Review

Song Review: BTS – Butter

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BTS - ButterBTS’s Dynamite has become the kind of ubiquitous megahit you hear soundtracking everything from talk shows to award show advertisements. It’s a feat I’d never thought possible for a K-pop act, and one I find myself resisting more than I’d like to admit.

So, when it was announced that Butter would be another English-language pop song, I wasn’t sure how to feel about the guys continuing down this route. Then, I read about the track taking influence from classic r&b/pop producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Their names are on my personal Mount Rushmore of music, so seeing them referenced brought an instant smile to my face.

I’m not sure I hear a ton of Jam and Lewis in Butter’s explosive recipe, but the song improves upon Dynamite in every single way. The groove is more dynamic, the vocals clearer, the lyrics less jarring and the energy more effusive. It’s pop music with a capital “P,” unashamed by its own audacity. And unlike Dynamite, it manages to feel distinctly BTS despite the layers of studio polish thrown over the top.

Butter wastes no time laying down its funk backbone, charging forward with a chugging beat that quickly deepens with the injection of rubbery bass. The instrumental continues to build into the pre-chorus, joined by brilliant synth that explodes as the chorus hits with full intensity. But, Butter isn’t done yet. It sidesteps the perils of a momentum-killing breakdown by diving back into that slinky bass that opened the track. The vocal arrangement here is brilliant – something I don’t often say about Big Hit productions these days.

But, Butter’s core appeal comes down its surging energy. Its chorus is instantly memorable yet never cloying, and glides into a euphoric, brass-kissed breakdown before we hit the bridge. The rap here is attuned to the song’s flow, bringing another shot of rhythm to the bounding instrumental. And at just under three minutes, Butter never hits a dull moment. It’s got a classic “sound of summer” charm, and this time I’ll wholeheartedly welcome its inevitable omnipresence.

 Hooks 9
 Production 10
 Longevity 9
 Bias 9
 RATING 9.25

163 thoughts on “Song Review: BTS – Butter”

  3. I haven’t felt this overwhelmingly positive about a BTS song since their War of Hormone days. This feels like such an effortless display of how fun and good pop can be and of the boys’ performance skills, I’m so glad they’ve got a song like this under their belt now.

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  4. This is just the amalgamation of what BTS was and how they can release just a fun song. This is the epitome of BTS’ capability in US. I feel like RM really saved the song plus the Western peeps weren’t that bad. This is the real Song of the Summer here. I mean it now is. It is just 1000000x better than Dynamite or their last singles run. I am happy!

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    • All their voices were amaazing, but Jimin, JHope, Suga + espec. *RM* slayed this
      for me- the short rap lines had a punch + Jimin’s vocals/rhythm hit spot on🔥🔥
      ON REPEATin my car, running, cooking, anytime + LOUDLY..Only thing missing was
      a liiiittle more funky bass guitar line, but LOVE THIS!💜

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  5. Even being an ARMY myself, I was having a hard time hoping this wouldn’t be another dynamite. I barely remember their last two titles but this one, this bounds on with so much energy and a blast of funk that is hard to resist. Finally, the bighit producers have realized how great the guys sound on their own without the artificial vocal processing plastered on them. This is the unfiltered great sounding BTS I signed up for and I’m excited for their upcoming releases more than ever.

    P.S Can’t wait for myma to rate it on her English lyrics in kpop scale!

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    • I would rate the English lyrics overall as kind of bland. It tries to rhyme, but most of the rhymes are imperfect and don’t work as well and one would hope. The one line “Get it let it roll” is catchy. Also, for some parts, the English is unintelligible, but the score is not elevated by this.

      For example, let us deconstruct the line “Ain’t no other, that can sweep you up like a robber”. “Other” is pronounced uh-ther, so one expects the rhyme should be “rubber”, but it a mis-pronounced “robber”.

      Now, “rubber” in British English might make sense, because they use the word rubber as a noun. Most commonly a rubber is a pencil eraser, or plural rubbers mean galoshes, or back in Elizabethan times a rubber was a strip of linen cloth to wash the face with, well but then what does that line mean with any of these meanings.
      And in American English, a “rubber” is slang for a condom, so I heard it first that way, and I was a bit puzzled.
      So I looked up the lyric, and he is saying “robber”, well ok then what does that line mean? I kind of get it, but its a really awkward lyric, just sort of squashed in there to sound like it rhymes, but really the line is just plain lousy.

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      • Seriously nothing is going to make me stop hearing it as “sweep you up like a rubber.” Which makes a sick kind of sense. Sweep you up like a condom would… collect various… things. Right. Sorry. We stan, I guess.

