Dynamite (BTS song)

"Dynamite" is one of the few songs to which the members did not contribute in songwriting or production.[5] In interviews with Rolling Stone, Billboard and Music Business Week, writers David Stewart and Jessica Agombar explained the song's creation.[6][7][8] Through their publisher Tim Blacksmith at Stellar Songs, they learned that BTS was searching for an English language single.[6][7] The song was written over Zoom calls in one day, "at the start of lockdown."[7][8] Stewart and Agombar wanted to create a song which is "energetic, fun, hopeful, positive and just like a huge ball of energy." Agombar disclosed how the song was conceived:

"It needs to be explosive" -- and obviously explosive then became "Dynamite." Any kind of word like that... I'm always thinking of fireworks, or "Firework," because I'm a massive Katy Perry fan. I just wanted anything high-energy. It wasn't a particular lyric, it was a bundle of ideas: explosive, fireworks, dynamite, party, fun, energetic, worldwide takeover. [...] So it just had to match the energy of everything surrounding BTS. It was less a line than a feeling. The BPM had to be quick, we have to have horns, it has to be uptempo.[7]

Stellar Songs sent the track to Columbia's CEO Ron Perry and Big Hit in early July. The songs lyrics were tweaked with Jenna Andrews and Big Hit's A&R via FaceTime, and the song was fully recorded in mid-July. The creation process of the song "happened within a couple of months."[7][8]

On July 26, 2020, the band confirmed during a livestream on V Live that they would be releasing an English-language song on August 21, 2020, as the first single for their upcoming album. Discussing the song, which was one of their most heavily promoted releases thus far, the band said that "due to COVID-19, people around the world have been going through tough times and we wanted to share some positive energy with our fans."[9][10] One day after the news, a website displaying seven countdowns went live, each one corresponding to a new announcement for the single.[11] On July 31, the group shared a pre-save link for Spotify. On August 2, Big Hit revealed that the title of the song would be "Dynamite".[12] The following day, pre-orders went live for 7-inch and cassette editions of the song, as well as the digital single and its instrumental for US customers; the physical versions sold out within an hour.[13][14] The next day, the band shared a promotion schedule revealing two music video releases, three interviews with American networks and a performance at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.[15] EDM and acoustic remixes were released on August 24.[16] Additional tropical and poolside remixes were released on August 28.[17] Four new remixes of the song, "Slow Jam", "Midnight", "Retro", and "Bedroom", were released simultaneously on September 18.[18][19]

A special "Holiday Remix" version of the single was announced on December 10 as a thank you to fans for their support of the song and its achievements. The remix was released on December 11.[20]

"Dynamite" is a 1970s-influenced disco-pop song[21][22][23] with elements of funk, soul[24] and bubblegum pop.[25] The song was composed in ⁴
₄ common time in the key of C♯ minor with a tempo of 114 beats per minute and a key change to D♯ minor. Constructed in verse-chorus form, the verses follows the chord progression C♯m–F♯m₇–B₇sus–E, while the choruses follows a D♯m-G♯m₇–F♯ sequence. BTS' vocal range span from B₃ to D♯₅.[26] Instrumentation was provided by Stewart, who played drums, percussion, bass guitar, synth bass, synthesizers, pads, piano, electric guitars, programmed horns and programmed strings, and Johnny Thirkell, who played live horns.[27][28] The upbeat production consists of "snapping" handclaps, bounces, grooves and "infectious" beats.[29][30] The track features a funky bassline accompanied by vocal harmonies, falsetto hooks and a disco rhythm that is "ready-made for the dancefloor."[31] It utilises "layered vocals, echo-y synth, and celebratory horns" to recreate the '70s retro sound.[21]

