10 Underrated BTS Songs

BTS has no shortage of songs. They have new albums more frequently than it is humanly possible. Thanks to this, we get a barrage of BTS hits quite often, along with multiple music videos to accompany the feature songs. However, that also means there are a whole host of songs that miss the spotlight they deserve. Of course, if you ask me, all BTS songs are good, but there are some that are criminally underrated. These songs, though they fly under the radar, hold meaning in the BTS storyline that their music has told since day one; how to value both yourself and the people around you. I didn’t really include any songs from the new Love Yourself albums because of how new and popular they are. More and more people fall in love with BTS and each song as a result gets more famous. I wanted to shed light on the earlier songs that newer fans may not have gotten around to yet. From the debut days to their current superstar status, these are ten BTS songs that deserve your attention.

1. "2nd Grade"

This is one of BTS’ early songs about growing in the K-pop industry. The title refers to them being in their second year as a group and how they’re really starting to kill it. Overall, the second album this comes from, Dark & Wild, is great. The hip-hop beat that dominated most of their early work is super present here along with a light pop sound that works perfectly with the lyrics. The hip-hop highlights their strong attitude and desire to keep getting better, while the high pitched bubbly sounds help with the school theme of the album and the song. It demonstrates the beginnings of BTS’ lyrical geniuses, as all three rappers (RM, Suga, and J-Hope) had a hand in the lyrics. BTS’ overarching concept has been youth to maturity, growing up with your best friends, and learning to love yourself. This album helped kick that off, with the boys using a school theme to describe the turmoil and vibrancy of youth. They weave graduating and advancing grade levels in school to growing in the K-pop industry in a way that mixes metaphors and includes double meanings. It’s a smart song with an upbeat tempo, setting the tone for a lot of what BTS would continue to produce.

2. "Look Here"

Off the same album as "2nd Grade", this one is another upbeat sounding jam that gets me excited whenever I hear it. It continues the idea of youth and growth in what can simply be called a little love song. It’s pretty simple, they want a pretty girl’s attention, kind of like a school crush, to continue the school aesthetic going on in this album. It’s a bouncy song, featuring a happy acoustic guitar that takes over and makes you want to smile. You can also hear the vocal talents in each of the boys. The four vocals of the group, Jungkook, V, Jimin, and Jin, harmonize together perfectly. Jin and Jimin’s voices skew high to Jungkook’s middle ground lead vocals, which all compliments V’s deep voice. They trade off roles in the chorus and bridge, but each of them have such distinct voices that you can pinpoint who’s singing pretty easily. The rappers are also as great as always, but it’s RM’s final rap that takes the cake here. His voice is seductive as hell and he can rap quickly and clearly, even when he’s practically breathing the words. It’s a perfect way to end the song.

3. "I Like It Pt. 1"

This song is one of many that have both Korean and Japanese versions. I point that out here because I only listen to the Japanese version. That’s the one I heard first, so it sounds like it flows better to me than the one in BTS’ native language. Also, there’s a part 2, which is the more popular of these two songs. Again, this song is about love, rather the lamenting of a boy post-break up. They’re upset to have lost her, and the title refers to seeing her happiness without them on social media. It’s actually a clever title, because the lyrics mention how the singer is upset, but he can’t help but look and like the photos she posts. He likes it, but at the same time he doesn’t like it and can’t stop. This one has a bit of a dreamy hip hop feel to it. It reminds me of one of those quiet boy band songs from the early 2000s. The beat is soft, there’s a cute little chime in the background that fits with the innocence of BTS’ earlier days, while the subject starts to hint at unhappiness that will come out in future albums.

4. "Boyz With Fun"

This song comes from BTS’ 2015 album, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt 1. This is the album where BTS started to really pull together the story arc that would be concluded in the recent Love Yourself trilogy. This album gave us the smash hits "I Need U and Dop", which are my first BTS songs actually, so it’s okay if you don’t know "Boyz With Fun" as well as those two. "I Need U’s" music video shows the boys in various stages of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and recklessness to jumpstart the arc the boys will undergo over the next three to four years. "Boyz With Fun" fits in to the recklessness aspect of it. The song is loud and boisterous, as is the choreography, which includes them trying to outdo each other and announcing themselves. I love the earlier songs because of how they highlight V’s deep voice. Nowadays he sounds a little softer, but in songs like this one, his deep voice is a rougher around the edges.

5. "Run"

This might be the most popular song on this list, considering it got a whole music video and was pretty much the feature song on the EP, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt 2. However, "Run" does NOT get the treatment it deserves. This song is a banger. It includes a heavy pop beat with a nice little guitar riff that opens the song and plays throughout. It makes you want to run yourself. This might be my favorite song from The Most Beautiful Moment EPs, it’s that good. It also has energetic and impressive choreography. Check out the music video if you want to see the boys running around and acting up, continuing the reckless youth phase of their music. The lyrics reinforce the video. The boys are losing their grip on happiness and are hurrying to keep hold of something that they can’t anymore. They acknowledge they’re in pain and that they can’t go back. No matter what they have to keep going forward and try to find what they’ve lost.