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      • You know, “Sweep you up like a rubber” could be very romantic if you tilt your thinking just a bit; okay, a LOT, but still. Imagine:

        Set Stage: Outdoors / city street scene / nighttime / raining

        It was pouring like C’s and D’s in the big city. He was waiting a the taxi under a small awning on the barely lit street. The heels from a shapely stranger were clacking on the pavement as she approached. With her head down and her hair drenched, her identity remained a mystery. He offered her shelter under the awning with a wave of his hand. She took up the remaining available space, lifted her head, and pulled back her hair. Their eyes met and they both were set aback. It’s her! It’s him! They had not seen each for years but the passion they shared after high school had not diminished. She went to college, he joined the service. Neither had tried to reconnect. There, under the awning, both had contorted their faces as they tried to compose an appropriate opening comment; both neither could. Then, they looked into each others eyes and the feelings spoke volumes. They embraced each other and kissed. With a frenzy, they began tugging on each others clothes. It didn’t matter if they were on a city street, it only mattered that they were together. He pressed her gently up against the building and…

        [Ladies and gentlemen of the theatre. We’d like to take this time to remind you that ticket prices for annual box seats are at an all time low with limited availability. Get ’em while they’re hot!. Thank you, we now return you to your feature presentation].

        …and the sun was shining bright as morning worked to dry the wet streets. He approached the spot under the awning and paused. A gentleness swept across his face while his eyes reflected a pensive state. Last night will forever be proof that heaven can exist on earth. He looked down and spied the prophylactic from last nights joyous union. With the handkerchief from his breast pocket, he leaned down and picked it up. He wrapped it up and threw it into a nearby trash can. The faintest of smiles lifted the corners of his mouth as he tried to take in the entirety of previous night. He thinks to himself, “You swept up my heart like a robber, and now I sweep you up like a rubber.” He then walks down the street and fades around a corner.

        Cue stage lights / draw curtain

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  6. “It’s got a classic “sound of summer” charm, and this time I’ll wholeheartedly welcome its inevitable omnipresence.”

    This is what I am most excited about! The same thing will happen to the K-pop Industry like it did with dynamite and seeing so many of these classics get rested out will make me feel all giddy inside!

    But enough of that, let’s talk about why this song is just so awesome! I love how the song never distracts itself from the rhythm, It’s all about bounding after one groove to the other, with those catchy raps and slick hooks. Speaking of hooks, I absolutely love the melodies in the song! a bit of slick repetition here, an explosive chorus there and verses which are never boring! And those rapid-fire synths just shoot straight for my heart, I love this song! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

    This just makes me incredibly curious for TXT’s new comeback! I hope it follows this template honestly…
    One more question Nick: how does vocal arrangement work? I really wanna know.

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    • Can I just comment on how satisfied I am to see that a BTS single Finally got a “+9.25” after four years. Last time they got that was Blood, Sweat and Tears (My personal favorite song by them) and Before that was Save Me and Run!

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  7. Not to be a bummer, but TXT’S comeback looks to be another moody affair (albeit with a groovy twist, I’m guessing?) judging from the teasers but I still hope to get a song like Golcha’s Wannabe perhaps.

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  9. I have to admit every time I hear there is going to be an english language pop song from a kpop group I worry a little, but as usual BTS never fail to impress me. The song is insanely catchy and has the perfect vibe for summer. It’s sweet but not overly sweet and the perfect length so it doesn’t get too repetitive.This is exactly what I think of when I imagine an english release BTS song and of course, their never ending charm and charisma just bring the whole song and MV to another level.

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  11. Are we finally free from the shackles of vocal processing?? I can hear Jungkook’s vocal fry “Let it roll!” so clearly that I’m actually brought to tears. This song has such a happy, larger-than-life tone to it. Glad I can hear something positive with all the angst in k-pop right now.

    I hope Bighit (Hybe in general) will keep the editing to a minimum because the payoff is spectacular

    This was such a treat. Will have on repeat driving on a nice, hot sunny day.

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  12. I feel bad, because I really really don’t like this song. I already did this with Atlantis, now this?

    I was distracted by the vocal production, it’s just… really not for me. It’s not as bad as Dynamite, but it’s still there. It isn’t as smooth as butter as the song suggest. The song and chorus is just very repetitive, and all I felt was just kind of bland. Maybe it’s the very sparse production in the chorus that doesn’t give me much energy. Even the rush of the chorus is just ruined by the melody, which really didn’t work for me. I don’t know, the only part I really liked was the instrumental break, and the rap killed the energy for me so yeah.

    It probably doesn’t help that the MV is just so boring. Nothing of any note happens except for the elevator dancing sequence. There’s probably lots of fangirling over the eyebrow raises and winks and nudges, but it’s not for me (though not usually).

    BTS isn’t bad at all, but this one I’m gonna pass.

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      • Ever since I started evaluating every song The Bias List’s reviews for myself instead relying on just the review itself to determine what to listen, I’m discovering what I like and dislike. It has lead me to liking songs I never would have listened before because Nick rated it low or never heard of it.

        Sometimes though, a song is universally liked and I happen to be one of the few in the universe that doesn’t. I mean, it’s very interesting.

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        • It’s called having a mind of your own. With the exception of quite a few that frequent here, that’s becoming a scarcity in this genre; and elsewhere.

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        • I love you’re comment honestly, As a person who gets swayed by other people’s opinions..I am also finally getting track on what I like and what I don’t.

          But that still won’t stop me from putting The Chaser at the top of my lists!

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    • You’re not alone. While I didn’t go into too much specifics on my similar overall assessment (see below), you did; and you nailed it.

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    • Same. This song isn’t bad per se, it seems to lack of something… Nevertheless!!! this song is 10,000x better than any current SM releases this month.

