After nearly four years without releasing music as a full group, BTS returned with ARIRANG, their fifth studio album. The members came back with music that was already being expected by fans around the world, following their military breaks. During that hiatus, RM, Jin, SUGA, J Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook completed South Korea’s mandatory service and also spent time developing their solo projects.
Now, their current comeback is connected to the ARIRANG World Tour 2026 to 2027, which is expected to include 85 concerts across 34 regions in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Australia. Their global run officially began on April 9, 2026, with their first show in Goyang, South Korea. Now, let’s revisit some of their most iconic tracks and buzziest new material in celebration of their legacy.
#1. SWIM: This is the newest entry on this list and one of the most important songs in BTS’ current era. Released as the lead single from ARIRANG, the track presents a softer and more reflective side of the group. According to the members, the song is about continuing forward through the changing tides of life and learning to move with your own rhythm instead of fighting everything around you. The song also made an immediate impact, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
#2. Dynamite: The track, released in 2020, remains one of the clearest examples of BTS crossing fully into the global mainstream. Even though the group already had a large international following before this song, Dynamite clearly opened a bigger door as their first full English-language song. The song went on to become one of BTS’s most-streamed tracks on both Spotify and YouTube, and it helped the group make history on the Billboard Hot 100 as a #1 hit. It also earned BTS its first Grammy nomination, which marked an important moment in the way the Western music industry viewed the group.
#3. Spring Day: This anthem, released in 2017, is often described by fans as one of BTS’ most emotional and meaningful songs. While it may not be their biggest song in raw streaming numbers, it has had one of the strongest long-term impacts. The song has also been connected by many listeners to the pain and mourning felt in South Korea after the 2014 ferry tragedy that killed more than 300 people, most of them students. Even years after its release, Spring Day continued to appear on annual charts in South Korea, proving its long-lasting impact.
#4. My Universe: BTS’s collaboration with Coldplay from 2021 became another key moment in the group’s international career. The song blends pop and synth-pop elements with a message about choosing love over fear, distance, and difference. Their collaboration debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and had a strong performance in global charts during its first weeks. he relationship between BTS and Coldplay continued after that release, especially through The Astronaut, the solo track linked to Jin.
#5. Boy With Luv: This collaboration with Halsey was released in 2019. It played a major role in pushing BTS deeper into the Western market. By that point, the group was already growing a fan base internationally, but this track helped them become much more visible and stable. It was released as the lead single from Map of the Soul: Persona, and it quickly became a global hit. The song dominated radio, gathered huge streaming numbers, and became one of BTS’s biggest videos on YouTube.
