I'm an old-school BTS ARMY, and these 10 pre-western tracks show why they became global icons

Indian Express

9 hours ago

BTS exploded to global fame in 2018, pulling in Western audiences and dominating the Billboard charts with their viral tracks like 'Dynamite' and 'Butter'. But as someone who followed this iconic boy band before they became a global powerhouse, I can say their pre-2017 discography is a treasure trove of incredible B-sides and non-title tracks. Despite being mostly in Korean, the lyrics never felt hard to grasp. The depth, meaning, and fearless approach in these songs reveal the factors that shaped BTS into what they are today. As an old-school ARMY, here are some tracks I'd recommend to truly understand their journey to the top.
No More Dream (2013)
N.O. (2013)
Another masterpiece, with lyrics like, 'Who is the one who made us into study machines? It's either number one or a failure,' continued the theme of social critique, calling out the brutal academic culture. With tracks like these, BTS built their fanbase from scratch. The song is a call to young people to be themselves and fight for their dreams.
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I Need U (2015)
This song marked the biggest turn in BTS' discography as their tone shifted to a more melancholic and emotional territory. It was the beginning of the Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa (The Most Beautiful Moment in Life) era.
Run (2015)
Focused on beauty and the anxieties of youth, BTS' The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 era is incomplete without 'Run'. The track's take on friendship, rebellion, and the desperate desire to escape is beautifully captured in both the music and the video.
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Fire (2016)
If you are looking for solid, unadulterated hype, this song with EDM-hip-hop is worth listening to on loop. The jaw-dropping choreography is some of the best I have ever seen, with a powerful message I still live by today: to live life to the fullest and 'burn it all.'
Blood Sweat & Tears (2016)
If you've never experienced a brilliant fusion of moombahton, trap, and baroque-inspired music, 'Blood Sweat & Tears' will fulfill that urge. It presents a darker, more mature concept than BTS had explored before, one that still resonates today. The music video, meanwhile, is filled with symbolic imagery and literary references.
Spring Day (2017)
If there's one song I would vote to go down in history, it's BTS' 'Spring Day'. The first time I came across the track was when the boys paid homage to the Korean ship tragedy that claimed so many children's lives. The song and lyrics are enough to leave you in tears. It's a gentle, emotional, and poetic song about loss and longing. To this day, it remains the longest-charting song on the Melon chart.
Boy In Luv (2014)
For young fans in love and enjoying youth, this should be your go to anthem. The Halsey factor just made it more interesting. A fan favourite from their school trilogy, this song is a pop-rock track with slightly clumsy feelings of falling in love. Special mention to 'Bultaoreune' (burning up) chant in the chorus.
Whalien 52 (2015)
This is one of BTS' most beautiful B-side tracks. The lyrics, penned with so much emotional depth, are a metaphor for feeling lonely and isolated, comparing one's feelings to that of the 52-hertz whale. That's the creature we are talking about, known for its immense frequency but unable to communicate with others of its kind. It's a song about feeling like an outcast.
Save ME (2016)
While 'Fire' and 'Blood, Sweat & Tears' were the main tracks of this era, it was 'Save Me' that truly caught my attention. It's a masterpiece in its own right. The song's aesthetic one-take music video, filmed on an open field, delivers a desperate plea for help that ties into the most vulnerable themes of the Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa era.
Apart from these, tracks like '2! 3!' (Still Wishing There Will Be Better Days), often called an anthem for BTS and ARMY, are a must-listen for new fans. Some other notable tracks include 'Tomorrow' (2014), 'Baepsae' (Silver Spoon / Crow-Tit), 'Dope' (2015), 'Magic Shop' (2018), 'Jump' (2014), 'BTS Cypher Pt. 3: Killer' (2014), and 'We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2' (2013).