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''Be'' is the fifth Korean-language and ninth overall
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by South Korean boy band
BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
. It was released on November 20, 2020, through
Big Hit Entertainment Big Hit Music (, stylized in all caps), formerly Big Hit Entertainment (), is a South Korean record label established in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk. It was re-branded and re-structured into an independent label under Hybe Corporation (formerly Big Hit ...
, nine months after its predecessor, '' Map of the Soul: 7'' (2020). Created in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, ''Be'' was inspired by BTS's perspective of life during the pandemic. The record sees the band members contributing to various aspects of album-making process including songwriting, development, production, and visual design. ''Be'' is primarily a pop record, encompassing
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
, EDM, and
disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
genres with elements of
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...
,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
, and R&B. Described by BTS as "a letter of hope", the lyrics are about comfort, loneliness, anxiety, sadness, hope, connection, and joy.
Critics A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governme ...
hailed the album's pop sound and the eclectic experimentation of musical styles, with many praising its authenticity and simplicity. A few others expressed mixed feelings and found it unadventurous. The album was preceded by the standalone single "
Dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern German ...
", which marked BTS's first number-one song on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was followed by the
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
of ''Be'', " Life Goes On", which also debuted atop the Hot 100, becoming BTS's third consecutive chart-topper in the United States. The album was BTS's fifth to debut at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, making BTS the fastest group to earn five chart-topping albums in the United States since
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
. Elsewhere, the album topped charts in Canada, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, South Korea, and Wallonia; and peaked within the top 10 of 14 other territories. The album has since been certified triple million by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) and
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ). BTS promoted ''Be'' with performances at the
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
and television programs, including ''
The Late Late Show with James Corden ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known simply as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2015 to 2023. It is the fourth and final iteration of '' The Late Late Show'', and aired in the United Sta ...
''.


Background

BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
released their fourth Korean-language studio album, '' Map of the Soul: 7'', in February 2020, to critical and commercial acclaim. In support of the album, the band was slated to begin the
concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often, concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific ...
,
Map of the Soul Tour BTS Map of the Soul Tour was a planned worldwide concert tour headlined by South Korean boy band BTS to promote their ''Map of the Soul'' album series, including their '' Map of the Soul: Persona'' EP and '' Map of the Soul: 7'' studio album. The ...
in April 2020, but the tour was postponed following the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. During a
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
broadcast, band member RM revealed that BTS were working on a new album. He hinted that they would be sharing the preparation process of the forthcoming album through subsequent self-documented videos as part of their initiative to interact with the fans during the
lockdown A lockdown () is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison protocol that us ...
. In subsequent broadcasts, it was revealed that the album would be written and produced by the band members. In addition to writing songs for the album, the band members were heavily involved in the overall production process, undertaking the role of project managers in various fields, which included developing concepts, themes, as well as its visual design. Jimin was responsible for A&R, acting as a link between the group and their management label.
Suga Min Yoon-gi (; born March 9, 1993), known professionally by his stage names Suga (; stylized in all caps) and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in June ...
, V, and
J-Hope Jung Ho-seok (; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as J-Hope (; stylized in lower case), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, ...
handled the production together with Jin and Jungkook; the latter was also responsible for directing the music video. V and RM supervised the graphics and design of the album. Speaking about the album in an interview with ''
Teen Vogue ''Teen Vogue'' is an American progressive online publication, formerly in print, launched in January 2003, as a sister publication to '' Vogue'', targeted at teenage girls and young women. Like ''Vogue'', it included stories about fashion and ...
'', BTS stated: "An increase of direct participation in the album-making process allowed us to explore more aspects of our music and creativity."


