Every BTS Solo Song Ranked

A huge part of V’s allure is his deep voice and his affinity for soul and jazz. There’s nothing special about the simple production. It’s V’s delivery that sells this ballad.

Distorted guitars and an aggressive backbeat propel “Throw Away,” a raging number that has a similar vibe to Prodigy’s 1990s techno hit “Firestarter.” The way RM overpronounces as he screams out buhryuh/버려 — the Korean word for throw away — even sounds like he’s saying “fire.” RM gives a shout-out to other rappers, notably Wu-Tang Clan and his own bandmate Suga.

A companion piece to BTS’ 2020 song of the same name, Suga’s solo reinterpretation is an affirmation of saying goodbye to “the place where I passed for 10 years” and looking forward to adjusting to his future, as life goes on. 

Loneliness is a theme that runs throughout RM’s mixtape Mono. On this soft piano-led all-English track, RM explores that feeling. With lyrics like “I can’t sleep/Homesick, babe/I just wanna stay right next to you,” listeners can extrapolate that he’s missing someone who he isn’t allowed to be seen with in public, due to the no-dating nature of the idol system.

RM and Colde contemplate how a dizzyingly crammed lifestyle affects their artistry: “Yesterday was hectic, there was nothing romantic/If I can just find a reason/To keep this endless chasing.” The thumping beat adds to the song’s tension, as the two artists try to find a solution to something they may not want to change.

RM worked on this song for three years before inviting Cherry Filter’s Youjeen to join him on it. The lead track from his album Indigo, the song deals with how to best handle his desires before they devour him. Youjeen’s soaring vocals reassure RM’s, telling him that he will not vanish like a flame. Rather, he’ll thrive like a resilient wildflower. 

J-Hope sounds smooth rapping in fluid English and making the kind of promises meant to make listeners both wistful and weak in the knees: “We might never get to sleep tonight/I’ll give you everything you need tonight/This kind of love I guarantee for life/Dreams are gonna be sweet tonight.” Miguel’s falsetto is a delightful addition to this soulful single, which J-Hope has confirmed is his first song centered on romantic love.

Rarely has anyone sounded as unbothered as RM about being literally and metaphorically lost. Embracing the unknown and what he might discover, he raps along to the buoyant bass line announcing to anyone who’ll listen, “I’m goddamn lost.”

J-Hope collaborated with J. Cole on the 2023 release of “On the Street,” and followed that up with a solo rendition in 2024 for his Hope on the Street album. The album version includes an additional verse, with J-Hope sounding a bit more raw and vulnerable.

A vulnerable Suga contemplates love and longing on this collaboration with Korean superstar IU. “What is it about loss that makes us so sad?” The answer is quite profound: “It’s actually the dread.”

If bedroom eyes could be heard, it would sound like V singing “FRI(END)S.” He’s stuck in a situationship when he’d prefer to be in a relationship. But what to do when you’re “friends just for now/Yeah, but friends don’t say words that make friends feel like more than just friends.”

Loosely inspired by the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and referencing the BTS-Steve Aoki collab “The Truth Untold,” this playful song embraces Jimin’s warm vocals as he sings about a flower (smeraldo) that only exists in the BTS universe, which is a fictional series of story arcs that BTS created.

Embracing his pop-rock solo career, Jin’s “Running Wild” is the focus track from his debut album, Happy. Jin hits all the right, deliciously high notes in this song, which was co-written and co-produced by Take That’s Gary Barlow. The song’s thesis is to liberate oneself from expectations by running until “there’s nothing left, ‘till our last breath.”

This dark, moody hip-hop song reminds us that before RM became the leader of BTS, he was a hardcore underground rapper. Angry and defiant, RM speaks of love as a concept that doesn’t exist anymore. And he’s not OK with that.

V released this song on Christmas Day 2020 to lift the spirits of everyone affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The song is soothing, with V offering a romantic and jazzy interpretation. Joined by Peakboy — who plays guitar, drums, and also raps — “Snow Flower” celebrates the beauty of nunkkot (눈꽃), which is Korean for snowflake. The literal translation, however, is “snow (눈) flower (꽃),” some of which are strong enough to survive the brutal winters to bloom in the spring. “When the world is full of white flowers,” V croons, “may our times be more special.”

Park Ji-yoon starts this collab with her sweet vocals, setting up RM’s contemplative rap. This poignant song leaves room for forgiveness, as the artists tell each other that there’s no need to look back with regrets. Instead, accept yourself, flaws and all. “I’ve only learned one thing so far,” RM sings to Park. “I’ll be forever me …/You’ve done your best.”

