Since I didn't follow Kpop much at all throughout the year, I originally only had 12 tracks on the ballot which wasn't enough to justify a separate post for honorable mentions. Thus, two songs ended up getting cut from the final version which is unfortunate but hey that's the theme of 2020. Also I am once again bitching about the formatting because it won't every align everything properly or the way I want. I will continue to be tilted about this shit as long as Blogger keeps it up. Or I eventually stop writing here...
#10. K/DA - More
Damn if K/DA doesn't release powerful music consistently. Last month I talked about the 1million cover, but this month it's time to talk about the song. And yeah, I'm never getting to that album review... Anyway, Soyeon continues to put in work. Her verse is incredible at setting the tone and pace for the rest of the track. Lexie Liu's Mandarin bridge was also delightful. K/DA have shown their talent at mixing multiple languages seamlessly. What can I say, I'm a sucker for multilingual music, and "More" uses all three extremely well.
#9. Suhyun - Alien
Kinda wild to think that Akdong has been active since 2012, yet we only got a true Suhyun solo release this year. "Alien" is distinct from the usual AKMU sound yet Suhyun utilizes her talent to still give it a typical feel. Her voice glides through the song and is a nice compliment to the more harder-hitting instrumental. Also I didn't know this but their channel literally posts the lyrics in the video description. Suhyun edges out Chungha for representation here. Retro groove drives "Alien" forward, something it shares with the next song coming up.
#8. Seulrene - Naughty
It's a good thing these lists are for music only, otherwise there'd be an Irene-sized can of worms to discuss. Anyway, "Naughty" has that right combination of groovy powerful instrumental, electric choreography, and soothing vocals. Tutting has always been rare in the dances of Kpop so seeing it as the center of "Naughty" is really cool. Of course that's because of the execution by Seulgi and Irene. The chorus is pretty bland, but overall the pieces fit together very well. This track surpasses their other release "Monster" because of its polish.
November really do be ending soon huh. And I've done jack shit for wiring this month. The good news is that even if I never published another post the remainder of the year, 2020 would still be on the top half of all years regarding number of posts. So maybe we'll set a soft goal of 80 posts before December comes to a close. In theory that should be doable, as we still have two Late Reports, Best Of 2020, Kpop Awards, and then three song reviews next month would put us right at 80. Anyway, here are some of my favorite songs to sing. Treat this as a slightly modified shitpost.
#7. Baekhyun - UN Village
There's a soft spot in my list of favorite songs to sing from the EXO squad because they have consistent quality tracks and simply put, I enjoy singing their tracks. Mostly the slower ballads and the like, as "What Is Love" barely missed the cut. "UN Village" is fucking smooth and I wish I memorized the lyrics to this song. Baekhyun really shines in this element and yeah that's all there is to it.
#6. INFINITE - The Eye
Rarely does an energetic dance number like "The Eye" become a primary karaoke target, but this is a special case. Back in my college dance crew days we covered this song and I was on this team, and I have memories of singing along at practices to help get the timing down. Most people know it's difficult to sing and dance at the same time, and being a part of this song really hammered that thought into my brain. Shoutouts to another song that we covered: Madtown's "Emptiness" that also was similar in terms of the singing plus dancing combination.
Back in early 2016 I made a post highlighting the best picks of the first five years of the decade. And of course there was the timeline post, too. But now with the 2010's behind us, it's time to see which of the top songs of each year would come out on top in a battle of the best. To make things simple, each year brings one candidate to the table. I contemplated giving some of the runner-ups a chance (because there have been some damn good #2 picks over the years) but that wouldn't be fair to all the songs who claimed the gold medal. This was arguably the hardest song ranking piece I've ever had to write. Let's see how the stars of the 2010's match up against each other.
#10. Ailee - Heaven (2012)
Make no mistake, the fact that "Heaven" is a debut track making a top 10 such as this is impressive. Plus, it's the only debut track to have accomplished such a feat. Some debuts have been good, but never this good. "Heaven" is a sublime power ballad that showcases Ailee's technique, power, and range all in one song. Ailee's powerful vocals have always been the center of attention for obvious reasons and her career started off on quite the introduction.
#9. 2NE1 - Ugly (2011)
The only knock I really have on "Ugly" in the context of the rest of these songs is that it's decidedly safe in most respects. Don't get me wrong it's still an emphatic dance number. I also love the lyrics and message that this song delivers, but some of the traditional YG mannerisms show up - in particular the chant-esque bridge - which by themselves are not bad, but fail to stand out compared to others here.
