BTS’ Album ‘BE’ Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
BTS released their new album BE (Deluxe Edition) on Nov. 20. The album has eight tracks including a skit and the band’s previously released single “Dynamite.” On Nov. 29, Billboard announced that BE debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming BTS‘ fifth No. 1 album on the chart.
‘BE’ is BTS’ second No. 1 album of 2020
Not only is BE BTS’ fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, but it is also their second No. 1 album of 2020. In February 2020, the Korean band released Map of the Soul: 7 which debuted at No. 1 on the chart.
According to Billboard, BE achieved “242,000 units” and “album sales comprise 177,000, TEA units comprise 35,000 and SEA units comprise 30,000 (equating to 48.56 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs).”
The K-pop group is the first group to earn two No. 1 albums in 2020, and BTS earned their fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 in a little over two years and six months.
Billboard reports that Future is the last act to achieve this feat faster than the Korean septet. The last group to achieve five No. 1 albums faster than BTS “was The Beatles, who strung together five No. 1s in just under two years and five months from Yesterday and Today (July 30, 1966) to its self-titled album (often referred to as the White Album, Dec. 28, 1968).”
Details about ‘BE’
There are eight tracks on BE: “Life Goes On,” “Fly To My Room,” “Blue & Grey,” “Skit,” “Telepathy,” “Dis-ease,” “Stay,” and “Dynamite.” “Fly To My Room” is a sub-unit song with Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, and V. “Stay” is performed by Jin, RM, and Jungkook.
Originally, “Stay” was intended to be on Jungkook’s mixtape, but the song was reworked to fit on BE. Similarly, “Blue & Grey” was going to be on V’s mixtape, but the pop ballad now features all seven members.
“Telepathy” is a funky and upbeat track and “Dis-ease” is old school hip-hop. Midway through the album, “Skit” gives ARMY insight into BTS’ reaction when they found out “Dynamite” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Life Goes On” is the album’s lead single, and it is a sentimental and comforting alternative hip-hop track about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A music video for the song was released on Nov. 20, and it shows the members spending time together in their dorm as they try to cope with their new normal. Toward the end, the music video changes to black and white and shows the BTS members performing “Life Goes On” in an empty arena.
BTS were nominated for a Grammy Award
The group’s album BE debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 follows the news that BTS were nominated for their first Grammy Award. On Nov. 24, the Recording Academy announced that BTS were nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their song “Dynamite.”
“Dynamite” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the song spent a total of three weeks at No. 1 on the chart. Before being nominated, the septet was the first Korean act to ever present and perform at the Grammy Awards.