The song opens with a snippet of the chorus, where Jungkook sings, "'Cause I, I, I'm in the stars tonight/ So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight." Percussion and bass is added in the next section. It further builds with Nile Rodgers-esque guitar that is later boosted by "vibrant" brass sound.[29] The chorus is "unifying" and gains speed as the song progresses.[32] Craig Jenkins of Vulture compared the horns in the chorus to that of Neon Genesis Evangelion's theme song, "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" (1995) and described "Dynamite" as "a vehicle expressly designed to break through the stratosphere", noting its similarity in genre to the handful of other disco-influenced songs that reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 earlier that year (namely Doja Cat's "Say So", Harry Styles' "Watermelon Sugar", and Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain on Me").[33] Pitchfork's Noah Yoo compared the song musically to Taio Cruz's 2010 song of the same name.[34] The last two verses of the track introduce a change in the key.[35][32] Speaking about the meaning of the song in a press conference, Suga stated that "Dynamite" has a "message of confidence and happiness. It’s like after you fell on the ground, you’re trying to get back up again. That’s what this song is like."[36] In an interview with Zane Lowe of Apple Music, RM said the song is "made of positive vibes, energy, hope, love, the purity, everything."[37] Lyrically, the song talks about the joy and appreciation of little things that makes life valuable.[38][39][40] The lyrics also include several pop cultural references including, King Kong, The Rolling Stones and basketball star LeBron James.[30][35][34] Alyssa Bailey of Elle interpreted the lyrics as "a much-needed burst of joy and invitation to join them, dance, and be a light, even when the world seems a little dark."[41]

"Dynamite" was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics upon release, with emphasis on its catchiness and broadly appealing retro sound.[42][43] The New York Times included the song in their playlist of thirteen songs of its release week, with music critic Jon Caramanica writing that although it was "less musically adventurous than the songs that made the group a worldwide phenomenon, it relies on brightness, exuberance and relentless good cheer." He further likened its musical style to the works of Jamiroquai and Charlie Puth.[44] Mike Wass of Idolator deemed the track as "a stone-cold smash" which comes with "one of the catchiest choruses of 2020."[31] Yoo felt that the song "yearns to fit the Western pop music canon while also slyly sending it up." He praised the beat as "polished" and the hook as "memorable" in which "each member gets a moment to shine." He also compared the track to Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" (2014) and labelled it as "a self-aware pop song that’s about nothing but itself."[34] Similarly, Jenkins found the track's "cute, catchy, unassuming mass entertainment" akin to "Uptown Funk" and Katy Perry's songs from her 2010 album, Teenage Dream.[33] Reviewing for the Los Angeles Times, Laura Zornosa opined that the song is "soaked in color and nostalgia" and acclaimed it for having "all the ingredients for a summer success" by fusing "the novelty of 'Old Town Road' with the international flair of 'I Like It' and 'Despacito' and all the sunny hype of 'Can't Stop the Feeling!'" She also dubbed the chorus as an "earworm" and the lyrics as "relatable."[25] Tim Chan of Rolling Stone regarded it as "bright and breezy" track which he felt was "one of the poppiest songs the group has released to date" and praised the song for its sound, production, "uplifting" chorus and commercial appeal.[30]

Patrick Hosken of MTV praised the track and wrote, "the song itself is a blockbuster, not because it's overstuffed with ideas but because it's light and airy and, crucially, feels like summer."[45] Rhian Daly of NME stated the song "mines the bright, infectious sounds of disco to get its joyful energy across, sticking to the genre’s tradition of serving as a form of escapism when life gets hard."[29] Tom Breihan from Stereogum praised the sound and regarded the song as "classic boy-band pop."[22] Aamina Khan of Vogue compared it to their previous single "Boy with Luv" (2019) and praised the pop sound calling it "a welcome summer wind-down."[21] Robin Murray of Clash cited it as an "up-front return" and highlighted the "glossy" production, adding that it "showcases each member's ability, bringing it all together as a seamless whole."[46] Billboard's Jason Lipshutz described it as "an effervescent piece of pop" that is "filled with radio-friendly highlights." He was impressed by the "late key change" and the "sing-along bridge," and called the song "one of its biggest hits to date."[32] P. Claire Dodson of Teen Vogue regarded the track as a "lighthearted, energetic pop that proves yet again the dexterity they possess with sound and aesthetic" which was "precisely for that energy" and viewed it as "a shift from the overall arc" of their previous album, Map of the Soul: 7.[47] Similarly, Marty Rosenbaum from Radio.com praised the instant appeal of the song and called it "explosive."[48] Douglas Greenwood of i-D magazine also enjoyed the single and listed it as one of the best songs of its release week.[49] Ellie Bate of Buzzfeed called the song "upbeat, poppy, full of rainbow colors and sweetness" and "an undeniably happy and upbeat disco track, with both lyrics and choreography paying homage to musical legends like the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley."[50]

