Holy shit Boy Group Power Rankings?! This year truly is a year of surprises. And this case, good ones. As someone that always paid way more attention to the girl group landscape, but hey there are interesting things going on over on this side. I doubt this will become a recurring series - at least not for a while - but it's fun to draft these and y'all know how much I love power rankings of any kind. Speaking of...I'm really slacking on the Girl Group Vocalist Power Ranking that I've had foundation work for since half a year ago. Promise I'll get that out soon.
Let's talk methodology: it's really difficult haha. Because where do I even begin? Roster, talent, discography, statistics, history, legacy, etc. It's all a foggy blend and there's no real marker of when I should begin considering - too recent and the veteran groups lose out, too far back and the nostalgia goggles kick in. It's harder since there's no previous list to reference. I don't even remember how I determined placings for the first iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings. Looks like I'll have to rely on feel and adjust accordingly. Don't expect as detailed descriptions compared to the female counterpart list.
#10. Infinite
Honestly this spot makes you feel like a loser no matter what. With the complicated formula to determine who is "better," I settled with Infinite here over GOT7. Their rosters are actually pretty similar with both housing some unsung heroes in the vocals department. Choreography is their strength while rapping their weakness. But Infinite not only has seniority, but a better resume overall. "Bad" and "Back" are a pair of tracks that best anything in GOT7's library.
The finale to the Best 201X Revisited is probably premature, considering we're only barely halfway through 2016, but I committed to it and wanted this one written before anything like a Best Of 2011 so here's another look. Unlike other installments, I'm pretty satisfied with my 2015 set (and part of that is certainly due to the shorter time between revisions) so there are relatively few changes across the board. With the said, it'll likely prove difficult to write anything substantial about the songs that I didn't already say before in December. Still, we'll give it a go and wrap up this series today.
#12. Big Bang - Loser (-2) Original: 9MUSES - Hurt Locker
Simplicity is key, and Big Bang capitalize on that statement with the quiet and calming track that is very much the successor to "Blue." However, while no one can question the quality, it simply loses out to other songs based on their general noise and energy. When you need some relaxing tunes, or want to emo out for a bit, "Loser" has your back. "Loser" falls to 12th not because it's a loser - it is very much a winner, but because it's the most boring song on the list.
#11. Mad Clown - Fire (NEW) Original: IU - Twenty Three
Honestly, Mad Clown has some transcendent stuff. He has a pretty unique flow and his voice can sometimes be grating, but it's never really turned me away from his music. With "Stupid In Love" having placed him on the radar, Mad Clown joined forces this time with the less known Jinsil for "Fire." Jinsil has a sultry seductive voice, which is a pleasant counter to Mad Clown's explosive rapping. By all means this song should've catapulted both into stardom but that hasn't happened quite yet.
Continuing the revisited series, we stop at a shy two years back in 2014. This was one of the more diverse years and I expect a handful of new entries to join the fun. Writing these redos have been fun and I may go in reverse after doing the 2015 set, although I'll probably only write 2011 and 2010 because my memory doesn't go much further back. At some point, I even plan for a "Best Of 2010-2015" and basically pit the top 5 of each year against each other to see which songs come out on top.
#12. INFINITE - Back (--) Original: INFINITE - Back
Zero changes here. Infinite's "Back" was a reliable release with all the trademarks of the group in tow. Solid vocal showing from Sunggyu and Woohyun, and a dance performance that lives up to the Infinite name. In terms of the individual categories they all did well and came together well, too. There were some boy group songs competing for this spot (namely Block B's "Her") but at the end of the day the consistency of Infinite's track record proved stronger.
#11. Lovelyz - Goodnight Like Yesterday (NEW) Original: Wheesung - Night & Day
Lovelyz kicks off five consecutive new entries to the 2014 list. Most of the songs that were replaced were ones that didn't have staying power, whether through the songs not being as good as initially interpreted, novelty wearing off, or a combination of those and other factors. "Goodnight Like Yesterday" is a premier ballad and helps out Jieun in that genre's representation. Soft soothing voices led by Kei make this a lullaby for the ages. The best part? "Destiny" showed that this wasn't a one-trick-wonder either, this style could be their bread and butter if they wanted.
