Throughout BTS‘s music career, the popular K-pop group has released multiple albums and EPs that have only expanded their international fanbase, helping usher in a new era of K-pop’s influence on worldwide pop music. As their discography has grown in size, their recorded history has helped showcase the growth of their vocal talents and songwriting abilities.
BTS has an extensive music discography comprised of nine studio albums, seven compilation albums, one soundtrack, eight EPs, two single albums, and two re-releases. Not to mention the number of singles that they’ve released in between. As BTS enters their indefinite hiatus period, with some of their members working on their solo careers, now is the perfect time to look back at all the albums they’ve released since 2013.
Here are all of BTS’s studio albums, in chronological order.
2 Cool 4 Skool (June 12, 2013)
2 Cool 4 Skool was BTS’ debut album, released in 2013. This was back in the day when the group embraced the rap and R&B genre, with “No More Dream” being this album’s featured single. The music video for this track currently has over 263 million views on YouTube, while 2 Cool 4 Skool sold over 430,000 copies by January 2022.
The album’s relaxed sound and strong instrumentals have caused it to remain a fan-favorite, and it standout amongst the band’s early work and developing sound.
O!RUL8,2? (Sept 11, 2013)
O!RUL8,2? (Oh! Are you late, too?) is BTS’s first EP. The album continued to embrace the rap genre, but also included a few dance elements in some of its songs. O!RUL8,2? had 10 tracks and sold over 200,000 copies in 2019. While thematically an album based on heartbreak, it is one that fans have enjoyed for a decade.
Skool Luv Affair (Feb 12, 2014)
After the success of O!RUL8,2?, BTS released their second EP, Skool Luv Affair, under the theme of young love and being in school. Their lead single for this EP was “Boy in Luv,” which had the boys act for the first time. Skool Luv Affair found success in the U.S., as it peaked at number three on the Billboard World Album Charts.
This marked the group’s transition into the international music scene, helping them “break” America and gain chart success in the U.S., and it’s not difficult to imagine why.
Skool Luv Affair Special Addition (May 14, 2014)
Thanks to the success of Skool Luv Affair, BTS released a special edition of their EP, featuring brand new tracks such as “Miss Right” and “I Like it (Slow Jam Remix).” This limited edition album had multiple re-releases due to the number of times it sold out whenever it came to market. By 2020, the album sold over 670,000 copies.
Considering its immense success, it’s clear that fans are truly obsessed with this album. It remains a highlight in their discography, even to this day.
2 Cool 4 Skool / O!RUL8,2? (April 23, 2014)
Speaking of worldwide success, 2 Cool 4 Skool / O!RUL8,2? is the first Japanese compilation album BTS released in 2014. Unlike their other Japan-exclusive albums, the songs featured were sung in Korean, and didn’t have any Japanese language versions. Although it was a change from their previous albums, it went over very well with their listeners and managed to become a huge success.
Dark & Wild (Aug 19, 2014)
After a year of releasing EPs, BTS finally released their first studio album. Dark & Wild was released on Aug 20, 2014, with “Danger” being their lead single. Dark & Wild focused on the group maturing and sold over 100,000 copies by the end of its first year of release. It even peaked at number three on the Billboard US World Album charts and number two on the South Korean music charts.
Wake Up (Dec 24, 2014)
Wake Up is the first Japanese studio album released by BTS, where they sang Japanese for the first time as they re-recorded their best tracks for their Japanese fans. Wake Up sold over 28,000 copies and was BTS’s best-selling album in Japan during its release.
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 (April 29, 2015)
If you ask BTS fans how they got into the K-pop group, a majority would tell you that it’s due to their song “Dope.” The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 was BTS’s third EP as part of their 2015 comeback. This was also the start when BTS shifted away from their original music style and began experimenting with other sounds.
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 (Nov 30 2015)
Following part one, part two of The Most Beautiful Moment in Life was released in November 2015. The fourth EP featured more slow-tempo songs such as “Butterfly,” “Run,” and “Autumn Leaves,” while also including some rap tracks that they were known for in the past. The EP peaked at number one on Billboard’s US World Album charts.
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever (May 2, 2016)
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever was the final part of BTS’s The Most Beautiful Moment in Life trilogy. This compilation album contained 23 tracks and three new songs such as “Epilogue: Young Forever,” “Fire,” and “Save Me.” The album sold over 100,000 copies during the first three days of its release.
Youth (Sept. 7, 2016)
Youth is BTS’s second Japanese-language studio album, which featured songs from The Most Beautiful Moment in Life trilogy, but re-recorded for a Japanese audience. The album sold over 44,000 copies on its first day, and peaked at number one on Japan’s music charts.
Wings (Oct 10, 2016)
Wings is BTS’s second studio album, released on Oct 10, 2016. The album featured 15 new songs, with their lead single “Blood Sweat and Tears.” The album sold over 1.8 million physical copies worldwide. Wings was so successful that it led to the K-pop group being featured in Rolling Stone, a marker of their ability to break into new levels of international recognition.
The Best of Bangtan Sonyeondan – Korea & Japan Edition (Jan. 6, 2017)
Due to the rising success that BTS had in 2016, the K-pop group released their first “best of” album for both Korean and Japanese audiences. The Best of Bangtan Sonyeondan (AKA: The Best of BTS) is a compilation album that features singles from their previous albums. The difference between the two versions is the language in which these songs were sung, and the Japanese version didn’t feature any songs from the Wings album.
