7. Hurt Locker
"Drama" was their official return in 2015 but "Hurt Locker" was the song that showed 9MUSES was really back. The upbeat tempo of this dance number drives the song and a combination of vivid outfits and their usual model appearances delivers the usual 9MUSES' eye candy. Kyungri might have been overbearing with her parts, but key decisions to give Hyuna more lines and keep Erin as the only rapper were good improvements on the faults of "Drama."
6. Just A Girl
The only non-title track entry is "Just A Girl," which is much less graceful than its Korean or Chinese title counterparts (which has more to do with angels). Anyway, this is slow 9MUSES at their finest. In a time where Sera was still in the lineup, their vocal ability was nicely spread across the roster. Sera's graceful voice leads the members through the song, gliding through the choruses. And even though Erin had to share raps with Eunji, it's one of Kpop's better dual-rap showings (that didn't already belong to 9M).
5. Sleepless Night
Since their historic string of title tracks in 2013, 9MUSES was always known for energetic music. When "Sleepless Night" was released, I was impressed by how smooth the transition was from "Hurt Locker." Not only did the usual vocal sluggers do well (as they should), but the support from members like Sojin and Minha really fit into the song well, too. With a chorus that very much resonates with the general public "can't sleep, I'm hungry" and the usual visual luster, "Sleepless Night" was a quick grower, even if "Secret" was a better song overall on the EP.
4. Dolls
What's the most important part to a streak? Whether in music, gaming, or sports, I'd argue that the first step or move is most critical. And 9MUSES' ascension began on the right foot: it all started with "Dolls." This was one of their lightest title tracks ever (even more than "Ticket") but it was nice and catchy. Sera and Hyuna showcased their lovely voices, while Eunji and Erin delivered a solid pair of raps. The choreography of "Dolls" was a nice compliment to the audio, and got our desire for more 9MUSES going.
3. Glue
I always thought this was a weird name for a song, but then again, I don't pay as much attention to lyrics as I should. "Glue" was notable (outside of their interesting outfits) because of the choreography. During the first chorus, they would split into halves and face different directions, and combined with the various formation and move changes I always felt that was a neat facet of the song. Elsewhere, the song capitalized on what makes 9MUSES' audio so good: excellent leading vocals and stellar rap performance.
2. Gun
"Gun" is superior to "Glue" in the grand scheme of things because of where its located in the streak. "Dolls" was cute and poppy, but "Wild" was sexy and aggressive. "Gun" melded both elements together and the end result was lovely. The eye candy wasn't super blatant, but certainly charming. On the other hand, the overall sound and vocals were mature and even serene at times - just listen to the bridge by Hyuna and Hyemi. Erin's rap in "Gun" was probably the rap that solidified her spot as a top-tier rapper, following the success of "Dolls" and "Wild" before it.
1. Wild
It's really no surprise that the best entries of 9MUSES are from the 2013 run. Furthermore, it's no surprise that "Wild" is the best song they've ever released. "Wild" houses a top 5 rap in Kpop history, powerful vocals with an electrifying instrumental, and fanservice that was off the charts. 9MUSES' fortunes depended on this song: if it wasn't popular, they likely could've finished at the end of 2013. The star power of that 2013 lineup was so critical to their success, even as limited as it was. Just play the song and enjoy. Not much more needs to be said.
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