Release Date: July 17, 2026

BTS graces the cover of a global special issue launched simultaneously across 16 countries by the American magazine Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone Japan vol.35 features the full translated cover story and individual member interviews, a report on their Tokyo Dome concert, and a complete album review — making it a dedicated BTS special issue.

The feature was written by Brian Hiatt, the senior writer behind the 2021 Rolling Stone US BTS cover story. He traveled to Seoul in February to cover BTS, documenting their journey leading up to ARIRANG — their first all-new album in approximately six years — and conducted both a group interview and individual interviews with all seven members.

Interview Highlights

• Members speak candidly about the challenges of reuniting as a group after completing their military service
• An in-depth look at the intricacies of creating new music together
• The group's approach to embracing new sounds and creative directions
• RM's role in pushing the group toward new challenges
• J-HOPE reflecting on how his solo activities reaffirmed the strength of BTS as a unit
• Individual contributions and creative tensions among members

Issue Contents

• Full Japanese translation of the group interview and all seven individual member interviews from the US edition
• Report on the Tokyo Dome concert — BTS's first Japanese performance as a complete seven-member group in approximately seven years
• Full review of the album ARIRANG