BTS Comeback 2026: Release Date, Track Count, and World Tour Details for Fifth Album
Global K-pop sensation BTS has confirmed their return with a 14-track studio album dropping March 20, 2026, at midnight ET (1 p.m. KST). The announcement, shared via Weverse on January 4, sent shockwaves through the music industry and briefly crashed the platform due to overwhelming fan traffic.
This marks the group's first proper studio album since February 2020's "Map of the Soul: 7"-a six-year gap that fans have anxiously waited through. While BTS released the anthology "Proof" in June 2022, that project compiled past hits rather than featuring entirely new material.
What We Know About the New Album
BigHit Music revealed the seven members spent the second half of 2025 recording together, crafting what they describe as their most personal work yet. Each track reflects individual perspectives woven into a collective message of gratitude for ARMY, their devoted fanbase.
The group started sessions last July with a back-to-basics approach. Leader RM teased progress in November via Weverse, writing that "the music is coming out really well!!" and urging fans to "look forward to it."
Pre-orders open January 16 at 11 a.m. KST through standard retailers and the group's official channels.
World Tour Coming After Four-Year Break
BTS will hit the road again following the album release, though specific dates and cities remain under wraps until January 14 at midnight KST. That's when BigHit plans to unveil the complete tour schedule.
The trek represents their first large-scale concert run since "Permission to Dance on Stage" wrapped in Las Vegas during April 2022. Those 11 shows pulled in $75.4 million, according to Billboard Boxscore figures.
Military Service Context
All seven members recently completed South Korea's mandatory military duty, reuniting fully by June 2025. Jin was first out in June 2024, followed by J-Hope in October 2024. The remaining four-RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook-finished between June 10-11, 2025, with Suga completing his service June 21, 2025.
That timeline explains the extended group hiatus, though individual members stayed active with solo releases during the break. Jin, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, Jungkook, and Suga all dropped personal projects between 2022-2024.
Fan Outreach Before Official News
Before the formal announcement, BTS sent handwritten letters to select ARMY members worldwide. Each artist penned personal notes expressing their excitement about reuniting as a complete group.
Jin wrote about finally greeting fans "as part of a team again" after his 2023-2024 solo activities. RM mentioned waiting "more earnestly than anyone else," while Jimin declared "the year we've been waiting for has finally arrived."
The group also wiped their Instagram clean on January 1, triggering massive speculation across social media. That cryptic move generated trending hashtags in multiple countries within hours.
Chart Success and Industry Standing
BTS holds six Billboard 200 number-one albums, including 2022's "Proof" and 2020's "Be." They've also topped the Hot 100 chart six times and won IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year back-to-back in 2020 and 2021-the first act to achieve consecutive wins.
"Map of the Soul: 7" arrived February 21, 2020, with 20 tracks and debuted atop the Billboard 200. "Proof" moved over 2 million copies globally on release day and became South Korea's best-selling album of 2022.
Official Comeback Hub Launched
BTS set up 2026bts.com as the central information source for both album and tour updates. The site will roll out additional details as the March release approaches.
Industry observers view this comeback as a strategic reclamation of the group's position after their military-mandated pause. With all members available for the first time since 2022, anticipation has reached fever pitch among fans and music professionals alike.
Important Dates:
- January 14, 2026 (midnight KST): World tour details announced
- January 16, 2026 (11 a.m. KST): Pre-orders begin
- March 20, 2026 (midnight ET/1 p.m. KST): Album releases