Music and lyrics

''Be'' is primarily a pop record, encompassing
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
, EDM, and
disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
genres with
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...
,
neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from Soul music, soul ...
,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
, R&B,
1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War ...
,
1980s File:1980s replacement montage02.PNG, 335px, From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, ''Space Shuttle Columbia, Columbia'', lifts off in 1981; US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union, Soviet General Secretary of the Communist Party of ...
,
1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American jets fly over burning oil fields in the 1991 Gulf War; the Oslo Accords on 13 September 1993; the World ...
, and
2010s File:2010s collage v22.png, From top left, clockwise: Anti-government protests called the Arab Spring arose in 2010–2011, and as a result, many governments were overthrown, including when Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was Death of Muammar Gad ...
mainstream music elements. '' Vox'' called ''Be'' "a loudly
retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...
mix of pop sounds ranging from frothy to funky, melancholic to mellow, filtered through a lens of determined positivity". The album is 28 minutes and 30 seconds long and features eight songs. It makes heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, funk
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
,
drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
s, horns, and sentimental
string instrument In musical instrument classification, string instruments, or chordophones, are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer strums, plucks, strikes or sounds the strings in varying manners. Musicians play some ...
s. BTS took inspiration from the emotions they felt during the pandemic, to write songs for the album and convey their thoughts. Created out of frustration, anxiety, and powerlessness, the album title "Be" stands for "being" and encapsulates BTS's reflection on the present times. As opposed to the vast atmospherics and psychoanalytical themes that can be found in the band's previous works, ''Be'' is lyrically inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, with BTS describing it as "a letter of hope" during the quarantine era. The record starts off slow with "warm, soothing
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
-esque comforts", before picking up pace in the second half with "some of the band's more refined, savvy and uplifting pop yet". The album expands on a wide range of emotions, exploring themes of comfort, loneliness, anxiety, depression, burn-out, fear, frustration, restlessness, sadness, hope, connection, resolve, and joy. Several reviewers, including ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
''s Jeff Benjamin, observed that the album explores the different moods that people are feeling during the unprecedented times. Dani Blum of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' said that the album "fixates on the frustration and grief of life in quarantine, sifting through the blurry days to construct a new form of intimacy".