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    • Woops, I finally noticed something that’s wrong with my comment. The chorus is fine with its production, if lacking in something more. What’s sparse is the verses, which is very lacking. There’s no energy aside from the voices, and I have issues with those.

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    • I was also a little thrown off by the vocal production, even if it’s not as bad as usual. I still like the song though.

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    • I think SHINee members really do get a little washed up in the vocal department after military service (Taemin is almost one of the best among them now, which is incredible personal development but also a bit sad on the others’ part), so I can clearly where you come from on “Atlantis” but of course my feeling is not as strong.

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      • Taemin really has improved a lot. I believe Minho improved quite a bit too though recently? Loved watching the video of their recording sessions for Atlantis – wish more groups would release that kind of stuff.

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  13. It’s hard for me to get out of my head when watching a new BTS MV. It’s like when a parent looks at their grown child and simultaneously sees them at every age.

    On first listen, I was thinking more about HYBE’s focus on marketing BTS to the U.S. than I was able to really hear the song, which is a shame.

    On repeat listens I know it’s a solid song, but I haven’t really enjoyed it yet. I think sharing it with my mom will help make the listen fresh and unclouded for me (she loved Dynamite, got her a little into K-pop with a gateway song!).

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  15. on one hand nick has great taste and his description sounds pretty rad.

    on the other hand this is just another sell out attempt to get a Grammy and its called butter….

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  17. “Dynamite” was a big disappointment for me, and one I had to hear very, very often against my will, so this was a pleasant surprise! Definitely pop music with a capital P; it’s very funky and catchy. I also thought it was the perfect summer song when I first heard it. Overall, I wish it was a bit longer, but it’s a marked improvement from a lot of the things that were detractors for me with “Dynamite,” primarily the vocal processing but also the very, very cheesy lyrics, which reminded me of something like Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” or Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA,” (early 2010s American pop lyrics in general). This is something that I won’t mind hearing on the radio all the time at all!

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  18. Hey. This is a pleasant surprise. I started reading your blog for BTS since last year and believe me I have only ever disagreed. Like ON sold me BTS and BWL made me think they are not all that much. Reading your blog made me think how amazing it is that BTS can cater to such diverse musical taste. But then it’s even more amazing which is so good that even taste can’t stop you from loving it.
    On the track, at each part I believe I heard it and definitely loved it before but just not together. It’s like they mixed everything amazing and that flow of everything was just chef’s kiss.

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  19. I’m a fan and I wasn’t happy at all when BTS said they are coming up with another summery pop English single and I had very low expectations,but hey,this is good.I think as Dynamite was unplanned and BTS had very little involvement in it,and they were taken aback by its success,they wanted to do it again but this time better,with more involvement,the BTS feel and thankfully,less vocal processing.And it seems to have paid off,it is 10x more better than Dynamite and feels fresh. Although I like them dealing with heavy subjects more,but once in a while doesn’t hurt I think,given they go back to it.

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  20. Hi Nick, I recently got into your blog! I think I’ve read the review for every song I know by now, and I’ve been inspired by your gushing–I’m going to call it gushing–reviews to check out a few songs by artists I hadn’t known. I do disagree with you quite a lot of the time, but it’s fun to read another perspective on songs I love/hate.

    Now for Butter:
    The chorus and production were the best parts for me. I loved the chorus especially, it was catchy but not too predictable. Not going to lie, I got sick of Dynamite’s chorus on my first listen; it just seems to go on loop throughout the song.

    Also, BTS sounds so good (I may be slightly biased as an army). I do think Film Out showcased their vocals better but both songs have more character than Dynamite.

    As for the lyrics, they seem similar to IDOL in that they’re unapologetically themselves. Lines like “let me show you ’cause talk is cheap” and “Rollin’ up to party, got the right vibe” could be an ironic criticism of Western expectations and standards for K-pop. Or maybe they’re literal. Whatever, it’s still a good song.

    Another highlight as an army was the shoutout in RM’s verse.

    Okay I have to get up in five hours so good night/afternoon/morning everyone!

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  21. Butter? or Vanilla? Vanilla Butter?

    I get it. This song will be the next best thing since sliced bread; so apropos song title. But, it seems so.. ..safe. It doesn’t energize me to the point of involuntary foot tapping, fingers snapping, and head bobbling. There are quite a few K-pop songs that when I listened to them, my body would just react without me realizing it was. This song didn’t produce that. It just.. ..played. I just.. ..listened.

    Like I said, it doesn’t matter what I think. It’ll get eleventy gazillion views, break records while selling millions of them, it won’t just go platinum, it’ll go unobtanium, and it will win an award for the amount of awards it will win; all without me in the crowd screaming, “Me! Me! Look at ME, RM!”

    Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish building my one-man submarine so I can sail to South Korea in time to camp outside Yuehua Entertainment until they hire me as Onda’s personal slave during her Last Melody promotions. Wish me luck!

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  24. It’s slightly better than Dynamite but it’s still not something I’d listen to.

    I like that Jin gets many lines. However the scarcity of the lines for the 3 rappers bothers me.

