Grammy-caliber producer to join BTS' full comeback

Fans worldwide have reacted enthusiastically to the confirmation that Grammy Award-winning producers Max Martin and John Belion have participated in BTS's full-group comeback album, scheduled for release in spring 2026.

　On the 24th, John Belion revealed in a YouTube interview with Chris Williamson that he teamed up with Max Williamson while working on BTS's new album in Los Angeles. Both producers are Grammy Award winners and participated in the studio session together.

　On the podcast Surviving the Modern Music Industry, Belion shared an anecdote about how Martin solved a structural problem in a BTS song in just 17 seconds. "Max walked into the room. We were working on something, and in 17 seconds... he listened to it once and said, 'Oh, your intro is the pre-chorus. Make the intro the pre-chorus. That's the best part,'" he said.

　Max Martin has produced numerous hit songs, including The Weeknd's ‘Blinding Lights’, Britney Spears' ‘Baby One More Time’ and Ariana Grande's ‘Into You’. He holds the record for the most number one hits as a songwriter on the Billboard Hot 100 with 28, and as a producer with 26.

　John Belion's portfolio includes Eminem and Rihanna's ‘The Monster’, Maroon 5's ‘Memories’ and Justin Bieber's ‘Ghost’. He first appeared in BTS's credits in July 2023 as the composer of JUNG KOOK's ‘Seven’. He subsequently worked on JUNG KOOK's ‘Standing Next To You’, JIMIN's ‘Who’, and JIN's ‘Another Level’.

JIMIN once referred to Mr. Berion as "the American Namjoon" or "the RM of New York", stating, "It's like seeing the American version of Namjoon (RM's real name). The lyrics came out incredibly quickly."

　Max Martin previously served as executive producer on Coldplay and BTS's 2021 collaboration ‘My Universe’ and was also involved in the production of JIN's solo track ‘The Astronaut’. ‘My Universe’ reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Martin's 25th number one song.

　The reaction from fans has been explosive. One fan couldn't hide their excitement, saying, "The best album of the 2020s is coming. Oh my god," while another fan expressed their expectations, saying, "This will be the album of the year." Another fan cheered, "BTS is back."

　Industry analysts predict that the album will generate more than 1.4 trillion won in revenue in its first year alone.

　All seven members of BTS completed their mandatory military service in South Korea by June 2025, officially reuniting in July. Following their discharge, BTS have been working on a new album in Los Angeles from July through August. Their last full-length album was the 2022 anthology album Proof. Anticipation is particularly high for this new album, their first release in four years. RM recently shared via social media: "The music sounds really good," adding, "Please look forward to it."