The music video for "Dynamite" was preceded by a 28-second long video teaser which was published to Big Hit's official YouTube channel on August 18.[61] The short clip showed scenes of the band in pastel-colored clothes with a sunset sky behind them, as well as them dancing to a "cheerful disco melody" in retro-styled outfits against the backdrop of a large "Disco" sign.[61] The audio featured a "funky bass line and horns" and showcased the song's "upbeat" and "boundless" energy.[28] As of August 22, it had over 60 million views.

On August 20, a live countdown started at 11:30PM EST on Big Hit's YouTube channel, half an hour before the music video's release.[62] When the video premiered at 12:00AM EST, it garnered over 3 million peak concurrent viewers, surpassing previous record holder Blackpink's 1.66 million concurrents for "How You Like That" in June, and setting a new all-time record for the biggest music video premiere on the platform.[63][64] It became the fastest YouTube video to reach 10 million views, doing so after only 20 minutes of release,[65] and the most viewed YouTube video in the first 24 hours, earning 101.1 million views and setting three new Guinness World Records.[66][67][68] The music video is the fastest in YouTube history to cross the 200 million mark, in just four days and twelve hours after release,[69][70] and the fastest by a music group to surpass 400 million views, doing so on September 26, 35 days after release.[71] It is the fastest music video by both a group and an Asian act to achieve 500 million views, 59 days after release,[72] and the fastest by a Korean artist to cross 600 million views, doing so on November 16 in just under 27 days of its exceeding the former milestone.[73] On December 17, "Dynamite" became BTS' sixth music video to surpass 700 million views—it achieved the mark in under four months.[74]

A B-side version of the music video, filmed on the same set as the original "but with different angles and a few amusing bloopers", was released on August 24 and showed "[BTS] having fun together in joyful vibes".[75] A choreography only version of the original music video premiered during online video game Fortnite's Battle Royale on September 25—a "BTS Dynamite Pack" featuring two emotes with moves like the band was made available for in-game purchase from September 23, two days prior to the event.[76] This version crossed 100 million views on January 30, 2021 and is BTS' 29th music video to do so, further extending the band's record as the Korean artist with the most music videos exceeding 100 million views.[77]

With 7.778 million first-day streams on the global Spotify chart, "Dynamite" surpassed Taylor Swift's "Cardigan" (7.742 million streams) as the biggest global song debut of 2020.[78]

In South Korea, "Dynamite" debuted at no. six of the Gaon Digital Chart, with two days of tracking.[79] The following week, it rose to the top spot, making it BTS' seventh number one in the country, and the second in 2020 after "On".[80] The song remained at the top position for seven consecutive weeks, tying with Zico's "Any Song" for the longest running number one song on the chart.[81][82] On the chart issue dated October 31, "Dynamite" regained its number one spot and remained at the top spot for a further three weeks, tallying a total of 11 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart.[83][84] The song also topped the component download and streaming charts, spending 11 weeks atop the latter.[80][81][84] "Dynamite" was the best-performing song of September and October 2020 in South Korea, based on digital sales, streaming, and background music (instrumental track) downloads.[85][86] In Japan, the song debuted at number seven on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, peaking at number two, three weeks after.[87][88] The song reached number one on Billboard Japan's Streaming Songs chart on the issue dated September 7, 2020, with over 10 million streams. In its 11th week, the song surpassed 100 million cumulative streams, becoming the fastest song in history to do so and only the second song by a foreign artist in Japan besides Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" (2016).[89] On the UK Singles Chart, "Dynamite" debuted at number three, representing the band's most successful single in the territory, surpassing the peak of "Boy with Luv" (2019) at number 13.[90] In January 2021, OCC revealed that "Dynamite" was the 15th best-selling song of 2020 in the UK.[91]