A fierce, emotional duet between Halsey (who sang on BTS’ “Boy With Luv”) and Suga, “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” is a reworked version of Halsey’s 2021 song “Lilith.” Suga’s pointed commentary on power and corruption are compelling. But when Halsey accepts blame for “doin’ things I’m not supposed to,” he steps in to reassure and remind her to “step out of the moment that’s been trappin’ you in all this negativity of hatred and insanity.”

Upon first listen, this sentimental ode can be interpreted as Jin missing someone from his past. “When this night passes, I’m afraid I won’t be able to see you,” he sings. The gentle song is actually about the death of his pets, who have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.

RM is feeling it in this alternative-hip-hop song, where he works through his past experiences with users. He mocks them, describing them as pro riders, followed by a therapeutic “Woo, hoo, hoo, hoo.” Who are these gaslighting riders? RM leaves it to us to come to our own conclusions.

The answer to anything Jung Kook asks is yes. Unless he wants it to be no. “Are you feeling the rush?” Yes. “Are we falling in love?” You betcha. “Are you thinking about us?” Always.

When Jin released a short version of “Super Tuna” in 2021, it was supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek tune to amuse ARMY — kind of like a “Baby Shark” for BTS fans. But with its old-school-trot vibe and Jin’s earnest delivery, it became a sensation that earned a full-length version in 2024. The song is silly, catchy, and just what we need in a turbulent era. And to be perfectly frank, if Pablo Neruda can deify a dead tuna in his mournful poem “Ode to a Large Tuna in the Market,” then Jin can sing this deliriously happy song about a tuna begging to be caught, unaware that death is looming in his own fate.

J-Hope contemplates what differentiates good from evil on “Stop.” A throbbing bass line and drums set the tone for this song, which warns us not to buy the lie that “the world is changing because there are no bad people.” To quote J-Hope’s own lyrics, “Ah ha ha ha!”

Jung Kook sings in a lower register than usual on this all-English track that deconstructs a relationship he’s not ready to leave. He sings in a mournful, trembling whisper, “I wish you went behind my back/And told me lies …/Maybe hating you’s the only way it doesn’t hurt.” In under three minutes, he creates a complete story that doesn’t offer a happy ending, but offers one that is difficult to forget.

A sweet ode to ARMY, “Closer Than This” was recorded to tide the fandom over while BTS served in the military. Say what you will about the parasocial relationship between Korean idols and their fans, this song conveys the kind of gratitude that is hopeful without being cloying.

“Badbye” is a bewitching song that, at just under two minutes, is also the shortest on Mono. Which is unfortunate, because it’s sonically so beautiful. Handling the majority of vocals is eAeon, eerily singing words that leave no hope for a happy ending: “Bad badbye, no goodbye.” When RM joins in, repeating “Kill me, kill softly,” we can only imagine what led to this tragic badbye.

Gentle guitars start off this hidden track from Jimin’s solo debut album, Face. With his voice dropping to a low register, he sings about the unknown future. Still, he’s hopeful that listeners will “stay by my side.”

A remake of DJ Webstar and Young B’s 2006 song of the same name, J-Hope’s “Chicken Noodle Soup” begins with Becky G chanting “Let it rain, and clear it out.” That start gives off a techno-pop vibe reminiscent of Rain’s “It’s Raining” more than any previous J-Hope track. Sung in Korean, English, and Spanish, the duo’s rendition is a peppy, free-flowing hip-hop track set to a heavy bass line and lots and lots of energy.

There are both English and Korean versions of this song, which starts with indiscernible whispers, giving it a mysterious start. One could argue about the lyrics being overtly sexual (“Give me a good ride”), but as Jimin wraps his warm vocals around the words, he turns it into a gentle plea.

J-Hope can be dark and deep. But he can also flip the switch and create some upbeat and vibrant songs. “Future” is a joyful song of hope. Whitney Houston once sang “I believe the children are our future,” and J-hope believes it too. As a children’s choir chirps “Na na na” in the background, you can almost feel his smile.

In this dreamlike collaboration between Suga and Halsey, the pair contemplate their burgeoning careers and the complications of fame. “I was full of dreams and made them come true,” Suga reveals on the atmospheric track. “Yet maybe those dreams as dreams could have been better.”

This brutally honest song technically belongs to Tablo. But the Epik High rapper has said it wouldn’t exist without RM. Set to a languid beat, “Stop the Rain” offers unflinching insight into the despair each artist went through to get to where they are today. RM sings of suicidal ideation (“When I was a kid, I was convinced that I was destined for the 27 club”). Interestingly, the almost all-English track offers one Korean line near the end (다시 덫 뒤에 덫). Its inclusion is powerful, alluding to a cyclical feeling of being trapped — as if the revelation is too personal to reveal in a language too many people understand.

