 529 WEEK 40 VIDEO PLAYLIST (all YouTube links)
DAY ONE:
"Dynamite" Promotional Photo
I heard of K-Pop long before I heard of BTS. I am, as I’ve mentioned once or twice, a huge nerd, and I was very much into Japanese animation and music when I was a teenager and in my twenties I also discovered Japanese dramas. From there, it was just a hop, skip, and a jump to other countries, and the Korean dramas are the ones that hooked me the most. (“Boys Over Flowers” was one of the first I fell in love with and I’ll never forget it. I still love Lee Min Ho to this day.) Aside from loving the shows themselves, I found they also had top notch soundtracks, and that’s how I found out what K-Pop was—through dramas and their OSTs. Well, that, and a little song called “Gangnam Style”. Thanks, Psy Oppa. (Remind me to never do that again.)
"Dynamite" Official M/V
However, it would take me YEARS to dive further into Korean music after my initial discovery. I moved to New Orleans, took on a more demanding job, and found myself out at the bars in the French Quarter more than at home streaming K Dramas. They fell off my radar for a while. But somewhere in the late 2010s, I began hearing whispers here and there about certain artists that were making waves. They started popping up all over my YouTube feed, and then on Netflix and other streaming services. So, I tuned in again. But what I was hearing now, was vastly different from what I had discovered almost a decade prior. The music and visuals were less cutesy, ballad-driven pop, and more hip-hop, electronic, and even rock sounding.
I found myself downloading a few songs here and there from a few artists (no, not BTS), but still nothing was grabbing me and not letting go. Fast-forward a few more years and in the midst of the Pandemic I suddenly start hearing this one song every time I’m in any kind of grocery or big box store…
Jung Kook enjoying his donut in the "Dynamite" Official M/V
Shoes on, get up in the morn’
Cup of milk, let’s rock and roll…King Kong, kick the drum
Rolling on like a Rolling Stone
Sing-song when I'm walkin' home
Jump up to the top, LeBron
Ding-dong, call me on my phone
Ice tea and a game of ping pong
I didn’t think too much of it at first. It was catchy, but I’m not a big pop music fan. And then I found out it was BTS. I knew who they were, but I’d never paid close attention to them before. Suddenly, the English lyrics and pop culture references (almost too many to count) were far more interesting. While I still wasn’t hooked by the song itself, I remember thinking to myself, “It’s amazing that Korean artists are doing something like this, and it’s having this kind of impact.”
And it was. For established fans at the time, they already knew that BTS was a chameleon when it comes to musical genres. Even though they began rooted in hip-hop, they never let that stop them from exploring any and every style of music they wanted—eventually letting it lead them to the retro disco-pop sound of “Dynamite”. And much like a lot of the previous gambles BTS had taken in their career, it shouldn’t have worked. But it did. It REALLY worked.
"DYNAMITE" OFFICIAL MV (3:44)
"DYNAMITE" OFFICIAL MV (B-SIDE) (3:48 - as shown above)
"DYNAMITE" MV SHOOT SKETCH (5:43)
BANGTAN BOMB: BTS PLAYS BASKETBALL ON "DYNAMITE" MV SET (2:50)
BANGTAN BOMB: DIRECTOR JIMIN (1:49)
"DYNAMITE" | MTV UNPLUGGED (3:35 - as shown below)
"FIX YOU" (ORIGINAL SONG: COLDPLAY) STAGE CAM (BTS FOCUS) (5:02)
WHO IS THE BEST ARTIST AMONGST THE BTS MEMBERS? 🎨 | MTV UNPLUGGED (2:22)
BONUS: "ON" + "DYNAMITE" + "LIFE GOES ON" | 2020 MAMA (14:27)
BONUS: EPISODE: 2020 MAMA (18:01)
BONUS: THE MAKING OF "DYNAMITE" WITH DAVID STEWART | DECONSTRUCTED (7:39)
BONUS: "DYNAMITE" MV COMMENTARY (37:46)
Fun Fact:
BTS and the 2021 Grammy Nominations…
Looking back now, and knowing how the Grammys have treated BTS, it’s hard to enjoy any content related to the music award show. However, I challenge all of us to try and put ourselves in the mindset of the members themselves when these nominations and events were happening, and then view it with fresh eyes.
