The airy melody flows on top of light percussion and piano, creating a melancholy mood that matches the song’s lyrics about the grayness and gloom of a rainy day.
While most of BTS’ earlier songs are hip hop-infused tracks that pack a punch in the rap verses, “Rain” is a jazz-centric number with a spotlight on relaxed vocal lines. Jin’s bright tone, in particular, shines in delivering the bittersweet emotions of wrestling between holding on and letting go, the internal struggle described by the lyrics. The song strips down heavy musical production in the refrain and layers the singers’ bare voices atop classical piano, highlighting the vocal colors of the four singers Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook. But the merits of “Let Go” should not be overlooked. “Let Go,” Face Yourself (2018)Īnother track from the Japanese album Face Yourself, “Don’t Leave Me,” garnered significant attention in part for being the theme song of a Japanese television series. “But why is there this fear in between the happiness?” The song’s composition mirrors the theme - a cyclical, serene instrumental melody is paired with breathy vocals to create a sound that resembles the tranquil crashing of waves.
“The scary desert became the ocean with our blood, sweat and tears,” Suga raps. In the lyrics, BTS uses the imagery of an ocean and a desert to convey the hope and despair they experience while pursuing their dreams as K-pop artists. The hidden track “Sea” is only available on the physical edition of the Love Yourself: Her album, so it may have evaded the notice of fans who mostly stream the group’s music. In no particular order, here are TIME’s picks for the most underrated BTS songs, compiled in a playlist at bottom. For the purposes of this list, “underrated” songs exclude title tracks released with music videos and promoted most heavily during album releases, as well as the usual fan favorites (“Silver Spoon,” “Tomorrow,” “Anpanman,” to name a few, have had their fair share of recognition.) We’ve also included “hidden tracks,” which are only found outside the realms of Spotify and Apple Music. 21, TIME revisited BTS’ albums released over nearly seven years, including individual mixtapes by RM, Suga and J-Hope, to identify the overlooked gems. BTS’ discography dates back to June 2013, with the release of their debut album 2 Cool 4 Skool, and has since spanned genres, with lyrics offering social commentary and introspective musings alike.Īhead of the seven-member ensemble’s new album Map of the Soul: 7, which drops on Feb.
But if you were just tuning in, you would have missed quite a few worthy tracks. “Boy With Luv” was BTS’ song of choice when the K-pop phenom group performed at Times Square on Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, on Saturday Night Live and a multitude of similarly grand stages late last year.