In the United States, "Dynamite" debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's first number-one single in the US and their fourth top-10 entry. BTS became the first all-South Korean act in Hot 100 history to debut at number one. They also became the first Asian act to chart a number one song in the country since Kyu Sakamoto with "Sukiyaki" (1963).[92][93] "Dynamite" sold 300,000 units in its first week, including download, vinyl and cassette physical versions. It earned 33.9 million total US on-demand streams and 11.6 million radio impressions. "Dynamite" also debuted atop the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, selling 265,000 downloads—the biggest pure sales week since Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" launched with 353,000 downloads in 2017.[94] Spurred by the "Poolside", "Tropical", EDM, acoustic remixes and instrumental version of the song, "Dynamite" sold a 182,000 units in its second week, remaining atop the Hot 100 for a second week, becoming only the 20th song, of 43 songs that have entered the chart at number one since, to debut at number one and spend its first two weeks atop the chart since its records began in 1958; it is the first song by a group to accomplish this since Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (1998).[95] In its fifth week on the chart, "Dynamite" returned to the top spot the Hot 100 for a third week at number-one, aided by its "Bedroom," "Midnight," "Retro" and "Slow Jam" remixes, which together accounted for 52% of the overall song sales of 153,000 copies that week.[96] "Dynamite" entered the Pop Songs chart at number 30 on the issue dated August 29, 2020, becoming the band's sixth entry on the ranking. On the week of November 7, it reached the ninth position, becoming their first top ten on the chart, and also the highest charting song by a Korean act, besting Psy's "Gangnam Style" (2012).[97][98] In January 2021, it was announced that "Dynamite" was the number one selling single in the US in 2020, racking up a total of 1.3 million physical copies sales according to Nielsen Music’s annual year-end report. The margin was so significant that it surpassed the second-best selling song, "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd, which sold 580,000 copies, by more than a 2.2x multiple.[99]

During the inaugural week of the Billboard Global 200 which tracks the most streamed and digitally sold songs in over 200 territories, and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. which tracks the same metrics excluding the US, "Dynamite" launched at number two on both the charts being blocked from reaching the top spot by Cardi B's "WAP" and Maluma's "Hawai", respectively.[100][101] The following week, the song climbed to number one on the Global Excl. U.S. chart with 67.4 million streams and 18,000 downloads sold in territories outside the US.[102] In its third week, "Dynamite" reached number one on the Global 200 chart with 92.1 million global streams and 58,000 global downloads sold, becoming the most-streamed and most-sold song globally. The single topped the Global Excl. U.S. chart for a second consecutive week, becoming the first song to top both charts simultaneously.[103] It spent a record four and eight weeks on top of the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts respectively.[104]

BTS first performed "Dynamite" at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards on August 30, 2020.[105] They followed that up with additional performances on the Today Show on September 10,[106] America's Got Talent on September 16,[107] and as the closing act at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 18, 2020; the band opened their four-song set with "Dynamite".[108] BTS made their first ever appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts on September 21 and also opened their three-song set with "Dynamite".[109] During the first of the band's week-long stint on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that began on September 28, BTS presented a pre-recorded performance of "Dynamite" that featured both Jimmy Fallon and the Roots.[110] They performed the song from Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport for the 2020 Billboard Music Awards in October,[111][112] and then at the Seoul Olympic Stadium for the 2020 American Music Awards in November.[113]

Credits adapted from Tidal and NetEase Music.[122][123]

At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, "Dynamite" garnered a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, becoming the band's first nomination and making BTS the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nod.[215]

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2020
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• List of Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2020
• List of Billboard Digital Song Sales number ones of 2020
• List of Gaon Digital Chart number ones of 2020
• List of Inkigayo Chart winners (2020)
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• List of number-one digital songs of 2020 (Canada)
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