BTS (방탄소년단) Official Thread: 2nd Chapter [#2025OT7 #2024Jin&HobiReturning #HopeOnTheStreetVol1 #JinD60 #DDayTheMovie #FRI(END)S #NEURONisHere]

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'It still feels surreal': BTS makes Grammys history, whether they win on Sunday or not

Fatima-Tul Farha

USA TODAY

 

It's been nearly eight years since BTS took to the stage for their debut performance. At Sunday's Grammy Awards, the seven men from South Korea will have more firsts. They are up for best pop duo/group performance for "Dynamite," their chart-topping English-language hit. It marks the group's first nomination as well as the first for a K-pop group. They're on tap to perform and it'll be the first time they'll do so armed with one of their own songs (they had a cameo at the 2020 Grammys, but more on that later). 

 

Making history and breaking records is nothing new for RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. 

They're the first K-pop group to debut at the top of Billboard's Hot 100. They hold the Guinness World Records for most-viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours ("Dynamite" hit 101 million views). They've beat their own record for the best-selling South Korean album of all time.

 

Along the way, they've gained a legion of fiercely loyal fans called ARMY (full disclosure: I am one of them). 

“We're really excited, it still feels surreal,” Jimin told USA TODAY via an interpreter. “We're still figuring out what to make of it. But we do know this is a great honor and we're deeply thankful. We're trying our best to deliver a great performance to return all the support we received from our fans.”

BTS' journey to the Grammys 

In 2018, during an interview with Jimmy Fallon, BTS was asked what they wanted next in their career and Suga said, “Go to the Grammys.” The rest of the boys laughed lightheartedly when Suga answered. It wasn’t the first time he had expressed this wish. 

 

A few months later, BTS flew out to attend the 2019 Grammys as presenters, where they walked the red carpet and promised they "would be back."

 

In 2020, they made an appearance on stage during Lil Nas X's performance of "Old Town Road." In a behind-the-scenes video from the event, the members reiterated how much they would love the opportunity to one day perform their own song. 

 

And that brings us to now. A nomination under their belt and finally a chance to perform. 

“(A) performance is what we wanted more, even more than a nomination or winning,” RM said. “We are a performance team, so a performance with our own song was one of our final dreams for this whole journey, so we are flattered and excited at the same time.” 

 

Still, taking home a gilded gramophone trophy would be momentous. 

“We've grown up watching the Grammys. It's one of the biggest awards, and a win would mean a lot for us,” said J-Hope. 

What 'Dynamite' represents now for BTS

After nearly seven months and a list of accolades, did "Dynamite" fulfill its purpose to uplift fans? Absolutely, said Suga. 

 

“It's indicative of how much ARMY loves us,” he said. “We meant to give comfort with ‘Dynamite’ in the given circumstances, and we feel that many people resonated with this song even during such hardships.”

For RM, the song was a gateway to new possibilities. “For eight years, when we had hardships and very bad things from outside or inside, we always found a way, and we had this virus last year and everyone was confused and lost their way and ‘Dynamite’ gave us more than ‘Dynamite,' and now it symbolizes kind of a possibility, a stairway to another world.”

What led BTS to the music industry leaderboard? 

“Of course it’s ARMY,” Jungkook said.  

V also included the other members, their label BigHit Entertainment, family and friends who “have all helped us grow and advance step by step.”

 

Suga said, “When the nominations were out and (we) were set to perform, obviously we were filled with joy, but our fans seemed much happier than us. We always think: Would any of this have been possible without ARMY?”

 

ARMY has become a point of pride for the group, which thanks their fans for every achievement and milestone.

 

“There are so many blessings we could’ve gotten for these eight years, but I guess for the whole journey the best luck we ever had is that we all have you guys all over the world,” RM said. “So please don’t forget that, whether we get the Grammys or not, we already got what we wanted, and we got you, so that means we got everything.”

 

What’s next for BTS?

2020 brought its share of ups and downs for BTS. They started the year with the release of their album “Map of the Soul: 7,” a retrospective look on their musical journey. Shortly after, due to the coronavirus pandemic, BTS had to postpone their highly anticipated world tour.

 

Later in the year they released a self-directed album, a more intimate and personal body of work reflecting on the pandemic, in the form of “BE.” With it, they got a second No. 1 debut on the Hot 100 with the title track “Life Goes On,” the first Korean-language song to top the chart. 

 

In 2020, BTS were named Time's Entertainer of the Year and one of Wall Street Journal’s Innovators. They were the world's top-selling act and got the No. 1 spot on the IFPI’s Global Artists chart. 