#8. IU - Blueming (2019)
The trouble with writing a list like this so soon after 2019 ended is there hasn't been enough time for the newest song to simmer in the ol' library you know? Because while "Blueming" is brilliant, it loses out against other tracks simply because it came out the latest. Still, IU's switch of styles provides a relaxing and soothing listen. No doubt after a couple years we will look back upon its legacy like some of the other songs here but for now it'll nestle itself at 8th place.
As we look onwards to 2020, the final post of this decade will be a retrospective of sorts. It's been eight years since I started writing about Kpop. Lots of reviews, rankings, and lists. Over the years more fluff and less serious-type stuff has also made appearances which I think has helped me sustain the brand. It's been lots of fun because despite not having a huge audience, the writing is what keeps me going with a useful hobby. Either that or smoke crack. So with another year behind us, and potentially more to come in the next decade let's take a look backwards. Here are my picks for my top five posts of all time on this blog. They are simply ordered in how proud I am of each post - whether it's the writing style, presentation, or overall feel. If I had to make a blog-related resume for some writing job, I would place these entries on there (maybe but not actually).
[Bonus] Kpop Free Agency: Soloists (2013)
During my extremely short stint doing some work for Seoulbeats, I churned out this piece regarding where some female solo acts would go if they could join a group. The writing itself wasn't spectacular but I thought the concept was well-done. Plus it was only a year into my blogging "career." This was pretty neat since it was the first time my writing was ever published outside of my blog. Granted that was the only time but still! Gotta take my small victories when I can.
Last year, the Best Of 2018 post was released Christmas Eve on which I worked. This year's Best Of 20XX will be released on Christmas Day. Can you guess if I worked yesterday? Hope you said yes because I'm drowning myself in alcohol over the next few days. These are my picks for the top tracks in 2019. Remember, it's just an opinion bro.
#10. Taeyeon - Blue
Starting off with a B-side? You goddamn right I am. Taeyeon has made more progress to her career this year, but none better than this somber and soothing ballad. Don't get me wrong, "Four Seasons" and "Spark" are both excellent additions and showed yet more of her brilliant versatility. Combined with her Japanese release "Voice," they make for a fine 2019 trilogy. However, the simple beauty of "Blue" rises above the rest. It definitely feels weird to have a B-side on the Best Of 20XX series but hey it's been done before. Hell, I'd argue that it's kinda surprising that none of her title tracks were better, though that may be because of her high standards.
#9. Mamamoo - Gleam
Mamamoo have had a year of ups and downs. Activity and popularity-wise they have been rolling, but between "gogobebe" and "Hip" nothing has really knocked my socks off. Then I remembered that they released "Gleam" which was more a promotional CF of sorts kinda like "Woo Hoo" was for some Samsung phone. The fact that it's an ad for (sun)glasses makes it better. It's the most polished Mamamoo track despite "Hip" being solid thanks to its simplistic nature. Shoutouts to the bowling alley dance floor. First a B-side and then a promotional song, what a weird start to this year's best.
Christmas is almost here and that means the Best Of 2019 are also almost here. But before that, let's check out some of the songs that almost found their spot on that prestigious list. Some of these songs will be very familiar, as will some of the final set that drops on Christmas day. Nonetheless they are all here for a reason: quality tracks with a plethora of positives. Might not necessarily be the best of the remainder (when is it ever) but all are worth mentioning.
I'm actually going to go out of my way and list some of the songs I've previously talked about throughout this year. Since this is not a valid strategy for the actual Best Of 2019 post I'm utilizing it here. The leading lady of this group has to be Twice and "Feel Special." If these were ranked, their best work would surely have been #11. Such a fantastic dance number with many boons and a refined mature sound that they have been working toward all this time. Jihyo is god tier, and the members make solid contributions paired with a blessed instrumental. Had this been any other year it'd have been good enough for a higher placing but the competition in 2019 is super tough.
Heading to my first DAY6 concert tomorrow, it's time for their Best Of edition. Fun fact: you can look back to songs released in 2017 and find Youtube comments stating "this group has no bad songs." These statements still hold true to this day (heh). JYP has never had an artist as consistent as these dudes - if you conveniently ignore the Junhyeok departure,which to be fair happened early on in their career. As a result, I am overly excited for tomorrow's concert despite it being on a Sunday. Here are my picks for DAY6's best.