It’s easy to get swept up in their excitement. Despite how disappointing it all turned out (and we’re still mad… oh, we’ll ALWAYS be mad), all of their nominations and performances are big achievements. Not just for the BTS members themselves, but for Korean artists in general.
In 2021, it was unheard of for an all-Korean group to receive so many different nominations. But now, just three years later, we have MANY different K-Pop groups submitting their music for Grammy consideration, including BTS still, and the members as individual solo artists. It’s only a matter of time before some of them begin (rightfully so) taking some of those trophies home.
DAY TWO:
While I myself may not have been immediately captivated by “Dynamite”, it did put BTS into the periphery of my brain. And after I became ARMY, I’ve revisited the song and have since fallen in love with it. Especially after I started actually watching all of the content they released to promote the song.
"Dynamite" Official M/V B-Side
The M/V alone is epic. The members look amazing (I will NEVER get over V’s green suit) and the set is bright and happy—pure retro Americana. I mentioned pop culture references in the song, and they continue in the M/V. It’s impossible to miss the multitudes of nods to Michael Jackson, both in the lyrics and the choreography. Even if they had only recorded one M/V and nothing else, the fun they’re having in it—the pure joy they exude—it would have been enough.
But that wasn’t all. Because we were still deep in the midst of the Pandemic and lockdown, they had nothing but time in which to record multiple versions of the song, and multiple M/Vs and performances. They were all over social media. Everyone stuck at home was suddenly transported to a donut shop, a roller rink, a beach party, etc. It was fun. And everyone had to share the fun and sing along… and so, “Dynamite” hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart with a bang—debuting at #1.
Roller-skating for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Bring a friend, join the crowd, whoever wanna come along
Word up, talk the talk, just move like we off the wall
Day or night, the sky's alight, so we dance to the break of dawn (Hey)
Ladies and gentlemen, I got the medicine, so you should keep ya eyes on the ball (Huh)
Just as it says in the lyrics above, BTS wanted everyone to come along and join in the fun. They recorded appearances on even more Western talk shows, charming the guests and hosts alike. They even appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series—the first K-Pop group to appear on the International version of the show—performing stripped down versions of three of their hits, including “Dynamite”. (In 2023, V would be the artist picked for the inaugural episode of “Tiny Desk Korea”.)
The impact that “Dynamite” had in 2020, and in shaping the future of BTS’ career cannot be overstated. I’ve speculated on this before, but I often find myself wondering what the world would be like today had they never released that song. It opened so many doors for them, and brought an entire new audience to the world of K-Pop. The industry would likely not have the same level of success as it does today if that song had never existed.
"DYNAMITE" | 2020 BBMA (3:52)
"DYNAMITE" DANCE PRACTICE (3:26 - as shown above)
BANGTAN BOMB: WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ROLLER SKATING RINK? (3:08)
BTS, JIMMY FALLON AND THE ROOTS SING "DYNAMITE" | THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON (2:37)
BTS SHARES DETAILS ABOUT THEIR NEW ALBUM BE (DELUXE EDITION) | THE TONIGHT SHOW (5:52)
BONUS: BTS REMINISCES ON WHAT THEY WERE LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL | THE TONIGHT SHOW (7:11)
BONUS: ZOOM OLYMPICS WITH BTS | THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON (4:42)
BONUS: BANGTAN BOMB: BTS @ THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON (16:50)
BONUS: "LIFE GOES ON" + "DYNAMITE" (LIVE ON AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS) (5:43)
BONUS: "BLACK SWAN PERF". + "ON" + "LIFE GOES ON" + "DYNAMITE" | 2020 MMA (17:11)
BONUS: EPISODE: BTS @ 2020 MMA (16:02)
Bangtan Bubble: Is “Dynamite” the song that brought you to BTS? If not, which one is?
Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!
DAY THREE:
"Butter" Promotional Photo
Okay. So, I think I’ve mentioned this one or two times before, but… I have a confession—I used to hate “Butter”.