Songs

The album opens with the ruminative " Life Goes On", a
midtempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given composition, and is often also an indication of the composition's character or atmos ...
alternative hip hop Alternative hip-hop (also known as alternative rap and experimental hip-hop) is a subgenre of hip-hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising "hip-hop group ...
and synth-pop song underlaid with an acoustic guitar. Pertaining to a mellow vibe, the song has a folksy, stripped-down sound. It makes use electronic beats, 808 drums, and melodic rhymes, with "acrobatic" vocals and harmonies on the
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...
. The lyrics deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and speak of being hopeful for better times. RM said that the track has "a simple message but a profound truth". The second track, "Fly to My Room" is a 1990s-inspired R&B, neo soul, and pop song with
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
and synth-pop elements. Performed by Jimin, V, J-Hope, and Suga, the vulnerable track features "breathy" vocals and
falsetto Falsetto ( , ; Italian language, Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ...
s. The former two switch back and forth in the verses and chorus, while the latter two rap in a "sing-song" style. The song employs a sparse production for which '70s piano, funky keyboards, and trap programmed drum beats provide minimalist instrumentation. Lyrically, the track is about loneliness and confinement, and talks about mentally being able to escape the monotony of quarantine life. The melancholic, slow-jam number " Blue & Grey" is a soft pop ballad that relies a "sparse-yet-tender" production. Set in a cinematic arrangement of minor chords that includes acoustic guitar, twinkling pianos, and wistful strings, the emotional track makes use of "breathy" and "crooning" vocals to confess about fear, depression, burn-out, and pandemic-induced loneliness, using the colors blue and grey. ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' labelled it as "one of the exemplary songs of the 'pandemic-pop' era" that acts as "a ribbon of immaculate bedroom
emo Emo () is a genre of rock music characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and from the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands ...
, gorgeously harmonized but never show-offy or overpowering". The fourth track is a non-musical spoken worded "Skit" about BTS's first number one song on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, which serves an interlude to separate the album into two parts. "Telepathy" is a playful 1980s-inflected disco and funk song that makes use of an electronic production. The song is driven by '70s beats,
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune is audio processor software released on September 19, 1997, by the American company Antares Audio Technologies. It uses a proprietary device to measure and Pitch correction, correct pitch in music. It operates on different principles ...
d vocals, and
G-funk G-funk, short for gangsta funk, (or funk rap) is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre is heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic (aka P-F ...
whistle A whistle is a musical instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It is a type of Fipple, fipple flute, and may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a s ...
s. Featuring a groovy
bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, and classical music, for the low-pitched P ...
, it employs synth bass, "stacked-up"
vocal harmonies Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical chor ...
, a
cowbell A cowbell (or cow bell) is a bell (instrument), bell worn around the neck of free-roaming livestock so herders can keep track of an animal via the sound of the bell when the animal is grazing out of view in hilly landscapes or vast plains. ...
, and
jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts and live albums substantially feature improvisational "jam session, jamming". Typically, jam bands will play variations of pre-existing songs, extending them to musical improvisation, improvise ove ...