#10. You Were Beautiful
When I reviewed "Hi Hello," I talked about how I prefer they play more high tempo material. The energy inherent within a band's instruments should always be utilized. That being said I can appreciate the slow jam gem every once in a while. "You Were Beautiful" is a romantic nostalgic ride (for some of us anyway) with a gorgeous chorus that's equally exciting on both the vocal and instrumental fronts. The bridge is juicy and leads well into the final chorus. More importantly, there's no rapping from Brian here. You may expect to find this sentence in many of the songs on this list. Also shoutouts to the English version of this track, as when these are crafted well they're always a treat.
#9. Congratulations
Considering that "Congratulations" only ranks 9th, and coupled with the idea that DAY6 does not have bad songs, and that's mighty impressive. Like "You Were Beautiful" there's also an English version of "Congratulations," and both versions of the latter trump the former. Both songs are about an ex-lover but the energy in "Congratulations" is better and more infectious. This song showed everyone a glimpse of what DAY6 brought to the table with their instrument prowess and exciting voices. In the hall of JYPE debuts this is one of if not the top candidate. Ironically, both the Korean and English versions have Young K's best raps in their discography. So unlike their songs which got better and better, any rapping got worse and worse.
#8. Dance Dance
Honestly I'm gonna end up writing the same shit over and over for a lot of these entries. Oh well, whatever. "Dance Dance" brings high-octane fun for every listener. The harmonies (and to a lesser extent the chanting / audibles) throughout the chorus are DAY6 staples that will never go underappreciated by me. The middle section of the song (and the repetitive nature of the final 30 seconds) is considerably weaker (for rapping-related reasons) but that's more credit to how the rest of the song shapes up. "Dance Dance" does its job at making you want to get up and dance.
#7. Time Of Our Life
DAY6 the band made their latest title track an anime opening. Fans of both have been hella pleased. All the typical ingredients of a DAY6 classic are here: the driving drums and guitar, the uplifting vocals, the harmonies, and especially the lack of rap. By the way the "won" in Wonpil stands for "wonderful" because his voice is really something special. If I ever make an extended version of Boy Group Vocalist Power Rankings he'd be a lock for at least B tier. I've honestly really enjoyed this newest track over the last two months but I cannot give it any higher a placing than 7th. That'd be rude to the other selections at the top end of this list.
#6. I Need Somebody
The only other slow song finds its way onto the ranking, "I Need Somebody" is a masterpiece of an emotional jam. "Why am I alone?" is the question hounding throughout the choruses and the powerful voices of Young K and Sungjin really drive it home. And do you hear that bridge? The feels man, the feels. This is what I classify a "power ballad" with the naturally slow elements of a ballad intertwined with the emphatic backing instrumental and strong vocals. It's a beautiful track that quickly became a staple of my sad_zone playlist.
dad
#5. Somehow
Back-to-back B-side appearances on here! "Somehow" might actually have the best chorus of the entire list which is a damn bold statement to make. Sungjin and Wonpil did not play around with those high notes at all. The song flows extremely well from the light verses to rising prechorus and finally the magnificent chorus. And speaking of high notes, how about respect for my man Brian with his own during the bridge? I wanted to include the studio version but instead I found something better: fucking look at Dowoon's face during the first chorus. Should I witness something of this caliber tomorrow night I will consider it an absolute victory. Let the memes flow.
#4. Shoot Me
First it was back-to-back B-sides, now back-to-back selections from the same album. This is where things get really interesting. DAY6 and "Shoot Me" landed at #8 on the Best Of 2018 which is the best of their two entries on any Best Of 20XX list. Find out who was able to outshine this placing shortly afterward. To reuse a quote I've said about this song before: "Shoot Me" is full of energy and is exactly what you want out of these instrument-jamming kids. Jae has been as consistent as the band itself, but I consider this one of his best outings to date. It's only fourth here, but I imagine come tomorrow I will have jammed out to this song the hardest.
#2B. How Can I Say
Yep. I'm a mad lad. I couldn't decide between the bronze and silver medals, so I designated them as 2A and 2B. Sort of like the Minnesota Vikings with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs: both are really good receives and are WR1A and WR1B as opposed to WR1 and WR2. But anyway enough football what can I say about "How Can I Say?" The high-rise energy is there, the powerful drumming is there, and so is everything else you'd ever want from these guys. When this song could be considered a fucking baseline for their library, you're doing something right. And since this was released in early 2017, they have kept up with the good work.
