BTS, the Best (stylized in all caps) is the second Japanese-language compilation album by South Korean boy band BTS. It was released on June 16, 2021, through Big Hit Music, Universal Music Japan sublabel Virgin Music and Def Jam Recordings. The album is a compilation of their previous two Japanese-language studio albums, Face Yourself (2018) and Map of the Soul: 7 – The Journey (2020). It was a commercial success in Japan, reaching number one on the Oricon Albums Chart, and earned the biggest first week sales for an album in 2021 domestically. BTS became the first South Korean group to surpass the 1 million sales mark for an album in the country.

BTS, the Best
Digital and regular edition cover
Compilation album by
ReleasedJune 16, 2021 (2021-06-16)
Recordedc. 2017 – c. 2021
Genre
Length88:55 (digital)
92:16 (physical)
Language
  • Japanese
  • English
Label
Producer
BTS chronology
Be
(2020)
BTS, the Best
(2021)
Proof
(2022)
Singles from BTS, the Best
  1. "Film Out"
    Released: April 2, 2021

Background

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BTS announced the release of a new Japanese song, "Film Out" on February 16, 2021.[1] The song was written by BTS member Jungkook in collaboration with Iyori Shimizu, the vocalist of Japanese rock power trio Back Number.[2] It is slated to serve as the ending theme song of the movie Signal the Movie Cold Case Investigation Unit (2021).[3] On March 26, the band released the music video teaser of the song and simultaneously announced the release of a new Japanese-language album, BTS, the Best.[4] The track list was also announced simultaneously.[5] The album contains all of the band's previous Japanese releases since 2017, while including their English-language 2020 single, "Dynamite" as a bonus track.[6] Seven versions of the album had been announced with various supportive materials in each version, such as different posters, photo cards and artwork.[7]

Commercial performance

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BTS, the Best debuted at number one on Oricon's Daily Album Chart dated June 15, 2021, with 571,589 physical copies sold in a single day to become the best-selling album of the year upon release.[8][9] It debuted atop the Weekly Albums Chart issue dated June 28, 2021, for the period ending June 20, with 782,369 copies sold,[10] recording the highest first week sales by a male foreign artist, and the second-highest first week sales for a foreign artist in Oricon chart history—Mariah Carey's greatest hits album #1's sold 1.047 million copies its opening week in 1998.[11] The album spent three consecutive weeks at number one on the Oricon chart and sold over 885,000 copies in that time.[12] It additionally topped the corresponding issue of Oricon's Digital Album Chart for its release week with 7,603 digital sales,[13] and debuted at number-one on Billboard Japan's Hot Albums chart with 807,056 copies sold.[14][15]

On December 22, Oricon announced that BTS, the Best was the best-selling physical album of 2021 in Japan with sales of 992,837 copies[16] per data aggregated during the period dated December 14, 2020 to December 12, 2021. BTS are the first group in Oricon history, the first foreign artist in 37 years since Michael Jackson with Thriller (sold 575,000 copies 1984), and the third foreign artist overall following Elvis Presley in 1971 (sold 225,000 copies of "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me") and the aforementioned Jackson, to top the year-end album sales ranking.[11] The album was additionally the fifth best-performing digital album of the year, with 21,082 downloads.[17] In January 2022, the album surpassed sales of 1 million copies on Oricon, making it the first by a South Korean group in history to do so, and the first by a foreign act in over 16 years since BoA's Best of Soul (2005).[18]

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's (IFPI) annual music report for 2021, BTS, the Best was the fourth best-selling[a] album of the year globally,[19] with 1.52 million copies sold.[20]

Accolades

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In March 2022, the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) announced the winners of the 36th Japan Gold Disc Awards for 2021. BTS, the Best won Album of the Year and Best 3 Albums in the Asia category.[21]

Track listing

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All Japanese translations by KM-MARKIT.[22][23]

