I don't know about you, but if I was a rookie girl group getting "criticized" for being similar to Girls' Generation back when they debuted, I'd be pretty happy and content. Honestly, GFriend's music isn't really my style. It's very much like A-Pink in the cute pop alley, but there are key factors giving GFriend this spot and not say another rookie group. The choreography is damn impressive, no questions asked, "Glass Bead" and "Me Gustas Tu" are decent enough songs in their own right, but the choreography empowers the song to greater heights and really brings out the performance ability of the group. Another reason their title tracks impress are the vocal carries. The energy in both songs is already at a good level, but Eunha and Yuju's high notes and adlibs are both powerful and clean. Considering they're so young, they will likely mature into superstar vocalists. From a performance perspective, this group may be the most impressive of the year.
Honorable Mention: FIESTAR
FIESTAR was one of those groups that was always under the radar until the sexy concepts rolled in. Continuing with, "You're Pitiful" was an excellent way for the group to start 2015, having placed 4th in my reviews after April (only 3 other songs since have tied or scored better). The MV was artful if a little weird, but Linzy, Yezi, and Jei carry the song through vocals, rap, and performance, respectively. FIESTAR stock will rise a bit over the next couple months as Yezi participates in Unpretty Rapstar 2, and she is probably the member I look forward to seeing on that show the most. She has a talent that will surprise plenty of audiences who haven't heard of her. 4minute competes heavily for this spot on the rankings, what with the incredibly strong release of "Crazy," along with rumors of Jiyoon joining Unpretty Rapstar 2, but with Hyuna's weak solo comeback, I will gracefully give FIESTAR the spot.
10. Wonder Girls
Legacy is important, so when a group once thought to be gone forever returns to glory, people everywhere rejoice. That's what fans of Wonder Girls have experienced over the last month with their return and the "Reboot" studio album. The new lineup is perhaps equal to the previous one, trading out Sohee for Sunmi is an upgrade, but on the flipside Sunye brought a lot of depth in terms of the singing, something which Yenny can't really replicate. I haven't gotten around to the album yet, but I hope Yubin gets some singing lines. Nobody should be subject to "Bora syndrome" ever, so the sooner we cure everyone the better. As one of the most successful groups of their time, and being able to stand up to Girls' Generation, Wonder Girls' comeback is heartwarming to both old and new fans alike.
9. 9MUSES
It's only appropriate 9MUSES find themselves at #9. They've catapulted themselves after a dormant 2014 with "Drama" and "Hurt Locker." While the former was a rather safe play, the latter was the superstar summer track that lived up to expectations set upon the group after the very successful whirlwind cycle of "Dolls," "Wild," "Gun," and "Glue" in 2013. The group has suffered through a multitude of roster changes since debut, so pray that they will continue on without further problems / hindrances. The year off really hurt their momentum, but let's not focus so much on the bad. 9MUSES is probably the best-looking group as a whole (Kyungri sure comes to mind). They also have Erin, a top 3 girl group rapper, as well as Hyuna and Hyemi, consistent vocalists whose abilities are unfortunately underrated. If they can go into next year with no issues, they'll be one step closer to getting back to the level they were in 2013.
8. T-ARA
While T-ARA also aren't perfect in terms of roster consistency, what puts them above 9MUSES is that they have a previous year of content to piggyback off. Let's not forget that Jiyeon made an awesome solo debut last year, and "Sugar Free" was one of the best dance tracks of 2014. The "So Good" mini wasn't terribly exciting but it was fairly balanced with what songs it did have, Included was a Chinese version of "So Crazy" which was predominantly in Korean. That was confusing. Anyway Eunjung also made her solo debut, while quiet was also very pretty. In their current trajectory, I'd expect a Soyeon solo debut and some more Chinese activities next year. T-ARA is well-rounded in talent, just a shame their tragic scandals have yet to fully recover in the eyes of the public.
7. EXID
Ah yeah, ah yeah, ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah! The EXID train continues to move forward. Following the revived success of "Up & Down," EXID delivered "Ah Yeah" in spring 2015. The "Ah Yeah" EP has some goodies inside, notably "With Out U" which is one of this year's best B-sides, awkward-looking title aside. The roster is not without star power, either. EXID is home to LE, a standout rapper with plenty on her resume and ferocious delivery to match. Solji is incredibly overlooked with her powerful vocals but has made up for it with appearances on King of Mask Singer and various OST work. Hani needs no introduction at this point, her jack-of-all-trades utility plus a carefree and friendly personality speak for themselves. Just like their sudden explosion in popularity, EXID's spot in the rankings will also likely jump quickly. A good way to wrap up this year would be a Dasoni comeback, right?
6. Mamamoo
2014's hottest debut made it to the top in no time. The string of "Mr. Ambiguous," "Piano Man," "Ahh Oop!," and "Um Oh Ah Yeah" made for an excellent promotion cycle, while the rest of "Pink Funky" makes for an enthralling listen. Mamamoo has the vocal prowess, the retro vibe, and the addicting personalities that make for a killer group. Wheein and Solar make for an unfair vocal pairing, but Hwasa is responsible for like 90% of the charisma and sass and is plenty talented in her own right. The harmonization across their library is insane and with singers this good they have tackled all types of genres with success. Not to be forgotten though, is Moonbyul. Moonbyul is a more-than-capable rapper with surprising vocals. If they give her some singing lines they might be the most balanced group in line distribution. These girls need more variety appearances. They are extremely dorky and lovable, and their music is fantastic. What more could you want?
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