You Never Walk Alone (Feb 13, 2017)
You Never Walk Alone is the continuation of the Wings album as part of BTS’s promotion for their upcoming world tour. The “repackaged” album had two versions: “left” and “right.” Both have the same tracklist, with different cover art. You Never Walk Alone also featured a brand new track titled “Spring Day,” which currently has over 365 million streams on Spotify.
Love Yourself: Her (Sept 18, 2017)
2017 was the start of the Love Yourself trilogy. Love Yourself: Her was the first part of this collection, and the fifth EP BTS released. Their lead single was “DNA,” and the music video for the song became the first out of all of BTS’s releases at the time to reach one billion views on YouTube.
Face Yourself (April 4, 2018)
Face Yourself is BTS’s third Japanese studio album which featured Japanese versions of songs from Wings and Love Yourself: Her. This album also featured the new tracks ”Let Go,” “Crystal Snow,” and “Don’t Leave Me,” all sung in Japanese. By 2019, Face Yourself sold over 500,000 copies.
Love Yourself: Tear (May 18, 2018)
Part two of the Love Yourself trilogy was the release of Love Yourself: Tear in May 2018. The second studio album won MTV’s album of the year for “transcending language and cultural barriers” as the album tackles the themes of love, innocence, doubt, and grief.
Love Yourself: Answer (Aug 24, 2018)
Love Yourself: Answer is BTS’s third compilation album and the final part of the Love Yourself trilogy. The album told the narrative of love and loss, similar to a nine-minute short film that the group released before Love Yourself: Tear, titled Euphoria: Theme of LOVE YOURSELF 起 Wonder. The album received many accolades, such as Billboard’s “The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2018: Critics’ Picks” and Yahoo’s “The best albums of 2018.”
Map of the Soul: Persona (April 12, 2019)
After nearly a year of silence, BTS came back with a bang with their comeback trailer for their next album, Map of the Soul. The group released the single “Persona” performed by RM. Map of the Soul: Persona is BTS’s sixth EP and sold over 3.2 million copies in a month. The EP debuted on the number one spot on Billboard’s US 200 music charts, and broke a record that was held only previously by The Beatles.
BTS World: Original Soundtrack (June 28, 2019)
In 2019, BTS released a mobile game called BTS World, where players take on the role of BTS’s manager in 2012. As part of the game’s launch, BTS released the official soundtrack of the game, containing songs that were featured such as “Dream Glow” featuring Charli XCX.
Map of the Soul: 7 (Feb 21, 2020)
A year later, BTS released Map of the Soul: 7, an album based on the identity of BTS and how they’ve grown as a group. The group released three singles: “Shadow” performed by Suga; “Ego” performed by J-Hope; and “Black Swan” performed by the group. In 2021, Map of the Soul: 7 won Best Album at the Seoul Music Awards, and was nominated for Album of the Year at the Korean Music Awards.
Map of the Soul: 7 – The Journey (July 15, 2020)
Map of the Soul: 7 – The Journey is BTS’ fourth Japanese studio album, featuring re-recorded songs from Map of the Soul: 7 in Japanese. The album also featured four new songs: “Intro: Callin,” “Outro: The Journey,” “Stay Gold,” and “Your Eyes Tell”. The album sold over 750,000 physical copies during its fourth week, and was a certified triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
Dynamite (Aug 28, 2020)
In August 2020, BTS released their first English-sung song titled “Dynamite,” which is an amazing feat considering that RM is the only BTS member who can speak English fluently. The song charted in multiple countries, and broke seven Guinness World Records, such as “Most Viewed YouTube video in 24 hours.” Due to the song’s success, BTS released an EP that featured not only the song, but also the instrumental version and various remixes.
Be (Nov 20, 2020)
BE is BTS’s fifth Korean studio album, which was released during the COVID-19 pandemic. The songs were based on and inspired by the lockdowns and what it was like to be stuck at home. A prime example is their lead single “Life Goes On,” with the accompanying video portraying the members staying at home together. It was a perfect album that fit the overall mood that the world was in during those unprecedented times.
Butter (Hotter, Sweeter, Cooler) (June 4, 2021)
Similar to Dynamite, BTS created an EP centered on their second English song “Butter.” The EP featured the song, its instrumental, and various remixes, and was streamed over a billion times on Spotify. “Butter” was considered to be an early contender for “Song of the Summer,” according to NME.
BTS, the best (June 16, 2021)
BTS, the best is BTS’s second Japanese compilation album released in 2021. The album featured songs from BTS’s previous Japanese studio albums, Face Yourself and Map of the Soul: 7 – The Journey, as well as a brand new song titled “Film Out.” The album sold over 800,000 copies, and debuted at number one on Billboard Japan’s Hot album chart.
Butter (July 9, 2021)
BTS re-released their Butter EP in 2021 after the success the song received. What makes this re-release different is that it only included two English-sung songs, “Butter,” “Permission to Dance,” and their instrumentals. No other remixes were found in this re-release, as they only were distributed as singles.
Proof (June 10, 2022)
Before BTS embarked on their hiatus, the group released Proof, their first anthology album, featuring songs from 2013 to 2022. The album had 35 songs, three of which are new such as “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment).” Proof sold over two million copies worldwide during its first day, and was ranked number one in dozens of countries, especially in Europe.
Published: Nov 14, 2023 05:43 pm