Hear me out, okay? I am the type of person who never wants to hop on the hype train. When presented with some “new hotness” that everyone is losing their minds over, I’m usually going to turn around and pay attention to something else. Some of it, admittedly, is out of stubbornness, but mostly I just want to see if whatever it is is going to last beyond the hype.
“Dynamite” made me notice BTS and acknowledge their efforts, but it was too poppy to grab my continued interest at the time. I didn’t dislike it, I just didn’t like it enough at the time to make me want to hear more. But it skyrocketed the group’s popularity so much so that when they released their next English language single, “Butter”, in May of 2021, it was immediately EVERYWHERE.
I could not escape it. I thought “Dynamite” had been pervasive… no, no. That was child’s play. I couldn’t shop for groceries, use a public restroom, or even watch YouTube videos about making bread (we were all doing it during the Pandemic, right?) without a purple-haired Jung Kook (and the others) busting in and singing:
Side step, right, left to my beat
High like the moon, rock with me, baby
Know that I got that heat
Let me show you 'cause talk is cheap
Side step, right, left to my beat
Get it, let it roll
There was no escape. “Butter” was haunting me. You know how it is when you hear a song over and over and over again, ad nauseam. I actively began to dislike not just the song, but BTS as a whole. In my annoyed state I reasoned with myself that all of their music must sound like “Dynamite” and “Butter”, and I congratulated myself for not having explored their discography when I’d heard of them in previous years.
Luckily, that attitude did not remain with me permanently. The song’s popularity that made it become an annoying earworm to me, also made BTS-related content continue to pop up in my life, until it was my turn to finally fall down the rabbit hole. Now that I am firmly ARMY, I am extremely grateful for “Butter”, knowing that, in its own unique way, it was an integral part of my journey to discovering BTS.
"BUTTER" Concept Photos (2:15)
"BUTTER" Official MV (3:03 - as shown above)
"BUTTER" (Karaoke version) (3:12)
BANGTAN BOMB: 95z Having Fun (1:49)
BANGTAN BOMB: Hobi’s POV (1:20)
BONUS: BANGTAN BOMB: "BUTTER" in 노래방 Behind the Scenes (11:40)
Fun Fact
The triumphant return of SUGA’s album review…
When we began this blog many months ago, some of the best extra content we discovered, and loved providing for all of you, was SUGA’s BTS album unboxing review videos. When he did his first one, for O!RUL8,2?, he had no clue fans would love it so much and beg him to keep doing it. But, since he has a really hard time saying no to ARMY, he acquiesced, and it became a tradition.
However, after a few years, the members started doing less VLOGS, switching instead to more VLIVEs. RM began his tradition of going live after each new album drop to discuss the tracklist with ARMY and how the album was made. So, SUGA dropped off of his album unboxing series.
And ARMY missed it. But, with the release of BE, after many years suffering from a painful lack of Min Yoongi hand content, ARMY was blessed by his return to “professional YouTuber reviews”. Enjoy!
BE.T.S💜 | VLIVE (41:28)
DAY FOUR:
64th Grammy Awards Red Carpet
Like they had with “Dynamite”, BTS made an insane amount of content in order to promote “Butter”. And even though it made me feel oversaturated, it brought a lot of joy to many others. We were, after all, still deep in the Pandemic. The vaccine had only been available for adults for a few months by this time, and debates on whether or not to get it were raging all over the world.
"Butter" Performance @ 64th Grammy Awards
In the midst of all this, BTS continued to be a soothing balm and welcome distraction. The western world continued to get to know them better with “Butter”, especially when they released a remix of it featuring Megan Thee Stallion. All of the behind the scenes content, including a dance break created for Megan’s verse and performed by j-hope, Jimin, and Jung Kook, really showed off the member’s personalities and pulled in even more new fans than before.
When they performed “Butter” at the 64th Grammy Awards, they captivated everyone with their creativity. The level of effort and ingenuity they showed was a breath of fresh air in western music. In fact, each step BTS was taking at the time seemed to be just right—everything they touched turned to gold. In all of their appearances and interviews they laughed and were extremely candid and charming. They made it look effortless, like they knew exactly what they were doing.
