BTS didn't just wake up one morning and decide to conquer the West by ditching their mother tongue. If you've spent any time in the corner of the internet where purple hearts are the primary currency, you know the "English era" is a massive point of contention. Some fans saw it as a desperate grab for a Grammy. Others saw it as a lifeline during a global lockdown. Honestly? It’s a bit of both, but mostly it was a chess move that changed the music industry forever.
People love to argue about bts songs in english like there’s a right or wrong way to be a fan. You have the purists who miss the grit of Dark & Wild and the newer crowd who joined the party during the disco-pop explosion of 2020. It's a weird divide.
The 2020 Pivot That Nobody Saw Coming
When "Dynamite" dropped in August 2020, it wasn't just a song. It was a cultural reset. Before that, the group had toyed with English—RM's solo track "Tokyo" comes to mind, or the Steve Aoki collaboration "Waste It On Me." But "Dynamite" was different. It was the first time the septet released a track entirely in English as a lead single.
They didn't even write it.
That’s the part that still stings for some. BTS is known for being heavily involved in their production, with RM, Suga, and J-Hope usually deep in the credits. But David Stewart and Jessica Agombar penned "Dynamite" to be a "huge ball of energy." It worked. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the first Korean act to ever do it.
It was basically a Trojan horse. They used a bright, retro-pop sound to get through the door of American radio, a place that historically ignored them unless they were playing a remix with a Western artist.
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The Trilogy: Dynamite, Butter, and Permission to Dance
Most people group these three together as the "English Trilogy." It's a fair label. While "Dynamite" was about disco and joy, "Butter" (released in May 2021) was all about that smooth, synth-pop swagger.
Jin actually admitted in a 2021 interview with Billboard that singing in English felt totally unnatural at first. He had to write out the pronunciations in Korean characters just to get the flow right. Imagine being one of the biggest stars on the planet and having to go back to basics like a language student. That’s dedication.
Then came "Permission to Dance."
Written by Ed Sheeran, it was the final piece of the puzzle. It was sugary. It was hopeful. It was also the point where some long-time fans started to get a bit nervous. The "Westernization" debate blew up. Critics like Carol Xu argued that the group was losing the "emotional undertones" that made their Korean albums like Love Yourself: Tear so heavy and beautiful.
The Hidden Gems and Solo English Tracks
If you think the English discography stops at the big three hits, you're missing the best parts. The solo eras—especially in 2023 and 2024—showed a much more nuanced side of English lyrics.
Take Jungkook’s GOLDEN album. Songs like "Seven" and "Standing Next to You" aren't just radio bait; they’re high-level pop performances. Or V’s "Winter Bear," a soulful, lo-fi track that feels like a warm hug. These aren't "corporate" songs. They are expressions of individual artists trying to communicate with a global audience on their own terms.
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Here is a quick reality check on the main English-heavy releases:
- Dynamite (2020): The disco-pop breakthrough.
- Butter (2021): The summer anthem with a dance break that broke YouTube.
- Permission to Dance (2021): The pandemic "healing" song co-written by Ed Sheeran.
- Waste It On Me (2018): Technically a Steve Aoki track featuring BTS, but it set the stage.
- My Universe (2021): A collaboration with Coldplay that mixed English and Korean perfectly.
- Seven (2023): Jungkook’s solo debut that proved English pop could still be "cool" and mature.
Why the Language Shift Actually Matters
Critics say they "sold out." I'd argue they "bought in."
By releasing bts songs in english, the group forced the Western industry to look at them as peers rather than a "foreign curiosity." It gave them the leverage to return to Korean lyrics later with even more power. Look at "Yet To Come"—it’s a Korean song that felt massive because the world was already watching.
It’s also about accessibility. Not everyone wants to read a translation of "Black Swan" on their first listen. Sometimes you just want to sing along to a song about "cup of milk, let's rock and roll" while you're driving to work. There's room for both.
The group is currently gearing up for a full-group return in 2026. Rumors are already swirling about whether the new album will lean back into their hip-hop roots or continue the pop trajectory. If history tells us anything, they’ll probably do both and surprise everyone.
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What You Should Do Next
If you've only heard the hits, you haven't really heard BTS. To get the full picture of how they handle English, you need to look at the collaborations and solo work that don't always get the "Dynamite" level of marketing.
1. Listen to "Waste It On Me"
This 2018 track is the bridge between their old hip-hop style and their new pop sound. It’s moody, electronic, and shows off the vocal line’s range without the "cookie-cutter" feel of later hits.
2. Watch the "Permission to Dance" UN Performance
Don't just listen to the song; watch them perform it at the United Nations General Assembly. It changes the context from a "simple pop song" to a global message of resilience.
3. Check the Solo Credits
Look up the lyrics for RM’s Indigo or J-Hope’s Jack In The Box. Even when they use English, the depth is there. It’s not about the language; it’s about the intent behind it.
The "English era" wasn't a departure from who BTS is. It was just another chapter in a book that is still being written. Whether you love the pop sheen or crave the Korean rap verses, you can't deny that these seven guys from Seoul redefined what it means to be a "global" artist in 2026 and beyond.