I'll keep saying it till I'm blue in the face; As of 2021, BTS is just getting started. With that said, history has shown us that nobody is on top forever.
It is extremely rare for a musical act to go out on top. The only acts that come to mind are Pink Floyd, at least commercially, and Destiny's Child.
One of the things BTS is known for is their earnest image. I hate to use the word "image" here because I truly believe they're really good guys, as do many of you.
However, image is a thing in the music business and eventually, people get tired of the same old song and dance.
Now, I know I said BTS is just getting started but hypothetically, what if they were to start falling out of favor with their audience and the music industry?
What would happen if BTS started to become a caricature of themselves? How would BTS recover?
For this, I'm going to use one of my favorite bands of all time as a perfect example of reinventing yourself: U2.
In short, in the 80s, U2 was known for their socially conscious music and image and by the late 80s, they were one of the biggest acts in the world.
However, as time went on, people got tired of them. Some thought they were getting corny and a little Jesus-y. Others thought that U2 was actually faking everything and were only in it for the money.
Long story short, in 1991, U2 released Achtung Baby; An album that musically destroyed and betrayed everything they did before and they embraced the negativity.
They basically recorded an album as if they were actually everything that their critics said they were and it was excellent.
Not only did this album rejuvenate U2, but it gave them a new lease of creativity for future projects, tours and even inspired groups like Nine Inch Nails.
I think if ever BTS did fall into a slump, going the Achtung Baby/ Zoo TV route would be perfect for them.
I would say sometimes the OPPOSITE issue arises, and some fans seem unable to understand why 25-years old men don't act the same as when they were 18.
That would be super-cool, and definitely not something seen a lot in kpop ( Day 6 paved the way, I'm telling you ).