 

Looking ahead to the rest of 2021, their biggest priority is meeting ARMY again. “The vaccines started to roll out,” Jin said. “If the situation allows, our priority would be to hold a concert with our fans. Also, we're working on individual songs and meeting up for group songs as well. So stay tuned for new things to come out.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to it.  An interview by an ARMY

 

 

 

 

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The world's biggest albums of 2020 revealed

The IFPI has announced the Top 10 biggest albums of last year.

By Rob Copsey 

•  

The biggest album globally in 2020 was BTS' Map Of The Soul: 7, the IFPI have announced.

The group's fourth studio album picked up the most sales across all consumption formats, spanning physical sales, digital downloads, and streaming platforms.

 

It means BTS claim the IFPI's first ever Global Album All Format Chart Award, having previously tracked sales alone for the biggest album of the year.

 

Map Of The Soul: 7 broke records and topped charts all over the world on its release in February 2020, including the world's five largest music markets: USA, Japan, UK, Germany, and France.

BTS make a second appearance in the Top 10 with Be (Deluxe Edition) at Number 4. The group were recently announced as the IFPI's biggest global recording act of 2020.

 

Finishing in second is The Weeknd's fourth studio album After Hours, which topped the charts in 20 countries last April, including the UK's Official Albums Chart. The record's second single Blinding Lights was recently named the IFPI's biggest global single of 2020.

 

Frances Moore, chief executive at IFPI, said: "We have introduced the Global Album All Format Chart to reflect the evolving landscape of the album format and to recognise how artists share their album projects in a variety of ways with their fans across multiple formats.

 

"It’s an honour to be able to hand BTS their second IFPI Global Chart Award, following their success as Global Recording Artists of the Year. Map Of The Soul: 7 broke chart records internationally and in Korea, and is yet another incredible body of work from a band that continues to delight music lovers globally."

 

Elsewhere, Harry Styles is the highest-ranked British artist in the Top 5 with Fine Line at Number 5, while Taylor Swift's Folklore - released in August - places at 9, and Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia rounds out the Top 10.

Top 10 global albums of 2020

1.   BTS – Map Of The Soul: 7

2.   The Weeknd – After Hours

3.   Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

4.   BTS – Be (Deluxe Edition)

5.   Harry Styles – Fine Line

6.   Post Malone – Hollywood’s Bleeding

7.   Kenshi Yonezu – Stray Sheep

8.   Justin Bieber – Changes

9.   Taylor Swift – Folklore

10.  Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

 

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Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominees: BTS Talk Excitement For 2021 GRAMMY Awards Show & Representing Koreans & K-Pop On The Global Stage

Ahead of their performance at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show and in celebration of their nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Dynamite," GRAMMY.com caught up with global pop superstars BTS

ASHLEE MITCHELL

GRAMMYS

 

MAR 10, 2021 - 12:11 PM

2020 was another massive year for BTS. The South Korean septet (RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook) were already a worldwide phenomenon before their first GRAMMY nomination: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show for their chart-topping single, "Dynamite." Still, it was that song's unprecedented success that prompted the wider music world to pay attention. Not only is the nomination a big first for them, but it’s also the first GRAMMY nomination for a K-pop act.

 

They released their album, BE, in November 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its single, "Life Goes On," became the first non-English song to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100. After the release of BE, BTS became the fastest group to earn three No. 1 songs in three months since the Bee Gees more than 42 years ago. To top it all off, BTS are the quickest group since The Beatles to have five No. 1 albums and the first group to have two chart-topping albums in the country in 2020 (with Map of the Soul: 7).

 

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MTV’S UNPLUGGED PRESENTS BTS—A fan’s Introduction to the Biggest Band in the World

 

LIFESTYLE 14 hours ago 0  Nicole Blowe

 

Elton John. Mariah Carey. Alicia Keys. Maxwell. Nirvana. Jay-Z. BTS.

That’s the sound of being catapulted into icon status.

 

 

Bangtan Seonyeondan is now in the official prestigious club of MTV’s Unplugged.  “And when you mention Pac, Biggie, or Jay-Z, don’t forget Weezy baby!” The Bulletproof Boyscouts are just that.  

They were the underdogs of the Korean Pop world.  No major label to back them, a small independent in a garage.  The members hail mostly from the South Korean countryside, not the distinguished capital of Seoul.  All were recruited with individual talents that had to be honed to create a homogenous group.  

 

What’s distinct about BTS’ delivery, is their artful representation of what they sing and feel.  So, the show opens up with the song “Telepathy”.  The setting is the ultimate bachelor pad for a group of guys in their twenties (most K-Pop groups spend a lot of time living in a dorm together).  

