Love Yourself: Tear
by BTS
  • Record Label: Bighit
  • Release Date: May 18, 2018
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 1209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,030 out of 1209
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 1209
  3. Negative: 165 out of 1209
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  1. yakussoku
    May 24, 2018
    10
    this is probably their best album since the hyyh series. honestly i'm very surprised with the production, not to mention that it's one of their most cohesive albums as well.
  2. HAFowler
    Oct 4, 2018
    10
    I'm not going to lie: I avoided anything K-Pop related like the PLAGUE for years, because I have a lifelong loathing of "boybands" and their manufactured role-playing "I'm a muzikian" pap. People around me were going on and on about this group, and finally someone with taste I trusted said I needed to listen to this album.

    Sometimes I discover that I've bitten off my nose to spite my    I'm not going to lie: I avoided anything K-Pop related like the PLAGUE for years, because I have a lifelong loathing of "boybands" and their manufactured role-playing "I'm a muzikian" pap. People around me were going on and on about this group, and finally someone with taste I trusted said I needed to listen to this album.

    Sometimes I discover that I've bitten off my nose to spite my face.

    The first song I experienced (not only heard, because it was the video. Thank the gods it was, because these guys area a multi-media SENSATION) was Fake Love... and I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. Forget the fashion (I'm not into much else besides jeans and tee shirts anyway), forget that they're pretty. The MUSIC is just really great! They can sing (and not sound like a bunch of tin can wailing, produced to death, paper doll cutouts, either. *shudder*), they can spit FIRE, and they can perform like nobody's business.

    The language barrier is a lazy excuse to miss this album. You can go to a dozen websites and YouTube to find translations (to some pretty amazing lyrics). I first heard the whole Tear album on Spotify -- and then I had to download it immediately.

    So many things about this group are impressive, and this album shows a lot of them. This isn't your average bubblegummy crap. There is some deep and dark stuff here. They cover genres from Latin-inspired to EDM and the goth-tinged emo rock style Fake Love. That description is something that would normally melt my eyeballs and put me into a coma, but I mean it in the best possible way.

    Tear covers a wild gamut of emotions on the more complicated side of love. Sad, angry, desperate, happy. A heart-rending ballad about hiding from love because you think you're hideous and a SEARING rap breakup song that will have you shrieking out bars in your living room at 3 am.

    It's all here. And it's one of a VERY select few albums I will play from end to end without a skip EVERY time I listen to it.

    Don't let your preconceived notions about 7 pretty Korean guys who can dance keep you away from at least giving this a shot. Or maybe two. Don't miss the videos.

    Tear is not a fluke, either. Their next album, Love Yourself: Answer, covers the best of Tear and the previous album Love Yourself: Her, and paints a complete story with the highlights of the series (along with 7 new tracks). From new love, to failing love, to loving yourself. It reads hokey, but it's inspiring as hell.