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  26. Yesssss, a BTS Song that I really like! BTS has made this ARMY very happy. Last year was not great for me as their fan because while Dynamite seemed to resonate with tons of fans, it was average for me and Nov. Comeback was forgettable. But But, this song is groovy, the instrumentals are phenomenal, I can distinguish all their voices (YEAH!!) and I have been dancing all day! It’s in the 9s for me. I wish there was a groovy emoticon to add here.

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  27. Good:
    You’re right! Definitely better than Dynamite and still has that distinct BTS charm. Each member has their own memorable parts, even if the lines aren’t distributed as amazingly as I thought they should be.

    I had low expectations for this since I’m immediately wary of ANY original English title track (or even any so-called English version which is honestly almost always an awkward direct translation) released by a K-Pop group, so even though this might become as overplayed as Dynamite, I don’t really mind this being the one to attack my ears every waking hour of the day.

    Gripe:
    Idk…but sometimes I need a central hook in songs and Butter doesn’t seem to have any that particularly captivate me. It’s a good song, yes, but more of something I admire from afar rather than actually engage with on a personal level. And I LOVE funk. So that’s a bit disappointing.

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  29. This song is like sex in a twenty year marriage. Sure, it ends well for both. Get it let it roll!, because after 20 years you have that part figured out. In the context of so many years, it alright, hey life is good, right?!

    But those of us who approach pop music more like “Was it as good for you as it was for me”, for me, this is a shrug. Its just OK. Its funky without any actual funk. Groovy without any actual groove. It cycles around essentially the same three chords or so in the same rhythm in the same measure for the full three minutes. Go on, sing along. In the verse it’s a descending F# F D# on the quarter notes. In the chorus and rap its an ascending D# F G# on the quarter notes, or perhaps a descending C A# G#, either works. Three Blind Mice. Ba da daaah, ba da daaah. And repeat. Three blind mice, three blind mice, three blind mice.

    I am with Xeno, it doesn’t make me want to dance, it doesn’t make me want to sing. This is essentially white guy dancing to funk-type funk. I don’t hear it supplanted Bruno Mars on wedding dj lists anytime soon.

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    • Oooh, I was wondering how you’d react to this one.

      I think this actually explains a lot of my feelings on the song. It is very much genre without the genre-defining aspect.

      Though I feel like I’m the only one who can feel the vocals still being quite… rough. Like, it still feels slightly wobbly and artificial. It might be because I don’t listen to much BTS, but these still don’t feel like natural voices. It’s like the algorithm just got better at making it sound real, but not quite there yet. Or maybe I don’t know how singing sounds anymore.

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      • The singing is good enough. The melody is so simple, and the range is so firmly in a comfortable range, that there really isn’t much for a typical singer to grab onto. This the song that reveals BTS to be typical boy band singers. Its the kind of melody and rage that almost anyone can sing.

        A better vocal would actually require a much better singer. OK, yeah, this is where I will bring out the Vince Clarke – Alison Moyet – Yaz/Yazoo. “Only You” is about as simple of a song as it gets, and yet Alison Moyet with her deep contralto timbre, the way she does simple things with vowels and intonations, digs into and wraps her vibrato around those vowels, elevates this to awesomeness.
        ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvSzjPee89w then
        ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHISaPkPagU now – this version btw is available on US itunes! search under “Alison Moyet Burberry”

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        • You and I have both squee’d over the magnificence that is Vince Clark. We’ve had many back and forth sessions on various artists, but I don’t remember if I’ve made a specific suggestion to you in the past. Given your appreciation for Alison Moyet, have I ever had an exchange where I extolled “Everything But The Girl”? Tracey Thorn has such a lovely voice; and Ben Watt is no slouch, himself. I have their entire discography (10 albums, 1 EP, 4 greatest hits, and a dance remix compilation) and honestly, it’s not enough.

          I discovered them when they dropped their first album “Eden” (1984). I heard the main track “Each and Every One” play on an underground college radio station and that was all it took. I HAD to track down that album and everything that followed. They are one of a handful of acts that I turn to when I need to pull myself out of a downward spiral. After a few songs, I’m coasting at a nice calm level and the turbulence is gone. If I had to recommend only one of their albums, it would probably be either “The Language of Love” or “Amplified Heart”; either is a good representation of their charm.

          Ref #1 (EAEO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8C4tQvMUkI
          Ref #2 (Driving): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHm227OFUdw
          Ref #3 (TLoL): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwBLDtiNOR8
          Ref #4 (Get Me): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA0v_Tjdl-U

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          • Hubby is the resident EBTG stan, him being also from the north.
            Their “Missing” song was ubiquitous back when.

            Its interesting that 80’s pop music in the UK and US was broadly similar, but not a fully intersecting set. So what he listened to I might have only heard a few times, and what I listened to he might have only heard a few times. And despite a pretty decent vinyl-tape-CD collection for both of us individually, there is not a lot of duplication in our merged set.

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            • Ahh. Next time you see hubby, give him a wink and tell him. “You know.. ..you have great taste in music. Oh, and in marital partners. Just saying.”

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          • I swear, every single time the two of y’all bring up an artist/song, it’s something I’ve never heard of, but even when it’s not to my tastes I can just FEEL how good the recommendations are. How do you find all this good music? Where do I crawl into this niche to find some for myself?