#2A. I Wait
Everything fell into place rather quickly when drafting this post, but the battle between "How Can I Say" and "I Wait" was legendary. Truth be told I was nearly about to flip a coin to determine who got where before the NFL analogy came into play. "I Wait" is more of an earworm and the instruments are really fucking good - moreso than usual since we're talking about this band. Meanwhile, "How Can I Say" houses a more active chorus and is faster paced overall. You really couldn't go wrong with either song if you were forced to pick at gunpoint (which may or may not be how I felt while writing this).
#1. Letting Go
"Letting Go" is damn good. No more words are necessary to describe the beauty of this song, but alas we must go on. The sentimental value of this song is important as this was released shortly after Junhyeok departed for greener? pastures. Apparently according to Wikipedia, this was also the song that coincided with their first official stage debut. Plenty of historic songs have had their status amplified due to emotional significance whether early or late (think Super Junior's "Sorry Sorry" or Lee Hi's "Breathe"). A question I asked myself was how "Letting Go" compares to "Shoot Me." The former was #15 in 2016 while the latter was #8 in 2018. Considering the level of competition in 2017, the #15 spot is arguably more impressive than "Shoot Me" getting 8th last year. Plus, "Letting Go" was their second release - they had not perfected their craft quite yet back in 2016. Additionally, there's a rebooted version which erases Brian's rap in favor of a traditionally excellent DAY6 bridge, which gives this song even more points. Only putting the rebooted version would be disrespectful to the original, which was near-perfect in the groundwork. If I can only hear one song live at concert, it'd be this one no doubt.
Happy 4th of July or something. 4minute had their debut roughly two weeks ago with "Hot Issue" and became a strong girl group that ultimately found their demise at the hands of Cube and their own superstar monster they created. Let's take a retrospective at their career and single out their best singles from their fiesty beginning to somber end.
#10. 24/7
Kinda unfortunate that one of the tracks here is from the subunit because they have more than enough material to have all title tracks here if they were worthy. Oh well. Gayoon and Jiyoon combined forces to make 2YOON and they delivered something...different. Kpop has likely never infused pop with country before and that's what "24/7" was all about.
#9. Hot Issue
This was their debut song and although it hasn't aged that well, "Hot Issue" was a hot issue back during their day and for the late 2000's era it was very appropriate. Whether it still holds up now is a side bonus at this point considering the group disbanded. Hell, some girl groups today have songs that emulate some of the cringier moments here so if anything it shows how powerful 4minute were throughout their years.
It'll be tradition to post a Best Of the year at the midway point because I loved the idea that some songs would start strong early and then falter off, or new challengers would rise up during the second half. In the 2018 edition four of the nominees would go on to make the final list at the end of the year so let's see if 2019 can do better. Compared to last year, I haven't paid as much attention music-wise because I've been busier (though blog production is the best going into July over the last three years) but I'm pretty comfortable with my list. This time we'll go in alphabetical order by artist, to prevent bias when I reference this at the end of the year for Best Of 2019.
Chungha - Gotta Go
Oh look it's Chungha again, back so soon? "Gotta Go" is the pinnacle of her solo career thus far, showcasing her wide range of vocals, enchanting choreography, and gorgeous visuals. She struts her stuff from start to finish and the fact that it kept improving off her previous releases makes things even better. Extremely consistent, excellent composition, and stellar aesthetics make for a well-rounded track out of this well-rounded artist.
GFriend - Sunrise
This entry is a painful reminder I need to finish the next iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings seeing as GFriend is coming back very soon. Nonetheless their "Sunrise" was a perfect way to start the Kpop year. The main selling point of this song is the chorus, which is once again spearheaded by their two-headed vocal monster in Yuju and Eunha. Said chorus is exhilarating and climbs in both the notes and energy, something which you'll see from another girl group later in this post. Between the strong team performance and beautiful structure of the song, "Sunrise" is yet another addition to GFriend's repertoire.
Happy Valentine's Day...? Introductions are overrated and especially so after a long shift at work. Here are some of my favorite love and lovely songs. There is no order, only selected via stream of consciousness. Whatever that's supposed to mean. I'll be heading to New York tomorrow in preparation for Red Velvet's concert in Newark so expect some RV content of sorts in the days after.
