When compared to last years more restrained release schedule, BTS have been utterly prolific this year. Stay Gold is the groups 6th!! music video this year and it’s only June. Looking at it in perspective, the group have pretty much released one mv per month, a staggering feat in itself. However, with this much material it’s hard to keep up in consistency. Other than a few exceptions, I’ve found most of the groups work this year to be rather underwhelming. In that sense, Stay Gold is a pleasant surprise.
Right off the bat you can tell that a song like Stay Gold is not aiming to be something revolutionary and that’s fine. Most of the groups Japanese material has followed a more reserved musical template and Stay Gold fits right in. Opening with Jungkook’s delicate opening monologue, the track softly transitions into its percussion led opening verse. Everything about the verses feels very delicate and it actually works in its favour. In the hands of a lesser group these segments could potentially feel inconsequential but BTS imbue every second of the track with such pathos that they transform it into something much more notable. It feels like a cut off last years ‘Map Of The Soul: Persona’ which is a massive compliment.
The same could be said for the tracks anthemic chorus, which really stands as the tracks strongest element. BTS have one of Kpop’s most instantly recognisable vocal blends and it really shines here. The layered vocals that open the hook are excellent and truely give the track the necessary weight. I love the melody here and while the delayed interjections of brass aren’t necessarily my favourite element, I feel like they are used pretty well here. However the second part of the chorus is where It kind of falters for me. The repeated ‘stay gold’ hook verges on cloying and doesn’t really bode well for the tracks longevity. Thankfully, the rest of the track makes up for it with strong song construction and an equally potent melody. It’s not going to end up as one of BTS’s most iconic or memorable tracks but it’s an enjoyable addition to the groups strong discography.
Verses: 8
Chorus: 8
Production: 8
Performance: 9
Final Rating: 8.25 / 10
KBopped 
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