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            • Myma is correct. For example, I pulled up a shuffled playlist called “Life” (which links to every song I have) and the first few songs were by artists like The Durutti Column, A.R.M.I.A, Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Crystal Method, Øystein Sevåg, etc.. You don’t get a collection like that unless you inherit it or you earn it through years of accumulation. However, there are ways to escalate the process, such as:

              1. Have an open mind; this is the biggest one.

              2. Share playlists with friends.

              3. YouTube is amazing for discoveries. Do searches for varied things like “Top 10 Russian Pop Songs”, “2000s International Club Music”, “Best 90s Female Alternative Rock”, etc.. Experiment with being really specific. You’ll be surprised what’s out there.

              4. Buy collections such as “Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” (2004) or other collections that encompass a broad swath of artists and styles.

              5. Befriend old people and swipe their iPods and Zunes when they take a nap.

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      • I saw that!!! All the Gaho teasers are out!!! Maybe, who knows, just maybe Nick will review Gaho for once.

        In related big time singers news, Dimash has a new song out today and it sounds like a James Bond theme audition reel. Its an OST for some other movie, but it sounds like something like this would slot in alongside classics like “Thunderball” and “Goldfinger” quite nicely. I mean, if the Bond franchise really wants to expands its already huge reach, selecting Dimash as the next theme song artist would be a good idea.
        ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-AShDu7L6A

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          • Ah well, I am late to the game again. It showed up today on my feed, and dated today, and so I shall celebrate it today nonetheless, even if it is a re-upload, which does not diminish its quality. (although this video quality is odd, but whatev) Moving on …

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            • To praise this song, I am going to plaigarize my text from my end-of-year list writing on the post.

              “Dimash is a tremendous vocal talent, and Across Endless Dimensions is another example of this. Like in Your Love, he slowly builds from a low base to an incredible climax. Of course, ignoring the dense, interesting, and complex instrumental would be a crime. The violins and guitars especially stand out. The moment the guitar hits and we enter the chorus is sort of a revelation where the song reaches its first apex. It is even more incredible to see Dimash go to barely a whisper in a second.

              Of course, the final chorus is the true heart of the songs. Dimash emotes while letting the track rip forward with the guitar. Then, of course, we hit that high-note. Note that the word ‘That’ is italicized, I did that on purpose. The high-note at the end of the track is one of the greatest high-notes ever. Initially, I even thought it was a guitar riff in epic proportions. Instantly accessible, while still holding a shock around every corner, Across Endless Dimensions is a gem. And of course, the high-note is simply perfect.”

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    • I think Nick generally doesn’t care that much about *how melodic contours affect the expression* and is perfectly fine with chorus like this. I think that’s how many many ratings of j pop boy band song feels surprisingly high *to me* and it is probably the case for this song.

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    • It’s true. It’s funky, but in an artificial way. There’s not quite that groove to it, like you say. Artificial, commercial funk.
      Whatever, I still enjoy it. I can’t stop the feeling.

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  30. This song is just so much fun! The lyrics make more sense than Dynamite’s and they all seem more comfortable singing them. It’s like they are by golly gonna figure out how to construct the perfect Trojan horse to infiltrate America and we’re gonna like it, damn it. It’s a summer bop. It’s groovy. They got cute attitude and really play it up. They look amazing. And they even spell out ARMY in the video, so all us ARMY are of course gonna support them. They’re blowing us kisses for pete’s sake. How can we hold out against that? Pure fun.

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  31. This is a really good example of pop perfection. The pulsating and whirly 80s synths, the tongue in cheek lyrics, the hooks upon hooks lyrically, vocally and musically. Everything is just perfectly executed tbh. Can see this being bigger than Dynamite.

    BTS does an array of musical genres and knows how to navigate them really well tbh one of the few Kpop groups who do this with a lot of finesse.

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  32. This is the first time I’ve liked a BTS Title Track since Spring Day and the first time I’ve liked a song of theirs since Mikrokosmos (Dynamite just wasn’t for me and Black Swan reaaaaaally wasn’t for me). Really hoping this signals a direction for them in returning to melodic choruses with fat instrumental tracks (which was my main issue with Dynamite, it just sounded very thinly produced).

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  35. I’m pleasantly surprised to see you like this one so much. Unfortunately can’t say the same for myself. It is a mindless song about nothing that has a manic energy that you really need to be in the mood for, I guess. I’m having a terrible month and at the time when the song dropped last night, my mood was in such a contrast that it gave me whiplash lol. But I’ll give it another listen soon and see what I think. It’s the first time I’ve had such a negative reaction to a BTS release on first listen… you must recall how enthused I was when Dynamite dropped last year. That feeling has soured considerably, lol. At the moment I just want BTS to get their Grammy already so they can stop coming out with these Target changing room jingles…

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        • I was intrigued enough by your comment to have another listen.
          Do you mean the part starting about about 0:25 sounds kinda sorta like the Hall of the Mountain King? ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru0K8uYEZWw

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          • Before and after 0:50

            Under the lights when everything goes
            Nowhere to hide when I’m getting you close
            When we move, well, you already know
            So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine

            In Solveig’s Cradle Song:

            Before and after 2:35.