I considered making this part excluding all the songs in the Best Of 2015, but then again this wouldn't be the "best" song, would it. So here's "Bad" again. Sparing any repetition from when I first talked about it, I'll keep it to a short and simple version: excellent vocals, standard Infinite choreography, and a killer instrumental are the trifecta able to carry this song to the top. It's a very impressive track with plenty of appeal. If Infinite can keep producing content like this, they are going to go very, very far.
Best Music Video: Psy - Daddy
Psy came back this year, and while nothing seems capable of capturing the magic that was "Gangnam Style," he is still able to drop hilarious music videos. "Daddy" is all sorts of weird and funny and leagues ahead of the competition. Superimposing Psy's face on a variety of characters was definitely too good to pass up, and the cameo game is still strong, with CL and Ha Jiwon making appearances (and maybe others that I missed). Won't comment on the song, but "you be my curry, I'll be your rice" is one of the simultaneously best and worst English line to ever be used in a Korean song. Oh, and the buildup in this was what Big Bang's "Bang Bang Bang" should have been.
Best Live Performance: Mamamoo - Mr. Ambiguous (Medley)
Mamamoo certainly know how to rock the stage(s), and this performance is more than enough to show why. The dresses are sparkly, though I question the silly "Mamamoo" text and GIANT LETTER emblazoned across each member's top. Wheein is at her best, and fangirl reactions to Hwasa are all you really need for the visual game. Of course the real treat starts at 1:37 where they string about a dozen songs together for a fun little medley. You've got rival girl group songs from Sistar and AOA, a few Big Bang songs, and even nods to "Gangnam Style" and..."Um Oh Ah Yeah?" They also incorporated brief moments of the respective dances, too, which was pretty awesome. All in all, this was a fantastic performance that reached as far as it could go, despite being just a regular stage.
Best Vocalist: Taeyeon / Best Rapper: Yezi / Best Visual: Nana
These are pretty self-explanatory. Taeyeon is as established as any girl group vocalist and did more work than Hyorin this year (though if Hyorin had a super strong showing in "Shake It" I may have reconsidered). Yezi is the iconic breakout idol of 2015, with Unpretty Rapstar being a good place for her this year and a few new tracks to go along with. Lastly, there's Nana. Need I say more? And you're right, I don't really care about boy groups that much. But for what it's worth, male vocal would probably be Kyuhyun, male rapper would probably be Rap Monster, and male visual would probably be Siwon.
That's it for the first ever edition of the Kpop Awards on my blog, as well as 2015. Here's to bigger, better, and brighter things in 2016. Happy New Year everyone!
Merry Christmas! As you can see, I didn't manage to get the final set out before today but that's alright. Let's wrap up the Best Of 2015 with a list that may leave you surprised, because I sure was. Also, ignore the inconsistent image-to-ranking relation, t'was a mistake but all is well. Without further ado, here are my picks for the very best songs in 2015.
5. 4minute - Crazy
Praise everything holy because 4minute finally ended their slump of mediocre and terrible title tracks when they released "Crazy." Keeping with the namesake, the pace and energy of the song are indeed pretty crazy. The dancing is fierce and has character, while Hyuna and Jiyoon command control with their explosive rapping verses. The other members do struggle a little whether due to lackluster ability (Sohyun), awkward sections (Gayoon), or both (Jihyun), but when all is said and done, 4minute have a track that can compete with "I My Me Mine," Considering that was 5 years ago, and everything they've released since then was disappointing, it's awesome seeing them with such a powerful and addicting dance number.
4. f(x) - 4 Walls
In a similar vein, f(x) had been on a downfall. With Sulli leaving, many fans wondered if this group would spiral into obscurity. The group then proceeded to drop the "4 Walls" album which is one of the better studio album of the year. With "4 Walls" leading the pack, f(x) showed that they certainly didn't need Sulli around to drop a very smooth dance track. "4 Walls" has an instrumental that worms into your head, a simple and effective rap, and a breakout vocal performance from Krystal. You don't really need much else. The bridge did cause the song to take a little stumble, but it's nothing major, and this does appear to be an unfortunate trend among some of this year's best songs (Chanhyuk's rap in "Thinking About You," Jihyun's bridge in "Crazy," the bridge in "Twenty Three" to name a few). Still, "4 Walls" has the pleasure of being in the final 4.