percussion in its production. The lyrics detail the connection that one can feel from someone despite physical distance and sees BTS admitting to the disorientation caused by excessive free time. "Dis-ease" is an old-school hip hop number that is accompanied by funk-laced horns and guitars. Lyrically, it delivers a message of strength and contains puns on the different forms of illnesses such as, BTS's addiction to work. Features brassy instrumentals, drums, and a sparse
scratching Scratching, sometimes referred to as scrubbing, is a DJ and Turntablism, turntablist technique of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a phonograph, turntable to produce percussive or rhythmic sounds. A crossfader on a DJ mixer may be used to ...
sound, the track begins with a
jazz guitar Jazz guitar may refer to either a type of electric guitar or a guitar playing style in jazz, using Guitar amplifier, electric amplification to increase the volume of acoustic guitars. In the early 1930s, jazz musicians sought to amplify their ...
before shifting to a
chopped and screwed Chopped and screwed (also called screwed and chopped or slowed and throwed) is a genre of hip-hop music and technique of remixing music that involves slowing down the tempo and DJing. It was pioneered by DJ Screw, and became a staple in the ...
drum breakdown. The seventh track, "Stay", performed by Jungkook, Jin, and RM, is a
future house Future house is a house music genre that emerged in the 2010s in the United Kingdom, described as a fusion of deep house, UK garage and incorporating other elements and techniques of other Electronic dance music, EDM genres. It is high in energy ...
, dance-pop, and EDM song with 1990s and 2010s influences. Incorporating heavy bass and an instrumental chorus, the song references how technology binds the band together with listeners. The album closes with the summer anthem, "
Dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern German ...
", a 1970s-flavoured
disco-pop Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describes ...
song with elements of funk,
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
and
bubblegum pop Bubblegum (also called bubblegum pop) is pop music in a catchy and upbeat style that is marketed for children and adolescents. The term also refers to a more specific rock and pop subgenre, originating in the United States in the late 1960s, th ...
. The upbeat production employs snapping handclaps, bounces, grooves, and beats. The track features a funky bassline, vocal harmonies, and falsettos, with brass, keyboard chords, guitar sound. Lyrically, it is about the joy and appreciation of little things that makes life valuable.


Release and promotion

On August 13, 2020,
Big Hit Entertainment Big Hit Music (, stylized in all caps), formerly Big Hit Entertainment (), is a South Korean record label established in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk. It was re-branded and re-structured into an independent label under Hybe Corporation (formerly Big Hit ...
held a corporate briefing where the agency confirmed that the new album would be released in the fourth quarter of that year. On September 27, Big Hit uploaded a teaser poster with the album's name, also announcing the release date. Preorders for the deluxe edition began the following day. On October 30, BTS teased the title of the album's
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
" Life Goes On" on
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. On November 10, the band posted the album's track list and digital cover. Three days later, they held an unboxing session of the album which was broadcast live on their YouTube channel. Nine months after '' Map of the Soul: 7'', ''Be'' was released worldwide on November 20, 2020, through Big Hit, in conjunction with a music video for "Life Goes On". An "Essential Edition" of the album was announced by Big Hit on January 24, 2021, as a thank-you to fans for the milestones the band achieved. Pre-orders for this version opened on January 25. The album retained the same eight-song tracklist as the deluxe edition, but the packaging's internal components contained some differences. "Surprise gifts" for the band's fandom were sequentially unveiled in the days leading up to the release on February 19.