Red Velvet - Kingdom Come
As I've stated many times before on this blog, Red Velvet's softer ballad-loving side is my favorite. "Kingdom Come" is a beautiful take with mesmerizing harmonies that roll from start to finish. One of the reasons this style is made for Red Velvet is simply because of their voices. Have you heard Joy and Wendy? They are untouchable in this realm. Even Yeri and Irene (though limited in exposure) don't sound too far behind the rest of the gang. The lyrics were perfect when they mentioned "I won't wake from this dream."
Hey I had to work on Christmas Eve haha! Who needs an introduction? These are my picks for the top songs in 2018. Let's fucking get it.
#10. Pristin V - Get It
Apparently people slept on "Get It" but it's the best ever released by Pristin (even though this is a subunit). It's kinda sad, but this is what optimal Pristin looks like. The song matches the instrumental in the hard-hitting nature, while everyone serves up that femme fatale look. From Eunwoo's vocals to Rena's rapping, each member puts in a solid performance for a well-rounded track. Without any aegyo bullshit or unnecessary moments, it's easy to see why "Get It" earned a spot on this list. Hopefully the rest of Pristin can get on this level for the future.
#9. Stray Kids - I Am You
Stray Kids are the new kids on the block, and they've amassed quite the early portfolio. "I Am You" is a refreshing take on the typical energetic dance track mixed with some powerful rapping. Like SM, JYP finally has some solid rappers with this generation of groups. As far as first impressions go, they remind me of GOT7 if GOT7 had actual rappers. Changbin, Han, and Felix make the highlight reel (though the latter is mostly on voice alone) and the singers aren't bad either. I imagine they will pan out nicely thanks to their rapping and composition abilities.
Here come the Best Of 2018! Well, the ones that didn't make the final cut anyway. With five selections, they serve as a teaser to the final Best Of 2018 list. But unlike that list coming later this week, these will remain unranked. They may not necessarily even be the best outside choices (when are they ever?) but they certainly made a strong case throughout the year. May they wet your palette before the official best drops on Friday or something.
LOONA - Favorite
Not enough BRRRRA in Kpop honestly so thank goodness for Loona. The styling of group names is something I've struggled to get consistently in writing and tagging posts, and still haven't found a working ground for. Anyway "Favorite" is like EXO's "Mama:" a debut track that isn't really a debut track. Still there's a lot to like here. The choreography is strong, the instrumental is bangin', and the energy is through the roof. With this and "Hi High" as their official "debut," Loona is giving us plenty to look forward to.
Should this be a Best Of Twice or Worst Of Twice? Pessimism is strong with me but for the sake of holiday cheer and good spirits we'll take a positive spin. Then again, given that I only use title tracks for these posts every Best Of is mostly a reverse Worst Of. That's why the first Worst Of post wasn't about a single artist. Anyway here is Twice. They've got yet another comeback - which I haven't listened to yet because thus far they have exactly ten tracks - and have made rigorous progress over the years. How do their title tracks fare against each other?
#10. Signal
I can't even start with this shit. You know why this song isn't good. Won't even stomach another listen. That dance has its moments though. Next!
#9. Knock Knock
This was the first song where Twice found their rhythm or groove so to speak. The pop dance style became their bread and butter after "Knock Knock" and they really took off. Both this and "Signal" don't have many redeeming qualities (if any) in my eyes but at least there was the funny JYP cameo troll moment.
If I was hardcore I'd have remembered the exact day and month I got into Kpop but as a scrub I only know fall 2009 is when I started really getting into this field. Thus anything here is primarily thanks to history, legacy, and lore. Here are the best of what Kpop offered during the mid-2000's.
#10. Younha - Password 486
Even though her "Someday" album is the true masterpiece of the early Younha era, I had to go with "Password 486" because it's more iconic. Younha was already doing work in Japan but this release put her on the spotlight in her native country. The pop rock elements and her strong voice are the driving forces behind a cute song. Check out Younha killing it with some younger stars earlier this year.
#9. Kim Jongkook - One Man
Ballads used to be king back in the day. Gummy, Davichi, etc. Kim Jongkook was no exception and his "mosquito voice" works its magic here. I never talk about lyrics but that last chorus, damn. It's honestly one of the most memorable ballads in Korean music history. Kim Jongkook has stayed relevant over the years doing music and variety, so his longevity is impressive. Too bad the MV isn't found anywhere on Youtube. This breaks the continuity early on, oh well.