3. FIESTAR - You're Pitiful
To be honest, not many girl groups went down the sexy route this year. Basically all the new debuts were channeled down the cute aisle, and even veterans like Sistar and the rising AOA kept it pretty simple. FIESTAR therefore handily take the sexiest girl group title this year with "You're Pitiful." You want fanservice? That's the whole video. The choreography was sensual and used both male backup dancers and chairs (interesting combo). This song jumpstarted Yezi's rise to prominence(?), with a heartful rap that eventually led to more Yezi rapping goodness (still waiting for that new album!). "You're Pitiful" also had one of the more decorated videos, with food thrown everywhere, a man putting on lipstick, and plenty of Jei eye candy.
2. EXO - Call Me Baby
We've said this before, and we'll say this again. EXO may lose a member every year, but their music seems to take everything in stride. In fact, "Call Me Baby" is enough to surpass the sensational "Growl" in my eyes (ears). The track is 100% dance power personified. The choreography is slick and super impressive when you see how synchronized they are, yet still has all the crotch-grabbing hype for fangirls to...well, fangirl over. A couple of questionable moves here and there but that goes for pretty much every dance nowadays. EXO's vocal line is still alive and very strong, and it's practically unfair to have Chen on your team. Still, Baekhyun and D.O more than hold their own, and everyone else isn't dead weight. After having previously mentioned that many songs in 2015 have bad bridges, "Call Me Baby" is a fundamentally perfect song.
1. INFINITE - Bad
For years girls and girl groups had monopolized the very best songs. Big Bang grabbed top 3 status in 2012, and Epik High (though they aren't exactly "idols") in 2014. Elsewhere there wasn't much male representation (and c'mon, one year there was Psy on the list). But in 2015 we have a top 2 that's exclusively boy groups. Tides of change? Perhaps, but the straightforward answer is that "Bad" is really really really good. Everything I just said EXO in "Call Me Baby" goes for Infinite, too, and maybe even double. They've been running this signature theme for many years, and they've still got it. While arguably not as sound as "Call Me Baby," "Bad" has some other strengths that go underappreciated. Obviously the first would be the 360 version of the MV which would be neat to see used further for mainstream groups. The strings of the track are so disgustingly good I'd blindly call "Bad's" instrumental the best of the year. There may be no Chen equivalent in the group, but Woohyun and Sunggyu are a better combo than Chen and anyone else in EXO. All in all, this is a superstar track that did not go unnoticed.
I guess I can't neglect the boy groups for too long. This is Infinite's first "official" appearance on the blog, after showing up in the "Best Of 2014" with "Back." Infinite is a group that is known for difficult and intricate choreographies, along with the united sound they have together even with standout lead singers like Sunggyu and Woohyun. They're the only boy group I would classify as A-Pink's couterpart with the unified sound and strong vocalists. Sunggyu had a solo comeback earlier in the year but now the whole group returns with "Bad."
Man, if drums were the star of the "Sober" instrumental, the strings here are amazing. When those opening measures started up you knew this was going to be a good song (otherwise it'd be so disappointing). It appears to be a recurring theme that a star song has just as powerful an instrumental to drive the vocals behind it: 9MUSES' "Wild," EXO's "Love Me Right," etc. While a suboptimal instrumental can be detrimental: AOA's "Like A Cat," Juniel's "Pretty Boy," etc.
This is a dance number after all. Despite that, the vocals of Sunggyu and Woohyun continue to be utilized well. They're always impressing and it's nice to see that Woollim can still combine both aspects rather flawlessly. L really surprised me with the jump in vocal ability from the last time around. He honestly might be able to overtake Hoya soon. Either way, it's really nice to see that progression out of the team visual. I'm not a fan of the sudden drop this time either (like with Big Bang's "Sober") but I'll forgive this time since it's very short and cuts right to some nice adlibs from Woohyun. Seriously I don't think Woohyun was ever underrated per se but in a sea of performance-oriented (boy) groups Woohyun has a sizable lead over other vocalists, even when compared to Sunggyu.
