Butter

Harmonically, 'Butter' is intentionally lean — a I–vi–IV–V loop in a bright major key, the same scaffolding used by countless pop radio hits. Its distinctiveness comes not from chord complexity but from the production: tight funk-influenced rhythms, layered synth textures, and a meticulous arrangement that makes a four-chord song sound effortlessly expensive. The key is inferred from training knowledge; no external chord source was available to verify.

'Butter' was written by an international team of seven: Ron Perry, Sebastian Garcia, Alex Bilowitz, RM (of BTS), Stephen Kirk, Rob Grimaldi, and Jenna Andrews. The song was conceived as a direct follow-up to BTS's 2020 English-language debut 'Dynamite', continuing the group's push into Western pop radio with a similar disco-pop framework. RM's writing credit reflects BTS's ongoing involvement in shaping their own creative output even when collaborating with external pop songwriters.

'Butter' is BTS's second all-English single, released May 21, 2021 on Big Hit Entertainment. Built on a funk-infused pop production by Ron Perry, Rob Grimaldi, and Stephen Kirk, it debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 10 weeks atop the chart. The song became a landmark moment in K-pop's full integration into Western mainstream pop.