            I guess at least Schubert was already starting to use a lot of chromatic modulation like a lot lot but Swedish composers are very influential in kpop, also I like another song also by Grieg very much which I sang before:


            on bar 5

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            • I think we both can be right here, and the Swedes pulled a fast one on just about everyone. Those clever Swedes!

              I hear heavy Hall of Mountain King influence on these lines – its not exact, but it has a very similar build.

              I got that sunshine in my pocket
              Got that good song in my feet
              I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops
              I can’t take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally
              You gone like the way we rock it, so don’t stop

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              • This just reminds me of how much I dislike the lyrics of Can’t Stop the Feeling.I don’t know why exactly, but there’s a strangely sleezy undertone to it while also being weirdly unspecific. Might just be me nitpicking. Butter > Dynamite > Can’t Stop the Feeling for me in terms of lyrics.

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      • As much as I loathe Can’t Stop The Feeling (now, I did like it on release) I have to say I can see the comparison. I definitely understand why you dislike it. Personally I like a song like this, maybe because I’m distant enough from BTS now that I don’t really mind it sounding like a mindless jingle.

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        • Yeah, that makes sense to me. It might be specifically because I’m ARMY that it’s not clicking for me. Maybe if exo had dropped this I’d be like, “what’s the big deal it’s a cute little funky jam!” lol

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        • Ironically, I’m the opposite. I am only a passing observer of the BTS phenomenon and I haven’t actually tried to listen to their discography and actually see if I’d be a fan.

          Regardless, I am not a fan of Butter because I don’t have any attached feelings to the members or familiarity to like a song regardless of how it sounds (which is LOONA for me honestly). Even commonly recognized voices and vocals of BTS I probably wouldn’t be able to parse aside from maybe RM.

          Because of that, I’m not really putting in the effort of perhaps smoothing over what feels uncomfortable in the song and getting used to the oddities of Butter. Maybe if I was a fan, I’d be listening until I actually found things to like or get enjoy the melody more. It’s what I did to Why Not? and it worked.

          That said, that doesn’t always work and I tortured myself with SHINEE’s Atlantis for about 30 minutes before I could not handle it any more.

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    • Omg this is the first time I’ve seen an ARMY speaking some sort of truth and I enjoy it very much coming as an ARMY myself! I do understand where you are coming from in terms of being in a specific mood to really get into the song. When it came out last night and I listened to it alongside the MV, my feelings were neutral towards the song. I knew I liked it more than Dynamite but it wasn’t love at first listen. Also, I think I wasn’t that excited for the release because it was another song in English (it can either be a hit or miss for me when it comes to English or English Ver. of songs from kpop groups). Now, I’ve definitely warmed up to the song and I really enjoy it for what it is! I think the song grows on you whether you want it to or not lol. It really just depends if you are into that kind of style of music or in the mood for that type of exciting song.

      To add on to the end of your statement… I think everyone knows by now why BTS & HYBE are releasing songs like Dynamite and Butter *cough Grammys, BB Hot 100, radio play etc. cough* . Believe me I get it, it’s a very smart tactic from BTS/HYBE and I don’t fault them for wanting those achievements like any other artist in the western market. These songs serve a purpose in their discography and tbh that’s okay. I truly do hope they receive the kind achievements they want, but I don’t think that will stop them from releasing more English songs in future since those songs have helped them tremendously. Who knows maybe it will stop, maybe it won’t stop. Overall, it’s interesting to watch them take their career in this kind of trajectory from the time I found out about them back in 2017 (LY: HER era) to now in 2021. It’s quite a change that I think most ARMY’S are either happy about or are put off from it. I don’t mind the change myself since I think change is necessary for any aspect of life. However, I do find myself less invested into BTS unlike I was maybe a year or two ago. I don’t know maybe I don’t have enough time to keep up with everything that they are releasing like I did before or my interests are changing 🤷🏻‍♀️. I will still continue to support them in any way I can since I do enjoy their music & I respect them a lot as artists/people, but I know my feelings towards them have been changing as time goes on.

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      • I listened to it again just now for the first time since last night and I’ll say I really like the melody of the chorus, “sidestep right-left to my beat.” I wish the lyrics to that part made sense and rolled off the tongue easier. Because they’re not that catchy, the part that gets stuck in your head instead is the hooky, greasy post-chorus (haha) “Smooth like butter, like a criminal undercover.” Which has less momentum and I happen to like it a lot less. This song is so short that I feel like the chorus is almost soaring but doesn’t get a chance to go anywhere as it’s bogged down by that boring post-chorus… Anyway I’m in a better mood now and I don’t hate it as much as I did, and it’ll probably grow on me more with time before my feelings veer back into hatred as it gets played to death lol. Such is the life cycle of a song like this.

        I’ve been a fan since Wings in 2016 by the way, oh how time flies! It really has been a crazy journey. I still have a real passion for the guys as people, so I’ll probably be following them forever, even if their stuff is no longer to my taste. And I don’t think they’re going to move into exclusively making these H&M songs, so that probably will not be an issue.

        I really miss their stuff that had like, emotional impact as well as being a little funky, do you know what I mean? Two songs that made me cry this year are “Home” from 2019 (MOTS:P) and “Move On” from 2016 (HYYH1). I love their vocals in “Move,” in particular. “Magic Shop” is great too. Sigh….