Dongwoo has had good raps before but his rap here leaves much to be desired. The low voice is good, but the speed of the rap is too slow and just sounds awkward compared to the impact vocals elsewhere in the song. At least it's short, and they didn't have multiple poor rap segments, as previous songs like "The Chaser" and "Last Romeo" have used both Dongwoo and Hoya as rappers before. This inclusion along with Sungjong and Sungyeol's...less-than-optimal pairing make that center of the song the weakest part of "Bad," but thankfully Woohyun swoops in to help recover and Sunggyu brings us back to goodness in the verse.
While it may be summer, Infinite are going for a Halloween theme. There's creepy symbolism everywhere and the sets aren't the usual fancy box sets. Cracked mirrors, sudden hands, evil dogs, etc. Honestly I'm so faint of heart that I wasn't really able to stomach multiple views. Apparently there's like a 360 version of the MV which lets you control the camera / angles? That's pretty neat and I'm sure the fangirls deeply appreciate this chance. Even still neither MV showcases the choreography that well which is a shame because Infinite always brings exciting dances to the table and this is no exception. I think what I like most about the dance is that it keeps pace with the vocals: slow when the singing is slow, fast when the chorus kicks in. There really isn't a dull moment in this choreography, though I'll admit having Woohyun awkwardly belting out notes in the center during final chorus is a little strange. Nonetheless, excellent showing again.
"Bad" makes a breakthrough from the other boy group releases this year. It's fast, exciting, has a badass instrumental and excellent vocals from Woohyun and Sunggyu. The rapping is certainly the song's Achilles' heel and had that been better I think the song could've been perfect. Infinite's trademark choreography combined with some interesting MV aesthetics make for a damn good release out of "Bad."
To me, Infinite is the male group equivalent or counterpart to A-Pink, at least musically. Both groups have a very specific sound that jumps right at you, and the vocal distribution of voices on the roster certainly speak to that. However, "Back" was a little unorthodox and different for the group, but artistically "Back" is expertly crafted and the execution is just as good. Woohyun and Sunggyu do a solid job leading the pack, but you can also see (hear) the growth in the weaker vocals like L and Sungyeol. Lastly, Dongwoo and Hoya don't need a rap to show presence as they have more than adequate lines, too. "Back" was just what Infinite needed for the repackage album.
11. Wheesung - Night & Day
The soul king returned from the military to drop a beautiful power ballad on us. "Night & Day" is as powerful as it is beautiful. Wheesung delivers power and emotion right from the beginning, and his belts at the end are really damn good. The instrumental is underappreciated in my opinion, and the MV is descriptive with good support acting from Yura and CAP. The last 30 seconds or so (starting from the last chorus) is really strong, and stands out for other music that as mentioned before, have not had good finishes or consistency. Not to be outdone by all the youngsters debuting, Wheesung really made a returning impact with "Night & Day."
10. Juniel - I Think I'm In Love
See what I said about this list being all over the place? Juniel graces us with "I Think I'm In Love," and as I noted in my bias list, she's the only genuinely sweet girl that I just love. Her sweet voice does wonders for this track and unlike last year's "Pretty Boy," the instrumental doesn't sound out of place and subsequently doesn't interfere with the song. This means you can enjoy "I Think I'm In Love" from start to finish, and the acoustic versions aren't all that different (still wonderful). The MV is just about as sweet as Juniel, and if I ever wanted to have a date with Juniel, this video sums it up pretty nicely. Compared to past releases, this song is a bit more poppy, and the versatility of Juniel and the guitar make this song a good listen on any kind of day.
9. AOA - Miniskirt
And now onto something entirely different (again). AOA saw their biggest climb in popularity and on the charts, with Brave Sound at their side. "Miniskirt" is all sorts of classy, sassy, and sexy. They may just have dethroned KARA as the premier butt-shaking crew, and that dethroning was more like a revolutionary coup. "Miniskirt" scores high in all the right places, from the delicious eye candy to the short and punctual rap, from the fanservice hook and synchronized sound to Choa's powerful belts. As far as debuting on my radar goes, AOA set the standards very high, placing within the top 10 with their first song.
