BTS, also known as the Bulletproof Boy Scouts or 방탄소년단, is a South Korean boy band that debuted under the BigHit Entertainment label in 2013. Although they started as a hip-hop group, their discography has evolved beyond the limits of a single genre. Potential new fans wanting to start listening to the band might find themselves intimidated staring at a discography of roughly 300 songs. Between their group work, individual (or solo) work, Soundcloud only songs, and features, it is easy to understand why someone might find it difficult to know where to start. This is where I come in to help!
There are two different roads I recommend for new fans:
1. Starting with their music videos on YouTube and then going album by album until you finish.
2. And a “build-your-own-adventure” style process, which is the method I’ll be going into detail on in this article.
This “build-your-own-adventure” style method is only as effective as it is with BTS because of the massive variety of genres their music explores. An ARMY (the name BTS gave to their fandom) on Reddit created a very handy chart to follow, which I’ll be using as a guide. Although it was made three years ago and it is slightly outdated at this point, it’s still a wonderful resource for beginners. Despite that this chart divides their discography into six genres, I will be dividing it into two. I will not be including their Soundcloud songs, as they are not available elsewhere but you will be able to find them on that app. I also recommend you read the translations of the songs as often as you are able to. This translator even points out the rhymes and some of the word play BTS incorporates into their lyrics.
Playlist option one: Spotify and Apple Music
This playlist option includes all varieties of hip-hop adjacent songs in their discography, from rap heavy hip-hop and trap to R&B and pop fusions. The Rap Line, composed of SUGA, RM, and j-hope, are the ones most featured in these categories, as these genres are their expertise. Their solo mixtapes and albums are largely available for streaming, but RM’s first mixtape is only available on Soundcloud.
Playlist option two: Spotify and Apple Music
This playlist has all the pop and pop-adjacent songs. If you have listened to their recent all English language hits, “Dynamite” and “Permission to Dance” fall into this playlist, you might really enjoy this one. If you don’t tend to listen to hip-hop or other similar genres, this is the playlist for you. These songs vary from pop and dance EDM to synth and jazzy tunes. This playlist contains the vast majority of the Vocal Line’s solo songs, composed of Jin, V, JIMIN, and JungKook.
These playlists, of course, are not mutually exclusive. BTS’ sound cannot easily or swiftly be divided into two “vibes” or genres. There are songs from both playlists that could fit in either one, as well as certain songs that fit in neither and have their own special sound. The songs that are not included in this list, might appear in the chart I mentioned above. Some may also be found in several online databases that organize their music. This Reddit page for BTS has many links to help you find their content, should you be interested in more than their music. Feel free to listen to these playlists as you will. I hope this article has helped it feel less intimidating to start listening to BTS and I wish you well on your journey into the Magic Shop!