Live performances

On November 22, 2020, BTS performed "Life Goes On" for the first time at the
American Music Awards of 2020 The 48th Annual American Music Awards were held on November 22, 2020, at the Peacock Theater, Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, recognizing the most popular artists and albums of 2020. Nominees were officially announced live on October 26, 2020, ...
, alongside "Dynamite". The band performed it from the
Seoul Olympic Stadium The Seoul Olympic Stadium (), a.k.a. Jamsil Olympic Stadium (formerly romanised as ''Chamshil''), is a multi-purpose stadium in Seoul, South Korea. It is the main stadium built for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1986 Asian Games, 10th Asian Ga ...
in matching black and white outfits. The following day, they performed "Life Goes On" on ''
Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...
'' and ''
The Late Late Show with James Corden ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known simply as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2015 to 2023. It is the fourth and final iteration of '' The Late Late Show'', and aired in the United Sta ...
''. BTS made their ''
MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' debut on the February 23, 2021 special edition of the show titled ''MTV Unplugged Presents: BTS''. The group's half-hour long "historic appearance", as the first Korean act to headline the series, saw them perform a stripped back, five-song setlist consisting of four tracks off the album—"Telepathy", "Blue & Grey", "Life Goes On", and "Dynamite"—and a "surprise cover" of
Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...
's " Fix You". This marked the live premiere of the first two tracks, B-sides that the group had yet to perform since the album's release. Each performance was filmed on a different set to match the mood of the song being sung, including an "arcade
like In English, the word ''like'' has a very flexible range of uses, ranging from conventional to non-standard. It can be used as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, particle, conjunction, hedge, filler, quotative, and semi-suffix. U ...
gameroom" for Telepathy, and "an indoor field...with blue and grey flowers" for "Blue & Grey". For the third and fourth tracks, the group was accompanied by a live four-piece band, Ghost, comprising a drummer, guitarist, bassist and keyboardist. ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...
''s Mary Siroky reviewed the appearance favorably, writing that "the BTS boys brought their A-game...keeping their virtual performances new and exciting, refusing to let their distance from an audience push them into anything repetitive or mundane". Siroky singled out Jin and Jimin's vocals on "Blue & Grey", noting how the two "soared in their upper registers, offering lush harmonies throughout".


Critical reception

''Be'' received generally positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. At
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 80 based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.3 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. In her review for ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
'', Ana Clara Ribeiro felt ''Be'' was a timeless pop offering that incorporated rap to create a sound that established BTS's legacy. Ribeiro said that although BTS's sonic identity was rap, she attributed ''Be''s success to the band's vocalists. ''
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''s Jochan Embley called the album "exquisitely produced" with "near faultless" vocal performances, a sentiment echoed by ''
The Arts Desk ''The Arts Desk'' (theartsdesk.com) is a British arts journalism website containing reviews, interviews, news, and other content related to music, theatre, television, films, and other art forms written by journalists from a variety of tradition ...
''s critic Peter Quinn in his review for the album. Reviewers were impressed with the experimentation of diverse musical styles, including Embley, Lenika Cruz of ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...
'', and Annabel Nugent of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', who said that the album "avoids the pitfall of sounding like a checklist". ''Voxs Aja Romano described it as a "sublime" album full of "seamless litany of bops intended to commemorate and celebrate getting through the Covid-19 pandemic", with Lexi Lane of
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
calling it BTS's "brightest and most unifying album yet". ''
Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...
'' writer Eva Zhu felt that the departure of ''Be'' towards a more "laidback" sound compared to the band's usual offerings was appealing to newer audience. Critics lauded the album's lyrical authenticity, intimacy, and simple message. Writing for ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'', Rhian Daly described ''Be'' as the "most accurate musical encapsulation of the roller coaster that is pandemic life so far" in which the group strikes a "perfect balance between encouragement and reassurance". In an enthusiastic review,
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Neil Z. Yeung complimented BTS for their openness and intimacy in the lyrics, calling the album an inspiring soundtrack: "Despite its brief runtime, ''Be'' is an expert snapshot of time and place, a document of a worldwide event that manages to strengthen their connection to their listeners and push their songcraft forward with focus, heart, and humanity." Katie Goh of '' i-D'' agreed and viewed it as a "the intimate, introspective lockdown project" that served as an honest depiction of people's struggles during 2020. Reviewers such as Emma Saletta of
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, have cited the record as an offering of hope for the future, with Benjamin calling it as BTS's "most on-brand album", and Siroky dubbing it as "the cozy comedown" which "brings the listener home in every sense, inviting us into the world of these seven young men in a way none of their other albums have so far". ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
'', ''
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'', and ''
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quietu ...
'' found the album soothing, and praised the introspective lyricism about isolation and quarantine. A few reviewers found the album unadventurous. For '' Clash'', Malvika Padin asserted that the album is "far simpler" than the band's past releases "yet equally comforting" but criticized its lack of appeal to the casual listeners". In the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'', August Brown deemed ''Be'' as the group's "most overt attempt to ascend the U.S. pop charts", but he remained favorable towards BTS's songwriting abilities, describing the album as "a trim, reflective and modest LP about resilience, written to meet a weary global mood". In a mixed review for ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'', Sophia Ordaz acknowledged the album for its simple and lucid message, but argued that it exchanged "overstimulating spectacle for low-key introspection".