    It didn't take me long to get off my classic rock/grrrl rock/punk/metal high horse and become a genuine fan of these guys. I'm not a teeny-bopper either, I'm 48.    … Expand
  3. NathanCabello
    May 24, 2018
    10
    One of their most cohesive albums, Tear brings a message of reality between love just as we can find self-love after discovering it. With well-written lyrics and vocal and rap well-shown, the album showed a significant evolution of the group over time. No doubt, one of the best albums of the year so far.
  4. Maribon96
    Aug 28, 2018
    10
    This album it's an amazing body of work. it's different from any thing i've heard in my 22 years of life. i appreciate it so much really. the message and the production, on point. there are many generes, they've explored. i love this.
  5. fullofrdeams
    May 25, 2018
    10
    haha, like it
    most of negative reviews are totally undefended
    you look so desperate and miserable
    such a great album. every single song has it own sounding, especially Airplane pt.2. this one is really unique. love that sound.
  6. vmiguel
    Nov 10, 2018
    10
    경이로운! I am so proud of BTS. I love them endlessly and the way that this album and the message behind it made me and my weak and low self-esteem friends feel is empowering, and it made them stand up for themselves. We're slowly learning to love ourselves. This album is 강력한.
  7. brendavanine
    Oct 4, 2018
    10
    I was a little wary when listening to this album for the first because their previous album 'Wings' (2016) is one of my favorite albuns ever, but how incredibly surprised I am! This is so much better and refined. They can only grow even more from now on. 'Outro: Tear', '134340' and 'Love Maze' are my favorite tracks! Definitely one of the best (if not the best!) pop albuns of the year!I was a little wary when listening to this album for the first because their previous album 'Wings' (2016) is one of my favorite albuns ever, but how incredibly surprised I am! This is so much better and refined. They can only grow even more from now on. 'Outro: Tear', '134340' and 'Love Maze' are my favorite tracks! Definitely one of the best (if not the best!) pop albuns of the year! Thank you, BTS!… Expand
  8. hobi
    Dec 23, 2018
    10
    Refresh album, i just love that
    I love the truth untold, is a masterpiece...i am steve aoki fan, i dont have any idea he can do songs like that...it's just incredible ! Great album !
  9. A-ING
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Probably the best full album they ever made, has a lot of artistic references and a great concept
  10. divkrish
    Oct 5, 2018
    10
    A truly amazing body of work, Tear is proof that BTS can live up to their hype and push themselves further along their global path. This marks their third full Korean album, following after 2016's masterpiece, WINGS. Rather than showcasing their individual sides as they did in WINGS, the seven BTS members show their unity and their ability to meld seamlessly in their music as a group,A truly amazing body of work, Tear is proof that BTS can live up to their hype and push themselves further along their global path. This marks their third full Korean album, following after 2016's masterpiece, WINGS. Rather than showcasing their individual sides as they did in WINGS, the seven BTS members show their unity and their ability to meld seamlessly in their music as a group, rather than any one member pushing to the front or being left behind. Member V, real name Kim Taehyung, opens up the album with a sultry, haunting jazz track, titled Singularity, whose lyrics (penned by member RM) take inspiration from the Greek myth of Narcissus to describe a love gone wrong. Fake Love, the album's title track, is hit-material with its earworm of a melody, a hypermodern trap beat, and smoothly integrated angst rap. Its lyrics are plaintive and agonizingly beautiful, describing the group's desire to love someone but being unable to do so without changing themselves. Next follows perhaps the greatest plot twist on the album; The Truth Untold features Steve Aoki, known for his shaking beat drops and power production, but functions as the album's pacemaker with its smooth, stripped production, gorgeous melody, and poignant lyrics inspired by an Italian fairy tale. Members Jungkook, V, Jin, and Jimin shine as vocalists over a minimalistic piano backdrop that builds into an angst-ridden guitar climax and leaves the listener emotionally exhausted. The fourth track, 134340, is arguably one of the strongest on the album. BTS once again prove their mettle as lyricists as they use Pluto's demotion from planet to asteroid as a metaphor for a broken relationship, the number 134340 referring to Pluto's designated asteroid name given after its position change. Despite its sorrowful lyrics, 134340 is the very definition of smooth, with buttery vocals and gentle syllabic raps over a fluted trill. With the next track, Paradise, BTS begins to pull away from the album concept to address their fans more personally. Co-penned by MNEK, Paradise reminds BTS fans that it is okay to live a life without a dream or a goal in mind, as long as they are happy. The smooth, bright production and the members' rich vocal tones come together to form one of the album's most satisfying songs. Love Maze, the next track, may be characterized along with Paradise as a smooth, melodic pop song with lyrics thanking fans for staying by them even during their low points. Magic Shop functions as yet another fan song and marks member Jungkook's first production credit. A simple pop-EDM track with a Chainsmokers-like vibe, Magic Shop urges fans to give up their fears and pain in exchange for happiness. The following track, Airplane pt. 2, is a continuation of the song Airplane from member j-hope's solo mixtape, which preceded this album by a couple months. Continuing the self-reflective strain in which j-hope had written Airplane, BTS talk about their dreams of flying both physically and metaphorically and how far they've come over a sultry Latin-pop inspired beat evoking a Havana-like exoticness. Brassy, Fetty-Wap inspired Anpanman follows right after, the designated "hype song" on the album. Here, BTS shows off their ability to flex between genres, seamlessly pulling off stylistic autotune and exaggerated raps as they talk about their desire to give parts of themselves to their fans for strength, just as Japanese cartoon superhero Anpanman feeds starving people with pieces of his bread body. So What brings in a different energy than Anpanman; it feels like a hype song perfect for a large stadium or arena, which is fitting since BTS will soon be launching their Love Yourself world tour. The album closes off with one of BTS' strongest outros to date, a raw, bitter rap track which finds the three rappers (RM, SUGA, and j-hope) describing a relationship being torn apart over a sorrowful orchestral beat. The song evokes the intensity of the BTS Cyphers, tracks by the rap members used to hit out at haters and flex, but travels a different route in its lyrics, proving to BTS fans that while they are above lashing out now, they have not lost their touch.… Expand
