BTS is about to unveil their eagerly anticipated new album, Map of the Soul: 7, to the world.
Preceded by the new track "Black Swan" and celebrating seven years as a band, the wildly popular K-pop act's fourth full-length studio set contains production credits that read like a veritable who's who of pop music royalty across its 20-song track listing.
Ahead of the album's Friday release (Feb. 21), Billboard rounded up all the major collaborators you need to know, from guest features by Halsey and Sia to songwriting credits from Ed Sheeran, Troye Sivan and more.
Halsey
BTS recruited Halsey for "Boy With Luv," the lead single on their 2019 EP Map of the Soul: Persona which is also included on Map of the Soul: 7. Halsey also has a co-writing credit on the crossover hit, which gave the boy band their highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 to date (peaking at No. 8) and led to Suga returning the favor by contributing an interlude on the pop star's recently released LP, Manic.
Ed Sheeran
Also featured on the Map of the Soul: 7 track list, Ed Sheeran originally penned the bouncy single "Make It Right" for its Persona precursor. Using Sheeran's signature gift for melody in its distinctive hook, the track was later released as a single with a guest feature by Lauv. However, it appears the K-pop idols' solo version of the song made the final cut for Map of the Soul: 7.
Troye Sivan and Allie X
On Sunday (Feb. 16), Troye Sivan took to social media to reveal he had a hand in writing as-yet-unheard album cut "Louder Than Bombs" alongside fellow pop star and frequent collaborator Allie X. "Very happy to have co-written Louder Than Bombs on @BTS_twt'S album! thanks for having me boyyssssss," Sivan tweeted alongside the Map of the Soul: 7 cover art. For her part, Allie X wrote "This is so surreal" upon sharing the news.
Very happy to have co-written Louder Than Bombs on @BTS_twt’S album! — thanks for having me boyyssssss pic.twitter.com/IG1halBs9p
— troye (@troyesivan) February 16, 2020
This is so surreal lol pic.twitter.com/qi0OvrRYfO
— allie x (@alliex) February 17, 2020
Leland
"Louder Than Bombs" also bears a songwriting credit by Leland, who's ventured into pop star territory in recent years with tracks like "Run Into You," "Middle of a Heartbreak" and "Another Lover." When he's not releasing bops under his own name, the popular songwriter/producer has crafted hits for the likes of Selena Gomez ("Rare"), Betty Who ("Ignore Me") and Charli XCX ("1999") and helmed production on pal Sivan's 2018 LP Bloom.
Sia
Perhaps the biggest surprise when BTS unveiled the Map of the Soul: 7 track list earlier this month was album closer "On," a remixed mystery collaboration with Sia that's being billed as a digital bonus track following the LP's "Outro." (The original version of the song — sans the Australian pop star — appears earlier on the album.)