Accolades

''
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'' included ''Be'' on its year-end list of the 30 best albums of 2020. '' Idolator'' ranked the album 53rd on its list of the 70 best pop albums of 2020. The album won Album of the Year – 4th Quarter at the 2021 Gaon Chart Music Awards in January. It also received a nomination for Album of the Year at the 2021 Melon Music Awards held on December 4, but did not win. The following week, it won Album of the Year at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards. At the 36th Golden Disc Awards, held in January 2022, ''Be'' won a Best Album
bonsang K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western dance music, hip-hop, R&B a ...
and earned BTS their record fifth consecutive Album of the Year daesang.


Commercial performance

''Be'' debuted atop the US ''Billboard'' 200 with 242,000
album-equivalent unit The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, often shortened to just unit, is a sales metric in the music industry that defines the number of streaming media, songs streamed and music download, songs downloaded equal to one Record sales, tradi ...
s, including 177,000 sales, on the chart dated December 5, 2020. The album is BTS's fifth chart-topper in the United States, making BTS the fastest group to earn five number-one albums since
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
between 1966 and 1968, as well as the first group to have two chart-topping albums in the country in 2020. Its lead single "Life Goes On" debuted atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with 150,000 downloads and 14.9 million U.S. streams, becoming the band's third number-one song following "Dynamite" and " Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)" remix. With this, BTS became the fastest group in over 42 years to earn three number-one songs in a span of three months since the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
. They became the second act following
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and an influential figure in popular music, Grande is known for her four-octave vocal range, which extends into the whistle re ...
to score three Hot 100 number one entries in 2020, as well as the first group to land two number-one debuts on the chart. "Life Goes On" marked the first song not sung in an English language to debut atop the chart. BTS became the only act apart from
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
to debut at number one on the Hot 100 and ''Billboard'' 200 simultaneously. They also became the first group and ninth overall act to prevail on top of the Artist 100, Hot 100, and ''Billboard'' 200 charts at the same time. Seven tracks from the album charted concurrently on the Hot 100 chart, with "Life Goes On" and "Dynamite" in the top-10, "Blue & Grey" in the top-20, and "Stay" in the top-40. This stood as the most simultaneous entries on the Hot 100 chart by a Korean act. With over 252,000 physical copies sold by the end of 2020, according to
MRC Data Luminate Data, LLC (formerly MRC Data and P-MRC Data) is a provider of music and entertainment data. Established as a joint-venture in 2020, it brought together Nielsen Music, Alpha Data (formerly BuzzAngle Music) and Variety Business Intellig ...
, ''Be'' was the fifth best-selling physical album of the year in the US. It was one of two BTS albums to make it on the top-ten ranking, the other being ''Map of the Soul: 7'' in first place, making BTS the only artist with multiple albums on the chart. In Canada, ''Be'' arrived at number one on the
Canadian Albums Chart The ''Billboard'' Canadian Albums is the official record chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music according to certain criteria during a given ...
, giving BTS their fourth chart-topping album in the country. ''Be'' debuted at number one on South Korea's
Gaon Album Chart The Circle Album Chart, previously known as the Gaon Album Chart, is a record chart ranking the 100 most popular albums, extended plays and single albums in South Koreabased on their Record sales, physical sales. It is a part of the Circle Chart, ...
with over 2.2 million copies sold in its first week. This marked the second-highest opening week sales figures in the chart's history, only behind ''Map of the Soul: 7'' which holds the record with over 3.3 million copies its first week. ''Be'' became BTS's eighth consecutive million seller in the country. The album exceeded sales of 2,692,000 copies by the end of 2020, achieving the second position on Gaon's year-end chart, only behind ''Map of the Soul: 7''. BTS had the most entries on the 100-spot ranking, with 13 of their albums entering the final chart. In March 2021, the album received a triple million certification from the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). In Japan, ''Be'' reached number one on the
Oricon Albums Chart The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon A ...
and was certified
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by the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ). ''Be'' debuted at number two on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
with first-week sales of 19,562 copies, behind Michael Ball and Alfie Boe's ''Together at Christmas''. This became BTS's fourth top-10 album in the country. In Ireland, the album topped the
Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). The charts were previously compiled on behalf of IRMA by Chart-Track, and have been compiled by t ...
, becoming the band's second chart-topper following ''Map of the Soul: 7''. By doing so, BTS became the first group in eight years to have two number-one albums in the same calendar year since
One Direction One Direction, often shortened to 1D, were an English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010. The group consisted of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik (until his departure in 2015), Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson. The group sold o ...
in 2012, and also the first act since
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in 2017. The album was also a chart-topper in New Zealand, giving BTS their third number one album in the territory. By reaching the same position on both the Norwegian Albums Chart and Ultratop 200 Albums chart, ''Be'' became BTS's first number one album in Norway and in the Flemish region of Belgium. It also topped the charts in Denmark, Poland, and Portugal. In Australia, ''Be'' entered at number two on the ARIA Albums chart, giving BTS their seventh top-10 entry. The album also attained number two position in Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland. Similarly, ''Be'' reached number three in Sweden and Wallonia region of Belgium. The album also entered Germany's Offizielle Top 100 at number four, and the Czech Albums at number five. Following the release of the Essential Edition in February 2021, ''Be'' returned to the top 10 of the US ''Billboard'' 200 at number seven on the chart dated March 6, with an additional 36,000 equivalent album units sold. Of this number, 28,000 copies were pure sales, giving the album a third non-consecutive week at number one on the Top Album Sales chart. BTS also returned to the top of the Artist 100 chart for their 16th week overall, further extending their record among all duos/groups. In Japan, the album sold an additional 95,853 copies for the period February 15–21 and re-entered the top three of the weekly Oricon Albums Chart at number two on the issue dated March 1, 2021. The album also ranked at number two on the monthly chart for February, with 118,912 cumulative sales. On March 26, ''Billboard'' reported that 32 albums saw an increase in sales—for the week ending March 18—following the
63rd Annual Grammy Awards The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held in and around the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles on March 14, 2021. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 201 ...
. Of these, ''Be'' was the 12th highest-selling album—experiencing a 6% increase—and moved 15,300 units, which helped push it into the top 40 of the ''Billboard 200'' at number 39. As of August 2021, the album has remained on the chart for 37 consecutive weeks.


