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On August 21st, global superstar group BTS (an acronym for Beyond The Scene) released their highly anticipated single, “Dynamite.” The song charted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks straight as of September 8th, 2020. The multi-talented band consists of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.
“Dynamite” was their first number one hit on the chart. This was also the septet’s first song fully sung in English. With all of the hype that surrounded it prior to its release, did the song and the music video live up to that hype?
The Sound Of “Funk And Soul”
“Dynamite” is BTS’s first disco-pop song in their discography. It was uncharted territory for the band, who usually create songs that infuse genres like pop, hip-hop, R&B, EDM, and more. It is an excellent song for the summer with its upbeat tempo.
They also delivered incredible vocals. Normally, members RM, J-Hope, and Suga (also known as the “rapline”) would rap on a track, but here they displayed their singing abilities, and blended in perfectly with the vocal line (Jin, Jimin, V, and Jungkook). The highlight of the song is during the climax, where the key changes and you can hear Jungkook’s beautiful high note.
The Catchy Lyrics
The message behind “Dynamite” is simple: enjoy life and be happy. In the teaser trailer for the original music video, vocalist “V” sang about “shining through the city with a little funk and soul, so I’ma light it up like dynamite.”
There were several references to the sixties and seventies era in this song. In the first verse, sung by one of the vocalists and the youngest member Jungkook, he mentioned “Rolling Stone.” This could be a reference to the magazine that was founded in the ’60s or the legendary rock band The Rolling Stones. The song could also have referenced the king of pop, Michael Jackson, when vocalist V sings, “Word up, talk the talk, just move like we off the wall.” “Off The Wall” is an album from Michael Jackson’s discography.
Colorful Music Videos
The music video was a mix of retro and modernism. Each member was given their own set so they could showcase their individual charms. From Jungkook dancing in his room while drinking milk, and RM dancing cutely in a record store to J-Hope dancing in a Sonic-like fast food restaurant, and so on.
The way they moved their legs and gyrated their hips up and down was similar to that of Michael Jackson. They were dressed like ’70s singers with their bell-bottom pants. The word “disco” could be seen in big yellow letters. There was also some ’90s influence with Suga’s “Tune Squad” basketball jersey from the children’s movie “Space Jam,” which premiered in 1996.
Big Hit Entertainment released another “b-side” version of the “Dynamite” music video on August 24th. This version had more blooper footage, unlike the original version. The members are showcased goofing off during scenes and laughing at each other. They were acting more cutely during their scenes. You could also see Jungkook perform the scene where he ate a doughnut on his way out of a doughnut shop, and he made the mistake of not looking forward before looking at his members. This video was possibly made with the fans in mind because their fans love to see their goofier side.
The Dynamic Remixes
For those who really loved this song, good news! On top of the original song, Big Hit has released three different remixes. Each remix had its own unique sound and was just as good and enjoyable as the original song.
The acoustic version took the original vocal arrangement and placed it in front of an instrumental of the song played with electric guitar, piano, and hand claps. The EDM track rearranged its vocals and added a new sound that was more upbeat. It was a perfect song that could be played at any nightclub. The island vibes of the tropical remix were suitable for this summer. Lastly, the poolside remix was similar to the EDM remix, but the vocal rearrangements and the instrumental were still different.
The “Dynamite” Live Performance
On August 30th, BTS performed the song for the first time at the MTV Video Music Awards. At last year’s VMAs, they were nominated and won two awards for Best K-Pop and Best Group. This year, they were nominated in four categories (Best Pop for their last single “ON”, Best K-pop for “ON”, Best Group, and Best Choreography for “ON”), all of which they won.
This was a milestone for the group as it was the first time they won in the Best Pop and Best Choreography categories. They couldn’t perform “Dynamite” at the VMAs venue, so they filmed a live performance. They performed with flawless choreography, in front of a green screen backdrop of several New York City locations like the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, and the Empire State Building. Towards the end, a backdrop of what looked to be Seoul appeared with fireworks going off in the sky.
Stream Dynamite Now!
This year was supposed to be the year BTS embarked on their Map Of The Soul tour. Unfortunately, due to the global spread of the coronavirus, the tour had to be canceled. Many in the “ARMY” fandom were understandably upset by the news. Since the cancellation, however, BTS released “Dynamite” to ease their fans’ sadness.
The song can be enjoyed by people of all ages, whether you are a fan of the sensational group or not. Many people have reacted positively on Youtube to the song and the music videos, and many of them are not active participants in the fandom. “Dynamite” is a catchy earworm that you can’t help but dance to while you’re listening to it, and it fulfilled BTS’s goal to make people feel happy.