No Songwriting Credit? BTS V’s “Layover” Album Sparks Dialog About “Real” Artists >

On September 8, 2023, BTS‘s V became the latest member to release a solo album. The lead-up to the album’s drop had fans waiting in anticipation, and they were not let down when “Slow Dancing” finally dropped.

bts-v-1st-solo-album-layover-concept-photo-1-v0-akQBgHZd9GF13yELRP_vfsVfirfCKroB5bLBP88HZQQ — BTS’s V | *BIGHIT Music*

V not only broke the record for the most first-day sales made by a solo artist but also beat the first week-sales record despite a surprising setback.

hanteo — “Layover” first day sales | *Hanteo*

There’s no doubt the release was a huge success; however, a detail of the album has created a conversation on what can be considered “genuine artistry” with musicians.

When looking at the credits for each of the album’s tracks, it is easy to notice that V is not listed among the producers, lyricists, or songwriters.

Screen Shot 2023-09-12 at 12.16.11 PM — | *Spotify*

Screen Shot 2023-09-12 at 12.16.27 PM — | *Spotify*

This was a surprising development for many fans, as in the past, BTS’s heavy involvement in each of their albums has been a source of pride for ARMY.

16 BTS Songs Written And Produced By The Vocal Liners

One netizen shared their opinion in an online forum post, expressing their disappointment in V’s lack of involvement, mentioning how music can feel more “genuine” when an artist is.

While some of the comments expressed some disappointment, not because V wasn’t involved, but because he had previously mentioned writing songs…

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Others took time to point out that V was involved in the album-making process in different ways.

For example, V asked ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin to work with him on the album, specifically because he was inspired by her work on f(x)‘s Pink Tape album and knew what direction he wanted to go in.

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Others discussed how an artist can be “genuine” with releases they didn’t write, saying that artists put their passion into performing tracks that resonate with them, regardless of who wrote them.

V specifically discussed the lack of songs with his credits during an interview with Rolling Stone, and netizens referenced that as more proof of his “genuine” involvement.

But because there will be more opportunities in the future to show the songs I’ve written, I thought it would be better to first introduce myself to the world as a solo artist. So the album reflects a variety of different musical styles that shows who I am. I’m still continuing to write songs now.
— BTS’s V