J-Hope presents a darker, aggressive self in “What If, …” a song that deals with his doubts and fears. Fans of 1990s hip-hop will recognize Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” which J-Hope sampled. In 2024, J-Hope released an extended dance mix of this song on JHope On the Street Volume 1. (The song is featured in the trailer for Prime Video’s spy thriller Butterfly.)

Jimin sings of loneliness and losing himself in this seductive ballad. Accompanied by lilting piano trills, he plays off his usual higher pitch by singing back in a lower register. It all works well in this angsty but gentle song.

Breaking up is hard to do, but as Jin says, “Don’t say that you love me because it hurts the most/You’ve just got to let me go.” This bittersweet pop song would’ve fit in so well at the end of a 1980s John Hughes film, when one boy is left heartbroken as the girl he loves goes off with someone else. But he still wishes her well. Kind of.

The song ties together J-Hope’s past with his dance crew Neuron, the nervous system that responds to his mind, and a fresh start or, as he raps, a “new run.” South Korean hip-hop artist Gaeko and South Korean American rapper Yoon Mi-rae guest on this track. The trio sound great together, working through the sharp lyrics and a smooth flow.

Taking advantage of his expressive voice, Jin soars through this power ballad, where he promises ARMY that for him, “the world is only you.”

Jung Kook is all grown up and not shy about expressing his carnal desires: “So if you’re ready, and you’ll let me/I wanna see it in motion in 3D.” But some of you may be wondering if the youngest member isn’t talking about something more innocent, like pickleball maybe? Mmmm ‘k, but look up what his promise of champagne confetti means. Still, I was glad it was Jack Harlow, and not JK, who had the line, “I got you playing with yourself on camera.”

Jin hits those high notes like no other on “Yours,” which was featured in the K-drama Jirisan. But just as important, he fills the song with emotion because of how he parses each phrase to convey the necessary emotions. Jin’s interpretation transcends language barriers, helping listeners understand his torn feelings even without comprehension of the literal words.

It’s unclear if Suga is calling out the media, liars, or just haters in general, but lines like “Between so many truths and so many lies/Are we seeing this world right?” indicate that it’s probably all of the above and then some. As he lists a litany of duplicitous acts, Suga draws us in with his breathy delivery, before taking ownership. “It’s all dirty,” he raps. “Am I also clean?”

A superfun power-pop song with Jin and singer Yena trading verses about who’s the loser “if you lose me.” If anyone can keep up with Jin’s cheeky delivery, it’s the former IZ*ONE member who gives as good as she gets.

V produced this cover of Adele’s gorgeous powerhouse ballad “Someone Like You.” He wisely chose not to do a straight-on copy of her song, which embodies raw hurt. Instead, V interprets the song as a heartfelt wish. When Adele sings “I wish nothing but the best for you,” it’s a cathartic release that leaves listeners internally screaming, When V sings that same line, the sentiment is a poignant wish for a former partner who has moved on. The song is spare, with a piano melody caressing V’s voice.

A throwback to the 1970s disco era, “Lock/Unlock” would’ve gotten everyone at Studio 54 on the dance floor. A debonair J-Hope seductively invites us to, what? Everything. Meanwhile, the throbbing bass line is intoxicating, helping to create a number that is part funk, part electro-pop, and 100 percent fun.

As a child, RM had aspirations of becoming a rapper. But it wasn’t until he was 11 and heard Epik High’s “Fly” that he felt it could be a possibility. In this long-awaited first collaboration between RM and Epik High leader Tablo, the two musicians navigate a world that’s full of algorithms, but little soul. Their mutual respect is evident in how they pay homage to each other’s hits in their rhymes. Tablo references BTS songs “DNA” and “Dynamite,” while “fly” pops up throughout RM’s verses. The song questions why we’re fighting all day for survival, but ultimately offers hope: “When the cruel world seems to be laughing at you/No matter what the world says, we fly.”

Listening to BTS members’ songs can feel like attending a lecture where we learn about subjects that are often pretty esoteric for pop music. I mean, who among us actually knew that the song title referred to the portion of our brain that processes emotions? We listen as Suga mournfully lists the memories stored in his amygdala that he has been unable to erase — his mother’s heart surgery, his father’s liver cancer, his own debilitating accident, and his recurring suicidal ideation. The song is dark, desperate, and raw, with Suga’s vocals appropriately mournful as he pleads, “My amygdala, please save me.” This is a song he worked on for three years before he was satisfied with the arrangement. In the end, he creates a sobering look at what Min Yoon-gi had to go through before he became Suga, and then eventually Agust D.