Disc 1
No.TitleLyricsProducer(s)Length
1."Film Out"
3:36
2."DNA" (Japanese Version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
Pdogg3:43
3."Best of Me" (Japanese Version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Adora
  • Andrew Taggart
  • Ashton Foster
  • J-Hope
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Ray Michael Djan Jr.
  • Sam Klemper
  • Suga
  • Andrew Taggart
  • Pdogg
3:48
4."Lights" (from Map of the Soul: 7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • UTA
  • Yohei
  • Sunny Boy
UTA4:50
5."Blood Sweat & Tears (血、汗、涙, Chi, ase, namida)" (Japanese Version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Suga
  • J-Hope
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Kim Do Hoon
Pdogg3:36
6."Fake Love" (Japanese Version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Pdogg
  • RM
Pdogg4:02
7."Black Swan" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • August Rigo
  • Clyde Kelly
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Vince Nantes
Pdogg3:19
8."Airplane Pt. 2" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Ali Tamposi
  • J-Hope
  • Liza Owen
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Roman Campolo
  • Suga
Pdogg3:39
9."Go Go" (Japanese version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Pdogg
  • Supreme Boi
Pdogg3:56
10."Idol" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Ali Tamposi
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Roman Campolo
  • Supreme Boi
Pdogg3:43
11."Dionysus" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • J-Hope
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Roman Campolo
  • Suga
  • Supreme Boi
Pdogg4:09
12."Mic Drop" (Japanese version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • J-Hope
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Supreme Boi
Pdogg3:59
Total length:46:25
Disc 1: Physical edition bonus track
No.TitleLyricsProducerLength
13."Dynamite" (from Be, 2020)
David Stewart3:19
Total length:49:46
Disc 2
No.TitleLyricsProducer(s)Length
1."Boy with Luv" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
Pdogg3:50
2."Stay Gold" (from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • Jun
  • KM-Markit
  • Melanie Joy Fontana
  • Michel "Lindgren" Schulz
  • Sunny Boy
  • UTA
UTA4:03
3."Let Go" (from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • Hiro
  • Jun
  • UTA
  • Sunny Boy
UTA4:57
4."Spring Day" (Japanese version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
Pdogg4:36
5."On" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • Antonina Armato
  • August Rigo
  • J-Hope
  • Julia Ross
  • Krysta Youngs
  • Melanie Joy Fontana
  • Michel "Lindgren" Schulz
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Suga
Pdogg4:07
6."Don't Leave Me" (from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • Hiro
  • UTA
  • Sunny Boy
  • Pdogg
  • UTA
  • Pdogg
3:46
7."Not Today" (Japanese version; from Face Yourself, 2018)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Adora
  • June
  • Pdogg
  • RM
  • Supreme Boi
Pdogg3:54
8."Make It Right" (Japanese version; from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
Fred3:45
9."Your Eyes Tell" (from Map of the Soul:7 ~The Journey ~, 2020)
  • Gustav Mared
  • UTA
  • Jungkook
  • Jun
Gustav Mared4:05
10."Crystal Snow" (from Face Yourself, 2018)
Soma Genda5:22
Total length:42:30
Disc 3 [Blu-ray / DVD]
No.TitleDirector(s)Length
1."Film Out" (music video)Choi Yongseok (Lumpens)3:44
2."Stay Gold" (music video)Ko Yoo Jeong4:05
3."Lights" (music video)Doori Kwak (GDW)5:27
4."Airplane Pt. 2" (Japanese version; music video)Choi Yongseok3:47
5."Mic Drop" (Japanese version; music video)Woogie Kim (GDW)4:30
6."Blood Sweat & Tears" (Japanese version; music video)Choi Yongseok4:13
Disc 3 [Blu-ray] / Disc 4 [DVD]
No.TitleLength
7."Making of jacket photos"31:48
8."Film Out" (making of music video)25:08
9."Stay Gold" (making of music video) (Additional Edition)22:13
10."Lights" (making of music video) (Additional Edition)21:11
11."Airplane Pt. 2" (Japanese version; making of music video) (Additional Edition)22:15
12."Mic Drop" (Japanese version; making of music video) (Additional Edition)22:35
13."Blood Sweat & Tears" (Japanese version; making of music video) (Additional Edition)21:49
Total length:192:45

Notes:

  • "Fake Love", "Idol" and "On" are stylized in all caps.

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications and sales for BTS, the Best
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[52] Million 1,000,000^
South Korea 1,188[53]
United Kingdom (BPI)[54] Silver 60,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release formats for BTS, the Best
Region Date Format(s) Label Edition Ref.
Various June 16, 2021 Regular [55]
Japan 2CD + Blu-ray Universal Japan Limited A [56]
2CD + 2DVD Limited B
2CD Limited C
2CD Regular
Various August 6, 2021 See above See above [57]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ combined global physical sales and digital album downloads

