Some songs fade with time — and then there’s Spring Day.
Eight years after its release, BTS’s beloved ballad continues to warm hearts, earning a spot at No. 37 on Rolling Stone’s “The 250 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century So Far.”
The American music magazine described the track as “a signature song from one of the biggest pop groups of the 21st century,” praising its “transcendent resonance of grief, healing, and hope.”
For many listeners, Spring Day was more than a song — it was a gentle hand to hold through loss and longing, a melody that quietly reminded us that even after the coldest winter, spring will come again.
Released in 2017 as part of BTS’s repackage album You Never Walk Alone, the track has become a cultural touchstone in Korea and beyond. It also made history on the Korean streaming platform Melon as the first song ever to surpass 1 billion streams, a testament to its enduring emotional power.
K-pop’s presence was strong throughout Rolling Stone’s ranking. Blackpink’s fierce 2018 anthem Ddu-Du Ddu-Du landed at No. 142, which the magazine said best captured “the K-pop wave that swept through America in the 2010s.”
Girls’ Generation followed with their bright and bubbly Gee at No. 170, while NewJeans’ viral hit Hype Boy — the track that defined a new generation of pop — placed No. 206.
At the top of the list, Missy Elliott’s Get Ur Freak On claimed the crown, with Beyoncé’s Crazy in Love rounding out the top three — songs that, much like Spring Day, have come to define their era.
by Byung-yeon Yoo
yooby@hankyung.com