  11. Shuyan1913
    May 24, 2018
    10
    This is such a good album, the message is deep and so meaningful, really enjoy the album. In this album there so many genre, so is not boring, the BEST album by far....
  12. Jimon23
    May 24, 2018
    10
    Love Yourself Tear is a great album, the mix of genres show in are great, and BTS managed to create a great cohesion between them all.
  13. Diantha
    May 24, 2018
    10
    Meaningful lyrics, outstanding production, and a refreshing variety of genres. By far, Tear is BTS's greatest album to-date, and arguably one of the best albums to be released in the year of 2018.
  14. ricamariz05
    May 24, 2018
    10
    This is a great album. I came across it through twitter cause the links of fake love are all over my timeline. I'm glad i checked it out i ended up buying the whole album on Itunes and i downloaded it on my Spotify too. Give it a try it's really diverse and every track is well made and produced. If you have a problem with the lyrics you can always search it up just like what i did and it'sThis is a great album. I came across it through twitter cause the links of fake love are all over my timeline. I'm glad i checked it out i ended up buying the whole album on Itunes and i downloaded it on my Spotify too. Give it a try it's really diverse and every track is well made and produced. If you have a problem with the lyrics you can always search it up just like what i did and it's beautiful.… Expand
  15. badlands
    May 24, 2018
    10
    The album is really, really good, with truly great lyrics, melodies, vocals and an amazing rap
  16. thefame
    May 24, 2018
    10
    The album as a whole is so good, there are no bad songs. Meaningful lyrics, vocals and raps on point. Their best full album so far, deserves the success it's doing.
  17. ErickAsked
    May 24, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Um álbum maravilhoso, inteligente e bem arquitetado, cada álbum que passa eles só melhoram… Expand
  18. subtanik
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Новый полноформатный альбом 'Love Yourself: TEAR' группы BTS получился гармоничным, интересным и освежающим. Если их другой полноформатник 'WINGS' можно сравнить с романом, где повествование последовательно, песни, как главы, раскрывают основной посыл альбома, то 'LY: TEAR' - сборник рассказов, разных, но очень интересных и захватывающих. Или как корзина с фруктами - каждый трек имеет свойНовый полноформатный альбом 'Love Yourself: TEAR' группы BTS получился гармоничным, интересным и освежающим. Если их другой полноформатник 'WINGS' можно сравнить с романом, где повествование последовательно, песни, как главы, раскрывают основной посыл альбома, то 'LY: TEAR' - сборник рассказов, разных, но очень интересных и захватывающих. Или как корзина с фруктами - каждый трек имеет свой запах, цвет, вкус, послевкусие. Под этот альбом и грустишь, и танцуешь, и задумываешься о своей жизни. На данный момент - мой самый любимый альбом у BTS, который подарил новые разнообразные эмоции. Отмечу, что прекрасному вокалу Ким Тэхёна (a.k.a. V) уделили больше внимания, в его исполнении 'Singularity' - произведение искусства, как и видео к этой песне. Приятной неожиданностью стала баллада от DJ Steve Aoki, мастерски исполненная вокал-лайном. А реп-лайн оторвались по-полной в Outro: TEAR. Рекомендую прослушать весь альбом и насладиться эмоциями, которые он дарит.… Expand
  19. UGotNoJams
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Обращаюсь к тем, кто ещё не слушал этот альбом - отбросьте все предрассудки. Музыка - универсальный язык. Принимайте её своим сердцем.
  20. FlippingCritic
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Not only does their album share meaningful lyrics, it has rhythm. To express sincere concepts in a rhythmical way is difficult to produce. In a time where our world needs a sense of peace, the music certainly aims to fulfill fans with joy. They deserve the oncoming recognition from all international platforms.
  21. Amanda99
    Oct 4, 2018
    10
    my review of Love Youself Tear: This album is experimental, creative, unique and absolutely gorgeous. the lyrics, the melodies and the quality of this album puts it up in bts’s top albums ever. Im so increases proud of BTS:)
  22. mennazak
    May 25, 2018
    10
    the album is really great and totally worth the hype . they absolutely killed every genre they decided to take on
  23. sopexj
    May 25, 2018
    10
    I though that I couldn't be more surprised by BTS, they always try to innovate their repertoire with each album, but this one in particular, is similar to some of their previous works at the same time that it approaches new themes and sounds. They have stoned and refined their concept and image throughout this new era, the art of videography does not sin at any moment, like Love Youserlf:I though that I couldn't be more surprised by BTS, they always try to innovate their repertoire with each album, but this one in particular, is similar to some of their previous works at the same time that it approaches new themes and sounds. They have stoned and refined their concept and image throughout this new era, the art of videography does not sin at any moment, like Love Youserlf: Tear's lyricism, an album full of good messages, with doubled and triple understandings. The focus of rap on the album satifez enough, it has been a few ages that they have somewhat overshadowed hip hop that was always the basis for their music. But that does not mean the vocals are behind, quite the contrary, they shone in The Truth Untold, one of the album's strengths. With elements of rock-grounge, trap beats and hip hop emo, I would say that Fake Love is their best single, behind only the exciting Spring Day. Tear is loaded with different genres but somehow complement each other and dont do weak the album. The r&b featured in Love Maze, Paradise and 134340 - a bit of Jazzy too, which is new to them - is what I would say was missing from the group's latest work. Lastly, this is their best album yet, and I believe that soon we will see many positive notes from these brilliant artists.… Expand
  24. BTS_Mom
    May 25, 2018
    10
    BTS 'Love Yourself: TEAR' - the best album of 2018!