References

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  1. ^ "BTS Collaborate With Japanese Band Back Number For New Movie Theme 'Film Out'". Billboard. February 17, 2021. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  2. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (February 16, 2021). "BTS and Back Number have collaborated on Signal movie theme song 'Film Out'". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "BTSが「劇場版シグナル」主題歌でback numberとコラボ、清水依与吏とグクが楽曲制作のやり取り". Natalie (in Japanese). February 16, 2021. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "BTS日本リリース作品まとめた「BTS, THE BEST」発売、新曲「Film out」や「Dynamite」も収録". Natalie. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  5. ^ Ginsberg, Gab (March 25, 2021). "BTS Announce Release Dates For Japanese Album 'BTS, The Best' & New Song 'Film Out'". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  6. ^ BTSのベスト盤『BTS, THE BEST』が6/16発売決定、back numberとのコラボ「Film out」も収録 [BTS's greatest hits compilation album BTS, THE BEST will be released on 6/16, including a collaboration with Back Number 'Film out']. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  7. ^ BTS Japan Official Fansite announcement in regards to BTS, the Best https://bts-official.jp/news/detail.php?nid=UwfrZhv1/Go=
  8. ^ デイリー アルバムランキング 2021年06月15日付 [Daily album ranking dated June 15, 2021] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  9. ^ McIntyre, Hugh (June 17, 2021). "BTS Score The Largest One-Week Sales Record In Japan Of 2021...In Just One Day". Forbes. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  10. ^ デイリー アルバムランキング 2021年06月15日付 (2021年06月14日~2021年06月20日) [Weekly album ranking dated June 28, 2021 (June 14, 2021 to June 20, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  11. ^ a b 【オリコン年間】BTSアルバム『BTS, THE BEST』が自身初の年間1位 海外アーティストではマイケル・ジャクソン『スリラー』以来37年ぶり [[Oricon Annual] BTS album "BTS, THE BEST" topped the list, is the first foreign artist in 37 years since Michael Jackson's "Thriller"] (in Japanese). Oricon. December 22, 2021. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  12. ^ BTS、ベスト・アルバム『BTS, THE BEST』がオリコン「週間 アルバムランキング」3週連続1位に [BTS, best-of album; BTS, the Best ranked No. 1 on Oricon "Weekly Album Ranking" for 3 consecutive weeks] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. July 6, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  13. ^ 週間 デジタルアルバムランキング 2021年06月28日付 (2021年06月14日~2021年06月20日) [Weekly digital album ranking dated June 28, 2021 (June 14, 2021 to June 20, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  14. ^ "Hot Albums". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "Top Album Sales". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  16. ^ 【オリコン年間ランキング2021】Snow Man、唯一のミリオン達成で「シングル」年間1位 – アルバムランキング 1位~25位 [[Oricon Annual Ranking 2021] Snow Man tops the "Single" list with the only million achievement of the year – Album ranking 1st to 25th] (in Japanese). Oricon. December 22, 2021. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  17. ^ 【オリコン年間ランキング2021】Snow Man、唯一のミリオン達成で「シングル」年間1位 – デジタルアルバム 1位~10位 [[Oricon Annual Ranking 2021] Snow Man tops the "Single" list with the only million achievement of the year – Digital Album ranking 1st to 10th] (in Japanese). Oricon. December 22, 2021. p. 5. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
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  19. ^ Brandle, Lars (March 1, 2022). "Adele's '30' Dominates IFPI's 2021 Album Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  20. ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2022 — State of the Industry" (pdf). IFPI. March 22, 2022. p. 5. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2022. (Note: Free report download available at bottom of page, under "Notes to editors".)
  21. ^ Snow Man「日本ゴールドディスク大賞」受賞!BTSは部門賞で10冠、米津玄師は史上初の5年連続受賞 [Snow Man won the "Japan Gold Disc Awards"! BTS won 10 category awards, Kenshi Yonezu won for fifth consecutive year, the first time in history]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 14, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
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  27. ^ "Ultratop.be – BTS – BTS, the Best" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
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  29. ^ "Official Top lista prodaje: Lista prodaje 33. tjedan 2021. (09.08.2021. – 15.08.2021.)" [Top sales list: Sales list Week 33 2021 (09.08.2021 – 15.08.2021.)] (in Croatian). HDU. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
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  52. ^ "Japanese album certifications – BTS – BTS, THE BEST" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved July 9, 2021. Select 2021年6月 on the drop-down menu
  53. ^ Cumulative sales for BTS, the Best in South Korea:
  54. ^ "British album certifications – BTS – BTS The Best". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  55. ^
  56. ^ album special site
  57. ^