K-pop superstars BTS has officially confirmed a release date for their first album in almost four years, which will feature all seven members: RM, 31, Jin, 33, Suga, 32, J-Hope, 31, Jimin, 30, V, 30 and Jung Kook, 28. The album will be the group’s first release since the anthology album Proof in June 2022, according to BigHit Music.
Members of the band recently sent handwritten New Year’s notes to select members of their official fan club, BTS ARMY, with the membership card confirming that a new album will drop on March 20. The news was also independently confirmed by media outlets in South Korea (per Variety).
Alongside the band’s fifth full-length album, BTS will embark on a long-awaited world tour in support of the album. Details of the world tour, including dates and venues, will be announced on January 14th
The upcoming album reflects the culmination of BTS’s journey to date and defines the group on its own terms. The members devoted themselves to creating the album in the second half of 2025. Comprised of 14 tracks, the album is driven by each member’s honest introspection as they collectively shaped its direction by weaving their individual perspectives into the music.
The group had been on hiatus while members took an extended hiatus to fulfill their military service in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, a requirement of all men in the country. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve at least 18 months in the military, due to security threats from North Korea. All seven members have now been officially discharged.
BTS previously announced during a July 2025 livestream that new music was on the way in 2026. They revealed at the time that they would begin recording soon, but did not provide an exact release date. The band members said during that livestream: “Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member’s thoughts and ideas. We’re approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.” They also confirmed that they would be going on a world tour following the album’s release, with details to be announced at a later date.
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