Mic Drop

On September 18, 2017, BTS dropped the fifth track of their EP Love Yourself: Her, a swaggering hip-hop number called “Mic Drop.” Written by Pdogg, Supreme Boi, “Hitman” Bang, and members RM, j-hope, and SUGA, along with Ali Tamposi, the song is a defiant celebration of the group's rapid ascent. Over a pounding beat and sharp synth lines, the members trade verses about silencing critics and owning their success. The title itself became a meme, shorthand for BTS's knack for dropping achievements like a microphone.

The song's real breakout came two months later. On November 24, 2017, Steve Aoki released a remix featuring American rapper Desiigner. That version added EDM drops and trap flourishes, and it became BTS's first top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 28. The Japanese-language version, released December 6, 2017, under Universal Music Japan, hit number one on both the Oricon Singles Chart and Billboard Japan Hot 100, eventually going double platinum in Japan.

Critics praised the original's “unapologetic bravado” (Pitchfork) and the remix's “explosive energy” (NME). BTS performed the remix on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Saturday Night Live, introducing their choreography to American audiences. The music videos, directed by Woogie Kim, have amassed over 750 million combined YouTube views. The song became a tour staple, featured on the Love Yourself World Tour (2018–19). Its dance sparked the #MicDropChallenge on TikTok, and covers by Stray Kids and Pentatonix further spread its reach.[edit]