Track listing


Personnel

Credits adapted from
liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or cassette j-cards. Origin Liner notes are descended from the prog ...
, Big Hit's website, NetEase Music and Tidal. (Note: To view album credits on mobile, request desktop version of website from your browser's settings menu.) Main Musicians *
BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
– primary vocals ** Jin – songwriting , production , vocals **
Suga Min Yoon-gi (; born March 9, 1993), known professionally by his stage names Suga (; stylized in all caps) and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in June ...
– songwriting , production , rap arrangement , recording engineer , vocals **
J-Hope Jung Ho-seok (; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as J-Hope (; stylized in lower case), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, ...
– songwriting , production , rap arrangement , recording engineer , vocals ** RM – songwriting , production , rap arrangement , recording engineer , vocals , background vocals ** Jimin – songwriting , production , vocals , background vocals ** V – songwriting , production , vocals , background vocals ** Jungkook – songwriting , production , vocals , background vocals * David Stewart – songwriting, production , drums , percussion , bass guitar , synth bass , synthesizer , pads , piano , electric guitars , programmed horns , programmed strings , background vocals * Pdogg – songwriting , production , additional production , keyboard , synthesizer , programming , vocal arrangement , rap arrangement , recording engineer , digital editing * Ghstloop – production , digital editing , gang vocals , keyboard , synthesizer , programming , additional drums * Hiss Noise – songwriting, production , drums , digital editing , synthesizer , gang vocals, recording engineer * Jisoo Park – songwriting, production , guitar , piano , string/clarinet , drums * Ivan Jackson Rosenberg – songwriting , keyboard , guitar , bass , programming * El Capitxn – songwriting, production , keyboard , gang vocals * Randy Runyon – songwriting , guitar * Cosmo's Midnight – songwriting, production * Arston – songwriting, production * Levi – songwriting, production * Metaphor – songwriting, production * Ruuth – songwriting , background vocals * Antonina Armato – songwriting * Chris James – songwriting * Jessica Agombar – songwriting * Joe Femi Griffith – songwriting * Brasstracks – production Instrument * Patrick Liney – keyboard * Cosmo Liney – bass * Young – guitar * nobody – bass * Conor Rayne – additional drums * DJ Friz – scratch * Arston – percussion * Johnny Thurkell – live horns Technical * Erik Reichers – recording engineer * Lee Yeon-su – recording engineer * Son Yu-jeong – recording engineer * Summergal – digital editing , gang vocals * Revin – digital editing * Josh Gudwin – mix engineer * Bob Horn – mix engineer * Yang Ga – mix engineer * Ken Lewis – mix engineer * James F. Reynolds – mix engineer * Serban Ghenea – mix engineer * Elijah Merritt – assistant mixer * Heidi Wang – assistant mixer * Dominik Rivinus – assistant mixer * John Hanes – assistant mixer * Jenna Andrews – vocal production * Juan "Saucy" Peña – vocal engineer * Duane Benjamin – vocal orchestrator Extra Vocals * The Singingforbonez Singers (Kenna Ramsey, Meloney Collins, Dedrick Bonner, Loren Smith) – choir * James Keys – background vocals * Joe Femi Griffith – background vocals * Adora – background vocals * Frants – gang vocals * Slow Rabbit – gang vocals * Jung Woo-yeong – gang vocals * Matt Thomson (Arcades) – gang vocals * Max Lynedoch Graham (Arcades) – gang vocals * Marie Ortinau – gang vocals * Jogn McEwan – gang vocals


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications and sales


Release history


See also

*
List of 2020 albums The following is a list of albums, Extended play, EPs, and mixtapes released in 2020. These albums are (1) original, i.e. excluding reissues, remasters, and Compilation album, compilations of previously released recordings, and (2) WP:MUS, not ...
* List of ''Billboard'' 200 number-one albums of 2020 * List of number-one albums of 2020 (Belgium) * List of number-one albums of 2020 (Canada) * List of number-one albums of 2020 (Ireland) * List of number-one albums from the 2020s (New Zealand) *
List of number-one albums in Norway This list shows all the albums that have been number one on the official chart list in Norway, VG-lista. The albums chart started as a top 20 chart in week 1, 1967 and was later expanded to a top 40 chart. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 ...
* List of number-one albums of 2020 (Poland)


References

{{Authority control 2020 albums BTS albums 2020s Korean-language albums Hybe Corporation albums Pop albums by South Korean artists Albums produced by Pdogg