Prepare for a return to forgotten (or simply old) series as Season 9 gets underway. Today we'll have a new installment to the Best Of B-Sides with a small collection of picks. Let's jump right in.
KARD - Trust Me
Both versions are gold, but I linked the J.Seph / Jiwoo version because having the drums in the background driving the song is nicer. And there's J.Seph, whose verse is really fucking good. The English verse that BM delivers is solid - arguably his best performance yet - but there's no denying J.Seph's mastery here. Jiwoo and Somin continue to be consistent in their vocals and Jiwoo's unique voice gives her the edge. This is a beautiful double version that gives any others like it a run for their money.
It's been a while since the last Best Of Artist post (five months) so here's GFriend's entry into that series. They have nine title tracks to their name so one extra song will get promoted into the competition. You know what most of the songs on here will be but what's the mystery track? Keep reading to find out. Here's the best of GFriend's title track game plus one.
#10. Love Whisper
Starting off the list is "Love Whisper." This song was very boring and their most bland since "Glass Bead." Considering the latter was a debut song, it gets away with being more simple in nature. "Love Whisper" on the other hand, came right after "Fingertip" so the disparity between the two was quite jarring. I understand the public didn't enjoy "Fingertip" as much but that's no reason for having such a lackluster song.
#9. Sunny Summer
The name of the game so far is "bland." These aren't bad songs per se, but they don't use much imagination and are even more cookie cutter than the MVs that accompany them. "Sunny Summer" is a stereotypical summer dance track through and through. Nice right now during the season, but will become forgettable rather quickly. Also hurting them is that this has to compete with the likes of Hyorin's "See Sea" and Lovelyz' "Wag-zak" which are both better summer jams.
#8. Summer Rain
With "Summer Rain," the summer trilogy concludes and all three songs rank at the bottom of the set. What "Summer Rain" has going for it is a more melancholy sound and the instrumental. It is still pedestrian as a whole, but since GFriend don't usually have sad songs as titles, it deserves to be the best of the worst we've seen so far. The bridge is also super pretty and helps elevate the song further against "Love Whisper" and "Sunny Summer."
They're the only label with such a large assortment of artists to even do this for, so here is SM Entertainment's version of the Best Of Debuts (which has only one prior post). Some of this will overlap with said post because a handful of their groups made it on this list. However, times change and not only that, but this is only having their debut tracks in direct competition with each other. How good the song is / was overall matters most, but I also took into account relevancy at the time and if it withstood the modernization of Kpop. Because we wanna see each of their main superstars go head-to-head, TRAX and Zhang Liyin will be absent from this list, as will subunits and project groups like S.M. The Ballad and EXO-CBX. That could make for an entertaining revisit in the future though.
#10. Red Velvet - Happiness
Yeah...there's no way that Red Velvet wouldn't be last on a list like this. I still have nightmares about this song. From the awkward pronunciation of "happiness" to the terrible rapping heard throughout, there was a lot to forget about this debut. There was also the MV and the many issues there. Not much else to say other than thank heavens they turned it quite the ways around.
#9. Super Junior - Twins (Knock Out)
Despite not needing to compare with modern era boy groups, Super Junior 05's debut simply lacked the knock out capability their title claimed. I just don't think "Twins" is that good a song. Unremarkable in all facets, this was only impressive in the sheer number of members, as having 12 members was and still is unusual to see. In retrospect they almost had a fusion element to their early songs (almost like Dreamcatcher but a little more intense) and that's probably why I didn't like their pre-breakout era music.
#8. CSJH - Too Good
Before Mamamoo, there was SPICA. And before SPICA, there was CSJH. Pure vocalist groups can all trace their ancestry to the girls of CSJH The Grace. Their debut video has nothing but powerful voices and closeups to focus on the faces behind the voices. All these girls could sing and would dominate the competition today. Stephanie left and they've basically been dead but Dana's still kicking it today! Or at least, she did a ways back with "Touch You." Oh fuck that was two years ago...
Nothing wrong with a little June speculation. Here are my picks for the best songs released so far in 2018. Obviously I'll have missed some artists (especially the more recent ones) but we're in the middle of the year so we can see who is winning so far. It'll be interesting to see how the selections here last when December rolls around and everything gets reevaluated with new songs in the second half of the year. They will be grouped loosely, and don't really serve a purpose since I believe trying to rank them right now would be silly.