It’s a whole life in one room, as any ideal pandemic room should be.  There are arcade games, a nice couch, even a small scooter bike, and neon lights display the title of their new album “BE”.  One member is sitting on the couch, playing a video game on the TV, others at the foosball table, one riding the bike as he sings to the camera; just college-age guys hanging out.  The breaking of the 4th wall.  

 

They get their close-ups (they’re all UNBELIEVABLY pretty) and then just groove into the song, and dance around the room together for the finale.  The song is a light introduction to the show, speaking to you, in your room, from theirs.  Just a call from a close friend to check-in.  “How are you?  What have you been up to?” 

 

BTS always knows how to invite you into their mind, and you realize, yours is not much different, which is called relatability. And they’re really, really good at it.  Between the songs, they explain in their native Korean tongue (thankfully with subtitles), as well as in English, the story behind the creation and meaning of the songs, performances, and what life has been like away from the spotlight. 

 

We also happily welcome back member SUGA— the band hasn’t been able to perform as a whole unit for the first time in months after he had to miss performances due to shoulder surgery.  If you watch their live performances during that time, they danced leaving his spot fully open and wrapping their arms around each other with the gap that was him. I saw a YouTube comment once on one of their videos, that said, “7-1 does not equal 6, it equals zero.”  

Truer words were never spoken.  

 

My only complaint about this whole episode, it was way too damn short.  

A half hour, with commercials, after each song. 

 

Come on, son. 

Next up is “Blue & Grey”, written by band member, V (birth name Kim Tae-Hyung). A melancholy ballad about the ups and downs of the isolation and separation of the pandemic, being away from ARMY. It’s not a secret how much they are devoted to their fans.  They are true performers who shine best when on a live stage.

 

The setting is similar to a scene from “What Dreams May Come”.  It looks like a literal dream with hues of flowers, water, and sky; all confined to a dollhouse room with one window and door. The beauty and tragedy of a creative mind that cannot fully express itself.  Ethereal movements of the members as they walk amongst the walls.  Sometimes looking upward, searching, in pensive thought.  Some moments with heads bent, deep in the abyss of unknowing and solitude. What we all feel during this time.  

 

We move into a sudden, delightful, surprise of a cover of “Fix You” by Coldplay, the first performance without a theatrical background. Honestly, it’s my preference when they perform, when any artist performs.  Only one member, RM (Rap Monster, birth name Kim Nam-Joon), the designated leader of the group, is mostly fluent in English.  He is usually the translator for the English language interviews, although all the members have been steadily working on it on their own.

 

  V has already written and recorded some of his solo work in English. They are all dressed in grey suits, with white socks and black shoes.  A very fitting, early Beatles vibe, mixed with the Korean school-boy uniform.

 

This tribute was especially heartfelt and frankly, just a huge geek moment for me (I squealed a little, not gonna lie).  I adore this song.  I remember a friend of mine once told me this song would make her cry every time she heard it.  It was solace for her while dealing with the tumultuous addiction of someone she loved deeply. The song is indeed about loving someone who cannot love themself, and feeling helpless to make it all better.  BTS took it as their own, wanting to make the whole world better, and take the pain away, pain they cannot control.  And yet again, directed it towards the fans.  They would take on what we feel if it made us feel happier.  Because we all want this pain to go away, we all want each other to be truly happy and free again.  There’s something about a boy wanting to be your hero. The forever heroes of our hearts.

 

The “Fix You” arrangement was spot on, utilizing the rap line of RM, j-hope (birth name Jung Hoseok), and SUGA (birth name Min Yoon-gi), to be the bass vocals. The upper registers were for the main vocal line of Jin (birth name Kim Seok-Jin), V, Jimin (birth name Park Ji-min), and the golden child himself, lead vocalist, and youngest member, JK (birth name Jeon Jung-kook).  The blending of the emotional instrumentation and recreation of the famous strobe light effects Coldplay uses on stage, brought tears to my eyes.  This song is also significant for them based on a story told by SUGA, after they gained the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in Korea, the dome stadium in Seoul.  He had been there, not long before, as an audience member, and as I recall, it was in fact Coldplay performing in concert.  He watched in awe, making a promise to himself he would one day make his way there.  A full circle moment.

 

This is another testament to how hard they work, to learn a song completely in English, to reach their fans around the world.  As an “I-ARMY”(International ARMY, those not from Korea), it really is a relief, and dorky pleasure, to hear them sing English lyrics because they want to connect to us also, as much as possible. They like us, they really, really like us! 

 

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Plus Map of The Soul 7 The Journey for #8

 

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Interview

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After knowing the result, BTS and ARMY comforting each other on Twitter and Weverse 

 

 

 

 

 

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The early messages that the boys delivered on Weverse

 

 

 

 

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Meanwhile Dynamite is charting here and there

 

 

 

 

 

 

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