    Как жаль, что расизм и узколобость мышления не позволяют некоторым людям оценивать МУЗЫКУ, ЛИРИКУ, ПОСЫЛ. Мир открыт для нового, но совковое мировосприятие сильнее.
  25. KimKimKim
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Love Yourself Tear is a great album, the mix of genres show in are great, and BTS managed to create a great cohesion between them all.

    Забавно, что положительные рецензии развёрнутые, люди явно прослушали альбом и им есть что сказать о каждой песне. Ну, с отрицательными всё понятно )))    Love Yourself Tear is a great album, the mix of genres show in are great, and BTS managed to create a great cohesion between them all.

    Забавно, что положительные рецензии развёрнутые, люди явно прослушали альбом и им есть что сказать о каждой песне. Ну, с отрицательными всё понятно )))
  26. Seokjinseokjin8
    May 25, 2018
    10
    With LY: Tear, BTS has spread their wings musically. This albums shows how diverse and versatile BTS are musically. This album is a historical groundbreaking album as LY: Her was. Each songs melds beautifully onto the other. There are 11 tracks on this album and all 11 are masterfully sung. Everyone may like it, given if you come to it with an open mind and wander off into unknownWith LY: Tear, BTS has spread their wings musically. This albums shows how diverse and versatile BTS are musically. This album is a historical groundbreaking album as LY: Her was. Each songs melds beautifully onto the other. There are 11 tracks on this album and all 11 are masterfully sung. Everyone may like it, given if you come to it with an open mind and wander off into unknown territory with your senses will be pleased immensely. BTS has done it again. They've again delivered a masterpiece.… Expand
  27. aimeeudeus
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Overall, it's a very cohesive album.
    In the era of singles, having this achievement must be something very well-thought so that people won't easily lose interest. It's amazing how many double entendres there are in this piece: you can interpret the "tear" as either noun, a cry from the boys or/and simultaneously a breakup, the verb tear. Whether that is a breakup in a relationship or just    Overall, it's a very cohesive album.
    In the era of singles, having this achievement must be something very well-thought so that people won't easily lose interest. It's amazing how many double entendres there are in this piece: you can interpret the "tear" as either noun, a cry from the boys or/and simultaneously a breakup, the verb tear. Whether that is a breakup in a relationship or just a breaking old personal patterns, it still represents a darker BTS, like in WINGS.
    I love how they never sugarcoat their verses and tell whatever seems the most honest thing to say in the reality we're living, which is what sets them apart from other kpop groups. Definitely worth a shot.    … Expand
  28. jeonbuttrfly
    May 25, 2018
    10
    love yourself tear is extremely honest and delicate. the songs sound nice and exciting. effort that they put into this masterpiece is crisp in every composition and production of the album.
  29. McTaeTae
    May 25, 2018
    10
    Album of the year and nothing but my opinion matters. BTS showing why they are kings of the nation, tuanks
  30. carolann
    May 25, 2018
    10
    This album is unique and universal. each song sounds new. and working together with Aoke is simply a discovery. texts as always at a high level. very deep and will find a response in everyone's heart. BTS songs help me cope with difficult times in life, for which I thank them.
    I recommend this album for listening and translating texts for reading. it's a new world, guys. completely different.
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. The 405
    May 29, 2018
    70
    Love Yourself: Tear shows off each individual member’s qualities fairly and acts as a well-structured introduction to a wider global audience that is all too eager to pick out negatives.
    Read full review
  2. Pitchfork
    May 24, 2018
    71
    Tear aims for cohesion and produces fun, prismatic songs in the process.
    Read full review
  3. Rolling Stone
    May 24, 2018
    70
    Throughout it all, the members of BTS affect melodic sincerity, singing with intensity and melisma, rapping in tones that show their effort and strain, as if caring never went out of style.
    Read full review
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