The reality was the complete opposite. Their years of media training and being constantly in front of cameras helped them of course, but they had reached a level of success no other Korean artist, not even Psy, had ever achieved before. They had no predecessors to turn to for advice on how to talk or act. They just continued to take each new opportunity and success one at a time, and always with genuine appreciation and gratitude.
"BUTTER" (FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION) OFFICIAL VISUALIZER (2:47)
3J "BUTTER" (FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION) SPECIAL PERFORMANCE VIDEO (1:09)
BANGTAN BOMB: THE 3J "BUTTER" CHOREOGRAPHY BEHIND THE SCENES (14:37 - as shown above)
"BUTTER" WITH MEGAN THEE STALLION! | THEULTIMATEDODO FANCAM PTD - LA (4:22)
BANGTAN BOMB: BTS RECITAL (2:00)
WILL IT FIT? WITH BTS | THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON (8:44)
BONUS: "BUTTER" 64TH GRAMMY AWARDS (4:42 - as shown below)
BONUS: "BUTTER" & "DYNAMITE (HOLIDAY REMIX)" | IHEARTRADIO JINGLE BALL 2021 (6:23)
BONUS: BTS BREAKS DOWN THEIR MUSIC CAREER | VANITY FAIR (11:00)
Fun Fact:
“BE-HIND” the process of making the BE album.
Last week we discussed how BE was not a pre-planned album. Since the Pandemic upset BTS’ plans for 2020 and beyond, they had to improvise and make new plans that would work for them during that time. Since they could not go on their previously-scheduled world tour, they decided to make a new album instead.
Also new—each member took on an active role in the album’s production, from start to finish. They’d always had a hand in overall concept ideas, song-writing, and production, but this time they were also organizing and managing everything else as well.
The “BE-HIND” series of videos we have linked below tell the entire story of how the BE album was created. The members interview each other about their contributions, and it makes for some incredibly fun and interesting conversations.
BTS: BE-HIND STORY (37:25)
RM'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (24:23)
JIN'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (15:16)
SUGA'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (19:58)
J-HOPE'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (19:24)
JIMIN'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (16:24)
V'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (15:52)
JUNG KOOK'S BE-HIND 'FULL' STORY (21:14)
BTS 'BE-HIND STORY' INTERVIEW (1:12:43)
DAY FIVE:
At this point I must sound like a broken record. It will probably come as no surprise to any of you that I also did not like “Permission to Dance” when I first heard it. It was released in July of 2021, right on the heels of “Butter”, so I was still deeply entrenched in my annoyance at literally tripping over BTS every time I turned around then.
"Permission to Dance" Offical M/V
However, “Permission To Dance” is ultimately responsible for my eventual fall down the BTS rabbit hole. And, it helped many to have hope and begin to look forward to the eventual end of the Pandemic. The lyrics tell us that when we’re down, when everything feels wrong, just let go and let music and dance help to heal you.
"Permission to Dance" Official M/V
I wanna dance, the music's got me goin'
Ain't nothin' that can stop how we move, yeah
Let's break our plans and live just like we're golden
And roll in like we're dancin' fools
We don't need to worry
'Cause when we fall, we know how to land
Don't need to talk the talk, just walk the walk tonight
'Cause we don't need permission to dance
The M/V features people going about their lives while wearing face masks, a sight we were all extremely used to by that time. As the song gets going and the members are dancing and singing, eventually everyone else joins in and starts having fun together as well. By the end of the video, everyone has removed their face masks, and we can see all of their bright smiles and laughter.
By July, we’d had COVID vaccines for six months and they were finally available for all age groups, including children. After well over a year of death and uncertainty, it was a look forward to an eventual end to the Pandemic’s grip on the world. The removal of face masks in the “Permission to Dance” M/V is symbolic of the new hope we had at that time—the hope that soon we’d be able to move forward and resume normal life.
