Biography
MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 is the fourth Korean-language (seventh overall) studio album by South Korean boy band BTS. The album was released on February 21, 2020, by Big Hit Entertainment. It is the follow-up to their 2019 extended play Map of the Soul: Persona, with five of its songs appearing on the album. Described by BTS as "deeply personal", the album is influenced by their journey and growth of seven years since their debut. Map of the Soul: 7 has been described as a pop, R&B and hip-hop record that contains influences from urban contemporary genres like rock, trap and EDM. Lyrically, it touches upon themes of reflection, introspection, and self-acceptance.
For the album, BTS worked with Halsey, Ed Sheeran, Troye Sivan and Sia. The record was primarily produced by Pdogg, also in the producing credits were Suga, Jimin, Fred Gibson, Hiss Noise, El Capitxn, Supreme Boi, and Arcades, among others. Upon release, Map of the Soul: 7 received critical acclaim, with praise towards the record's reflective narrative and cohesive production that experiments with various styles.
MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 was a huge commercial success, reaching number one in over 20 countries and becoming the world's best-selling album of 2020. BTS became the first Asian group to top the charts in all of the top-five music markets in the world. In the United States, it became BTS' fourth consecutive album to debut at number one album on the Billboard 200 chart, earning 422,000 album-equivalent units (including 347,000 sales) in its first week. In under nine days of its release, the album sold more than 4.1 million copies for the first time in Gaon Album Chart's history, setting the Guinness World Record for the best-selling album in South Korea and was certified quadruple million by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). It was certified platinum in the United States and Japan, and earned gold certifications in seven other countries.
The album was supported by two singles, both entering the US Billboard Hot 100: "Black Swan" debuted and peaked at number 57, while "On" reached number 4, becoming the band's first top-five hit on the chart. Map of the Soul: 7 won Album of the Year at the 2020 Genie Music Awards, 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards, 2020 Melon Music Awards, and the 46th People's Choice Awards, while "On" won Best Pop, Best Choreography, and Best K-pop at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards. The band promoted the album with televised live performances on The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and various South Korean music programs including M Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo. The group also announced their fourth world tour, the Map of the Soul Tour.
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