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        • Oh I definitely understand your critics on the lyrics not being really catchy since they can be kind of awkward to sing and almost borderline cringe. But I think I’ve moved past that lol!

          I have no doubt that this song will be played to death either on the radio or used in a Samsung phone commercial like it was with Dynamite. Good thing I don’t listen to the radio or watch tv as much. I think that’s why I still enjoy Dynamite to this day!

          I totally understand when you mean you miss their songs that were funky but still had emotional impact. For me I would say I always go back to Autumn Leaves & Trivia: Seesaw. I have others in mind but those two are one of my favourites. I think with their BE album I just didn’t have time to connect with it since it came out during a time that I was busy with finals last year. It was also the first time that I was not fully participating in a comeback. I just haven’t gotten around to fully take the time to really indulge myself with the album unlike BTS’s other album releases. Maybe I will now that I have more time off… we’ll see 🤷🏻‍♀️

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          • Autumn Leaves and Seesaw, of course!!! I’m always happy to meet a fellow Yoongi appreciator. (I’d insert a gif of him saying “AUTUMN LEAVES IS A GOOD SONG” at hyyh onstage here if I could find it lol. So true king.)

            Never a bad time to revisit! God I miss hearing their voices like this. Yoongi needs to produce more like this….

            Let’s be honest, imo BE era just didn’t offer that much to be excited about. Life Goes On as a title track was kind of a snooze, Dis-ease and Telepathy are great fun but didn’t get any promotion… the only other standout for me is Blue & Grey which itself took a while to grow on me. It suffered from being a pandemic-produced album. I think that when BTS are finally able to tour and see their fans again, their output is going to be insane.

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            • Truly, autumn leaves and hold me tight>>>>

              I rarely find people talking about them gems.

              God, I really miss the hyyh era even though I could not witness it as an army then.

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              • “Hold Me Tight” is another great one! It’s their first song where Taehyung has a writing credit, I believe, and it’s a great example of his talent fairly early on in their career 🙂

                And I feel the same way! Wings/YNWA when I hopped on were kind of the tail end/epilogue of HYYH lore but they weren’t quite the same. I remember watching the HYYH concert DVD alone in my room and really feeling like I’d missed out on something special. Ah, it still hurts lol

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  36. I’m surprised that a lot of people here like the song. Yes the song is not bad but it’s just..there. It’s one of the blandest singles by them imo

    Btw how interesting it is that the reception of the song, judging from the comments here compared to the ones on AsianJunkie, are completely different

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    • AJ is um… a different website than this one. People here tend to feel fairly lukewarm about BTS but with few exceptions, I don’t feel that they’re any harsher than is necessary, given the boys’ ubiquity in recent years. However one feels about their current output, they are a talented bunch and they have such a wide-ranging discography that I think most people have found something to appreciate somewhere in there, and this site is about music, so that tends to be the focus.

      AJ on the other hand is basically a gossip site and I’ve noticed a pattern where even completely irrelevant articles about some other group get flooded with comments connecting BTS to the story and saying it’s their fault (for example the disco trend, racism, mental illness concepts, exploitation, capitalism, every single thing that Bighit has ever done as a corporation as well as everything that other agencies do because Bighit must have influenced them etc). And if you try to respond with any other perspective you get downvoted to hell and called delusional, lol. The site runner contributes to that environment too, chiming in all the time. So those people are not going to be any more objective when it comes to a BTS release than the most ardent of stans would be.

      I guess the best thing to do as a fan is to ignore those comments and keep it moving, but obviously that’s not something everyone does. I know ARMYs are annoying as hell but I wish people would realize that constantly dragging the group’s name through the mud at every given opportunity only encourages the annoying behavior. When you start to feel like you’re not going to be listened to no matter what, that’s when you stop wasting time typing out thoughtful responses and start copying+pasting “stan bts your flop faves could never can’t relate stream butter” and so on ad nauseam…

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      • Yeah, it was once my “goto” site for all things K-pop but I soured on it. Now I haunt here. Well, until Nick wakes up and realizes what a menace I can be.

        Shh.. ..he’s looking over here. Everyone.. ..act natural, dammit!

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  37. Let’s get this out of the way: I’m surprised the vocal processing doesn’t bother you that much. It really bugs me, but that’s mostly because my man Taehyung gets the worst of it. I guess when you’re a baritone you really suffer from the kind of Autotuning favored by pop producers. His voice has been brought into uncanny valley territory and I’m not a fan. (Idk if me listening on studio monitors is a factor in this.)

    That said, I like this a lot more than Dynamite. I *love* the synth instrumental interludes. I think the addition of more rapline did this song a lot of favors–while BTS is a vocally talented group (which is why I complain about the processing a lot) I think their rappers really are one of the main draws of this group. (Plus more rap = less Autotune, at least here! Haha!) The song is good fun, but this time unlike with Dynamite, I actually feel like I’m having fun. (The Usher reference helps — I was in high school when that song came out!)

    All in all, I liked this. 9.25? Idk. I’d rank this a high 8 at most, mostly because I’m still stuck reliving past BTS glories. But the song is very much enjoyable.

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  38. No one else is gonna say it, I want more SUGA rap.

