[Misc] Best Of Kpop Timeline: 2009-2017

Over the last nine years, Kpop artists have released some really damn good music. But who has the most bragging rights? I figured to call this a Best Of Kpop Timeline rather than Best Of 2009-2017 Timeline since there could be future installments as the years go by, making those additions to this timeline into a series of its own. Before we get to the picture, there are a few explanations / disclaimers. The images for each artist are a mix of official logos, fan-created logos and album art. Some are very clearly much prettier than others but ultimately I like how this chart looks. Also, I only separated logos based on group or solo act. Group soloists were categorized under the same group for consistency reasons. For example, Ailee has her own logo but Sunmi's "Gashina" takes the Wonder Girls logo. To find the full artist (and song) at each position, you'll have to look at each year's Best Of posts which you can find here. Now I present the Best Of 20XX Timeline: 2009-2017. Some discussion and observation after the jump.

First off, what a lineup. 47 artists / groups made an appearance on these lists, comprising a little over half the total spots available (90). Some names are prolific because of the group / solo artist split, so naturally this tilts the favor to groups with active individual members - Big Bang, Sistar, etc. You can see the new guard rise up in recent years as Black Pink, Mamamoo, and Twice make the first of probably many appearances in the Best Of 20XX series. Conversely, the veteran groups are fading out whether from disbandment or decline: 2PM, KARA, and 2NE1 were strong during the Golden Era but couldn't hold onto that success forever. IU is the only artist to achieve #1 more than once. For some more dissection I went ahead and made pseudo-awards for this timeline.

Longest Streak: Sistar (2010-2014)
For five straight years, Sistar's flag flew strong. Whether through group, subunit, or individual achievements they made sure to save a place in the best songs of the year. With songs like "Alone" and "Give It To Me," their group material remained consistent and only took a dive when songs like "Touch My Body" and "Shake It" hit the scene. They rebounded with "I Like That" before disbandment, but that's an impressive run that I don't think will be matched anytime soon.

Most Appearances: Sistar (9)
It's expected to go hand in hand with the longest streak, but Sistar comprise 10% of the entire list. This is another testament to their incredible talent, especially during their peak years. They had a couple legendary songs with "Ma Boy," "Alone," and "Some", then 2013 had three Sistar sightings in the top 10. Like their longest streak, it's another record that might not be surpassed for a while.

Most Top 3 Appearances: Big Bang (2010-2012)
Not only did Big Bang grab the most top 3 spots, they also did it in consecutive years. "Love Song," "Blue," and (Taeyang's) "I Need A Girl," were all beautiful pieces and some of their best work overall. IU, Girls' Generation, and Girl's Day are right behind them with two apiece, and realistically speaking, IU is the only one with a shot (and a very good shot at that).

The Keeping Us Relevant? Award: Secret (2014)
In reality it was Jieun who put the team on her back, releasing "Don't Look At Me Like That" which was the best ballad in 2014 (is "Some" considered a ballad? I don't treat it as one). Hyosung's "Find Me" in 2016 was really good too but can't compare to the ethereal beauty of Jieun's master ballad. Secret have been locked away for years, and with rumored group activities continually delayed this may be the only Secret appearance we'll ever get.

The Short But Sweet Award: Girl's Day (2013-2014)
Girl's Day was on fire back then. "Expectation," "Something" and "Darling" are one of the strongest trios in existence, which makes their later inactivity a major disappointment and uncertain future a gloomy prospect. They have no other placings in the list, which is what makes this pretty sad. For two years they were one of the best girl groups around, but now they're hanging around in the middle of the pack. If contracts get extended I hope they can rebound back to the top.

That's all for now. Maybe I'll revisit this after three more installments get added. Of course this won't be for a while, unless I go back before 2009, which was before I got into Kpop. Would be a challenge, but maybe a fun challenge.