BTS fans gather in Vertigo to listen to new album BE and test their knowledge about the world’s biggest pop sensation
Vertigo Media hosted a special listening party on Friday to celebrate BE, the new album from BTS. The South Korean pop group seems poised to cement their status as the biggest musical act since The Beatles. Within hours of its highly anticipated release on Thursday, the album had reached #1 on the iTunes charts in many countries, and the official video for the first track had amassed over 25 million views on YouTube.
2020 has been a meteroric year for BTS. BE follows only nine months from the group’s Map of the Soul: 7 album. Additionally, after their spring tour was canceled due to COVID-19, BTS emerged in August to release a teaser single, “Dynamite,” and then blazed through western media with a flurry of talk show appearances, interviews, and performances. The publicity paid off, making “Dynamite” the band’s first Number One on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Dynamite” lives up to its name: It’s an explosive disco-pop single that surges with joyful energy. Featuring upbeat synth and elements of funk, soul, and bubblegum pop, it’s hard to listen to the catchy track without dancing. “Dynamite” is also BTS's first song fully recorded in English, and its lyrics proclaim an exuberance much needed after a long summer marred by the pandemic: “I'm in the stars tonight, so watch me bring the fire and set the night alight…”
In contrast, the tone of BE, as a collective whole, seems decidedly more introspective. In a statement released by their label, Big Hit Entertainment, the album “reflects the thoughts, emotions and deepest ruminations” of the band members, who shared the frustrations of a global community on lockdown. The first track, “Life Goes On,” echoes the band’s heartfelt message before the UN General Assembly a few months ago, encouraging people to maintain hope during these troubling times. The song’s lyrics display the candor and sensitivity central to the band’s massive appeal: “There’s no end in sight. Is there a way out? My feet refuse to move… Like an echo in the forest, the day will come back around as if nothing happened. Yeah, life goes on.”
With “Dynamite” positioned as the final track, the mood of the album builds towards a jubilant climax. Perhaps the track sequence itself reflects life for BTS, whose hard work of making music during a season of somber quarantine should culminate with a well-deserved party—both for themselves and their fans.
In conjunction with the release of BE, Vertigo Music hosted an in-app listening party on Friday night for the band’s legion of devoted fans (known as ARMY, which stands for “Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth”). Fans from around the world shared their enthusiasm for the new album and participated in a BTS trivia contest for a chance to win $2,000 in prizes. Fifteen users took home cash prizes for showing off their knowledge about BTS. (Check out a few sample questions below.)
▶︎ What name did Suga go by in the underground rap scene?
Gloss
▶︎ What costume did Jimin wear in the “21st Century Girls” Halloween dance practice?
Cabbage
▶︎ On what date (month, day, year) did BTS post their first Tweet?
December 17, 2012
▶︎ What artist does RM have a secret handshake with?
Halsey
▶︎ What nickname did Jin call himself during the BE Comeback Countdown?
Ice Prince
The company plans to host additional K-pop listening parties in the coming weeks. In the meantime, BTS fans can stay connected in the Vertigo® app. The ARMY fan community is the app’s fastest trending group, and members can continue enjoying the band’s music together in an ongoing listening party and chat threads on the ARMY group page.
About Vertigo Media:
Launched in 2016, the Vertigo® app allows users to listen to music in real-time together across streaming providers, and to post original content that plays alongside music streamed from Spotify or Apple Music. The app offers listening parties hosted by artists and social media personalities, and holds weekly contests for users to win concert tickets, autographed merch, and cash prizes. Unlike other platforms like YouTube, Vertigo’s patented technology ensures that anytime a fan-created video is played in the app, artists and labels earn royalties from the streaming provider—making the Vertigo® app an ideal platform for fans and artists alike.