    I dk anyone who thinks this isn’t Dynamite Part 2 is fooling themselves — but I agree, it is vastly better. Still not for me but I get a kick out of it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    and yah the Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam comparison – I’ll use my fav gen z slang – that’s CAP. Please stop putting these self aggrandizing statements in promotion copy. It is only going to create utter disappointment.

    I have listened to this song 4 times today…and I will listen to it even more

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  39. It’s nice to hear an attempt to reproduce a successful song that is actually BETTER than said successful song.

    The vocal processing is still here, but it’s less prevalent which I appreciate. I wished I could hear them with even less filter, but then I remembered that BTS’ vocal style is not my cup of tea anyway.

    It’s funky, so I like it! The production feels much more meaty than Dynamite, but does not sacrifice any catchyness. The melodies are more complex, but memorable. A strength of BTS is their rap line, and they get some fun parts here. Overall, a pleasant surprise.

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    • As said in a different comment, it’s not even really funk. It’s lacking something to actually make it funky. Whether that is the chords, the instruments, the rhythm, or the melody.

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  41. Hi Everyone! New commenter on this blog but I have mostly been a silent reader for quite a while 🤫. I’m very surprised to see mostly positive comments on Butter compared to Dynamite which was more mixed. I definitely agree with a lot of the comments saying BUTTER is a more refined version of Dynamite which is true without a doubt. I would say Dynamite was more simple and generic in its production & I was hoping for it to be more funky/retro when it first came out. I still enjoy Dynamite but it can always be better. Now, Butter has all the elements I wanted from Dynamite and BTS/HYBE served it up! At first listen, my opinion on Butter was neutral. However, when I listened to it again and with headphones it elevated the song for me! The chorus is extremely catching and the production during the chorus brings me joy! I’m happy that the Rapline got more time to shine in this song because it made the song feel more full (if that even makes sense lol). It also helps that RM was a part of the writing. Also, the daft punk inspired section is truly great and is one of my favourite parts of the song! Oh how can I forget about the outro of the song which is rare to hear in kpop nowadays so that was fun as well! Overall, I really enjoy this song but would I say it’s my favourite song from BTS? No, I think they have better songs that I really love from their discography. But as ARMY am I more satisfied than I was with Dynamite? 100% Yes!

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    • Hi! Welcome to the party. Help yourself to some chianti and brie. Oh, and try the pâté; personal fave. If you see a woman drinking a Tang-frosted vodka martini, tell her Xeno says, “Hiyas”.

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    • I love seeing the silent readers emerge to state their opinions. Reminds me of my long time as a lurker. I agree with what you’re saying about the raps making this song feel more..well-rounded? Something like that.

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  42. Just wanted to point out that this is the most commented-on Biaslist post yet beating Itzy’s Mafia in the Morning review by a strong margin. It also is the fastest Biaslist post to reach a 100 comments, and the first to reach 125 comments (counting this particular one).

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  43. I have to admit I’m not really a BTS fan. Jungkook and Jimin have voices I really enjoy, but musically their songs are not my favorite. That being said, Dynamite was 100% my style, even with weird English lyrics, so much so that it made me revisit some of their discography to see if my opinion had changed. It didn’t, but it made me more open to checking out their future releases. I don’t like Butter as much as Dynamite. The lyrics are certainly better, & I actually like the chorus a lot, but the verse instrumental is too bare bones for my taste. The instrumental break after the second chorus is really nice, & the transition into the rap bridge is well done. Dynamite was an earworm for me all the way through, while Butter has its moments.

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  44. Honestly, this just doesn’t really work for me as much as Dynamite did! Dynamite’s lyrics certainly deserved the raised eyebrows, but it was a ton of fun and always makes me smile. Butter is funky and fun and I’m sure it’ll grow on me over time, but my reaction after first listen was just “eh, okay, that was alright.” I’ll echo some of the above comments that it doesn’t make me want to dance. Also – Big Hit I am once again asking for you to PLEASE stop ruining Taehyung’s beautiful baritone with the janky vocal processing

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  45. I do prefer this over Dynamite but I still have mixed feelings about it. For one I wish the rap line featured more heavily in the song. The nature of the song probably lends itself better to the vocal line, I get that, but as someone who primarily got into BTS in 2013 because of their strong rap line, it still saddens me a bit. Secondly, though I should by all accounts like this song, it’s got all the right things, and I love a god retro track, there’s that certain je ne sais quoi missing for me, and I end up spending the entire time listening to the song mulling over what’s missing for me, which makes for a rather vexing listening experience

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  46. This song is one that I really want to like, but I can’t get myself to like it. Like how can such a funk infused song do not have a groovy base line. I’m genuinely sad because this is like one step away from being the first BTS song I enjoy.

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  47. It has a lot of Michael Jackson , Backstreet Boys and even Boys II men vibe and i loved it. All of them did such a great job yoongi’s verse was amazing, happy to see Him have lines and just overall the song was smooth as butter.

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  49. Here I am, finally, after this has been deemed the Song of May already, haha. It takes me a while to get around to listening to stuff I’m not excited for. I don’t know how others have the patience.

    When Dynamite came out it was fine. And when this came out, it was also… fine. But the similarities with Dynamite and me being disappointed with that release made this slightly less “fine” than it otherwise would have been for me.

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