Block B - Don't Leave
Block B have yet to break into a Best Of 20XX post, but here's their unofficial debut. "Don't Leave" shows off the melancholy side of Block B that they've perfected nearly as well as their hyperactive dance numbers. Block B were kind of one of the early groups to have two distinct sides to their title track game. Zico and P.O deliver flawless moments and both share the high point(s) of the song.
iKON - Love Scenario
Like Block B, iKON have been less of a main act and more of a disappearing one. They're more Winner and less Big Bang, if we're to use labelmate descriptions. But "Love Scenario" is their best song to date and their crazy chart successes mirror that. It's catchy, enjoyable, and has a good hook. Previous iKON releases have felt like a reach in some way or another. Sometimes the song was mediocre and other times the song had cringe moments. "Love Scenario" covers those weaknesses and has more of Junhoe's special voice.
Heize - Jenga
After "Don't Know You" last year, Heize drops another treat in "Jenga." This time she teams up with Gaeko and gives us another smooth tour of the Heize mansion. Her voice prettily glides through the track while Gaeko's rap gives us a nice boost of energy. I'll keep it short here since I previously reviewed it. That instrumental break is amazing and one of the best of all time. Between the bridge here and in Younha's "Hero," I can't quite think of other similar greats.
AOA have been quiet on the front ever since Choa's departure from the group. Personally I've kept any hopes about their return at a minimum, because Choa was literally carrying this group on her back with her voice (and I guess Jimin and her army of "hey"). Some comeback will probably happen but the writing is on the wall. With their end nearing, it's time to take a look at their discography and pick the best of their best.
#7. Elvis
Kicking us off is the song that kicked AOA off. While "Elvis" has not aged particularly well the song accomplished what it needed to: give us an early taste of what this group had to offer. Back in these days there was still legitimacy points in AOA going after that band concept. The band rocks (heh) and despite the raw sound of every member - even Choa - you could see the potential in her, Jimin, and Yuna.
#6. Moya
A year later, AOA Black (rest in peace for this subunit) would make their debut, flaunting the core trio of Choa, Jimin, and Yuna. Mina made a support appearance as did Youkyung (shoutouts to this girl for putting up with all the bullshit over the years) but really the former three were the star of the show. "Moya" is laid-back and that element lets the band instrumentals shine through. It also lends to Jimin's performance in the rapping department, which to this day is still one of her best showings. Ultimately "Moya" was a treat but the failure of FNC to follow on this concept is a crime.
In preparation for the next installment of Girl Group Power Rankings, coming to a blog near you sometime in February, let's take a look at the now-flagship girl group of S.M. Entertainment, Girls' Generationf(x) Red Velvet. This group is as dynamic as their moniker and if you know me, you can probably guess which types of their title track music will dominate this list. But like me, you might end up a little surprised at where the songs actually line up. Also, I'll probably have to classify these Best Of Group posts separately, as some include non-title tracks, and some have differing song counts.
#7. Would U
The problem with deciding on seven or ten songs as the standard for these posts is that sometimes a group only has so many songs I'd classify as good. In this instance, "Would U" barely beats out "Dumb Dumb" for the first appearance. "Would U" is not a traditional song as it sort of blends a mid-tempo beat with beautiful ballad vocals, but I like it. If you didn't think every member in Red Velvet could sing, this would be the introductory course. They also have an actual good rap break that is both not awkward and transitions in and out of the track. Lastly, Irene is a natural visual treasure. She's flawless as fuck in the MV.
#6. Be Natural
Truth be told, I want this song to be way higher up on the list. This strong performance showcasing their dual threat (even though their dance track capability had not yet been fully realized) has significant weight in their history. Doubly so when you realize this was their first comeback. Sensual vocals and chair choreography should be more than enough to propel this song towards the top. But ultimately I cannot give it that honor. First and foremost, this song isn't a new creation, but a cover of S.E.S. Plus they didn't really alter the song much either - just kept it up to modern times. And of course we have to talk about the disaster of a feature in Taeyong's rap break. We now know he's a solid rapper from his NCT material but this was not a pleasant start for him. It's all over the place and the cringe English doesn't help. Promise you that the "Be Natural" in my library has the rap edited out.