And once again, BTS spoiled us with extra content surrounding the song. And, as 2021 was drawing to a close, and parts of the world were easing up their COVID-19 restrictions, they announced a series of concert dates in the U.S. to celebrate. “BTS: Permission to Dance On Stage” had two dates in Los Angeles, and then two more in Las Vegas in 2022. ARMYs (those who had missed out on the MOTS tour, and new ones who’d just discovered BTS during the Pandemic) flocked to the shows, eager to finally have some fun again.
A film of the concert was also made available for streaming platforms, and that, my friends, is how yours truly finally fell down the rabbit hole. Scrolling around aimlessly for something to watch one day, I stumbled upon the PTD concert movie and was curious enough to say, “Eh, why not?” So I pressed play… and was blown away. After that they started popping up on my YouTube and it was one thing after another. I never looked back. So while their English songs may not have initially been my cup of tea, I’m endlessly grateful that they were made. And I suspect a lot of you reading this blog feel the same way.
"PERMISSION TO DANCE" OFFICIAL MV (5:00 - as shown)
BANGTAN BOMB: SUGA AND THE PIANO (0:50 - as shown)
BANGTAN BOMB: FUN WITH BALLOONS (3:26 - as shown)
BTS PERFORMS A CONCERT IN THE CROSSWALK | THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN (9:58 - as shown)
"PERMISSION TO DANCE" (TV SHOW DEBUT) | THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON (4:13)
BONUS: BTS DISHES ON TOURING AND WORKING WITH ED SHEERAN | THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON (6:56)
BONUS: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BTS | THE (GETTING BACK TO) TONIGHT SHOW (4:07 - as shown)
BONUS: "PERMISSION TO DANCE" STAGE CAM (BTS FOCUS) @ P. TO. D PROJECT (3:18)
BONUS: EPISODE: P. TO. D PROJECT (19:13)
BONUS: "PERMISSION TO DANCE" PERFORMED AT THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY | SDGS (3:44 - as shown below)
BONUS: "BUTTER" + "PERMISSION TO DANCE" BTS FULL INTERVIEW | SBS (44:28)
Bangtan Bubble: What finally helped you shake off the blues of the Pandemic? Was it a song like “Permission to Dance”?
Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Whether they are your favorites or not, BTS’ trio of English language songs have had an undeniable impact on their career. During a time of fear and uncertainty, they took a chance and gave the world happiness and hope. Not only did they provide comfort for existing ARMYs, but they expanded the size of the fanbase exponentially.
Come back next week as we begin our exploration of BTS’ next wild endeavor, and a landmark in their career… the anthology album, Proof.
Side Quest
MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E
The MOTS: 7 world tour may have been canceled, but BTS had already mapped out and rehearsed the whole thing. They were determined to still give ARMY a concert experience in some way, shape, or form.
So, the concept of the online “MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E” concert was born. It was essentially what MOTS:7 would have been, but BTS did take advantage of the fact that they could do slightly more complicated stagings since they weren’t going to be performing live.
And since they did two days of the concert, they could also show two different performances. We have some epic moments from MOTS ON:E, including “red suit vs purple suit Filter” Jimin, and “red vs black My Time” Jung Kook. Enjoy!
CREDITS:
YouTube/Web
BANGTANTV, HYBE LABELS, Aiyingya, Ayberk MusiC, BBC, BBMA, BTS LIVE ARCHIVE, DJ티비씨, ENJOY BTS MORE, GENIUS, GLOBAL CITIZEN, googieguks, KBS WORLD TV, MTV ASIA, MTV UK, naomjoonie, NING RIMS, SBS ENTERTAINMENT, The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, theultimatedodo, UNITED NATIONS, VANITY FAIR; Web: ok:ru
ARMY Project 529 Volunteers
Research Team: Angel (TikTok: Lilangel2828), Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Merry (TikTok: merryj67), Sam T (TikTok: samt_26), Shelley (TikTok: shels167), Trudy (TikTok: theeducationmommy), Viv (TikTok: VivEliz); Video Team: Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day); Editing Team: Kendra (Discord: Mudskipper); Website Team: Colette (TikTok: voicesinmyhead2)
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