6. "Ma City"

This is another one off TMBMIL Pt 2. It’s such a fun song, and I love how bouncy and lively it is. It’s also more about their homes. RM sings about Ilsan, Jimin about Busan, J-Hope about Gwangju, and so on. It’s not too in depth lyrically in comparison with their other work, but it’s just so much fun to listen to them sing about their cities, about places they’re proud of and appreciate. The rapping and singing is full of energy and begs you to dance, or at the very least tap your foot wherever you are. Not to mention Jungkook has some lovely high notes at the beginning and end. You also get a taste of how fast Suga raps, something he takes immense pride in and is widely recognized for. Overall "Ma City" is a fun experience, and it’s one I wish they had a music video for.

7. Interlude/Outro: 'Wings'

Wings is my favorite BTS album. From drawing parallels to Hermann Hesse’s philosophical novel Demian to incredibly dark and Victorian-esque imagery (looking at you, V with the amazing black wings in the Wings World Tour trailer), this album marked the emotional low point before the Love Yourself series. This title song went from being the interlude to the outro once the album was repackaged a few months later with a some new tracks. The song "Wings" is one of the more hopeful ones on the album. This song comes on the heels of the solo tracks each of the members have. Each song discusses their individual struggles, from self-hatred to isolation, but the seven reunite their voices to bring us this conclusion to the album. They sing about their journeys, but instead of focusing on the hardships and despair that have come with it, they realize they suffered so that their wings could grow. They’re taking their first flight and finally reaching goals they’ve always wanted to achieve. It’s taking the pain they lived during the Wings album and helping each other to fly.

8. "Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone"

This is from that repackage of Wings I mentioned above, and also the title of the repackage. It takes the positivity of Wings and brings it to the next level. Even the concept photos for this repackage are a little brighter, showing the boys by the sea or smiling in the middle of a rainbow confetti downfall. The song is airy and vibrant. It starts with Suga’s gentle voice, builds with J-Hope’s always cheerful and energetic voice, and keeps up the optimistic tone from there. They use a light synth sound to make it sound even more hopeful and confident than the previous albums. Each of the boys talks about how they are each other’s wings. They acknowledge the scars and loneliness of the past and vow to continue forward as one group in the next evolution of their musical career. My favorite line is probably V’s, “This road may be long and arduous but will you stay with me?” It’s one of the shorter songs on the list, but has an unforgettable feeling. They end with the vocal line’s Jimin and Jin singing the song’s title and Suga finishing the album with the simple line, “I can smile”. It’s a great way to end an album.

9. "Crystal Snow"

Taking another break from the storyline, "Crystal Snow" is the first Christmas special song that BTS has done. It was released in Japanese when they released some of the popular Wings songs in Japanese as well. It’s such a sweet song. The music is a nice blend of piano, strings, and guitar. At it’s core, this is a Christmas love song about missing someone you love very much. It has some adorable lines like “Can I touch your heart” and “I want to hug you one more time before you disappear”. As usual, BTS lyrics have more than one meaning. The crystal snow they’re singing about, while also being about a relationship, doubles as an ode to snowfall and how beautiful it looks, even though it doesn’t last long. I really love this song. I listen to it year round, even in July heatwaves, and love how their voices sound. The rappers are gentle, and what may be most impressive is Jin’s crystal clear high note towards the end of the song. Unfortunately, Jin often gets the least amount of lines despite how beautifully he sings. This song lets him have some time in the spotlight.

10. "134340"

134340 has such a special place in my heart and I almost never hear it get talked about. This is off of the Tear album and the title refers to Pluto. For starters, I’m a Plutophile, meaning Pluto is my favorite planet (despite it not technically being a major planet). Tear is the dark album in between the other two Love Yourself albums. The sounds are R&B and jazz inspired overall and explore some darker sides of love. "134340" does this through an incredibly clever lens in referencing Pluto, the planet. The song title refers to the number designated to Pluto after it was downgraded from planet status. The lyrics speak as if from Pluto’s view, pondering how they could just be cast aside when they were once important. It’s symbolic of some form of failed relationship and how one can move on from that. It’s so relaxing and quiet to listen to. In particular, Suga’s rap over the soft strumming of a guitar is one of the most soothing sections of a BTS song I’ve ever listened to.

There you have it. If you like BTS, these are some songs you should check out. The BTS boys rarely disappoint, even in their early days. Hopefully more people will go back and listen to older songs if they enjoy the newer tracks as well.