Honorable Mention: gugudan
* New Releases: Not That Type
Making their debut on the group rankings is gugudan, who narrowly beat out (G)-IDLE for this spot. And thankfully they did because I would have loathed writing that name over and over. Anyways, gugudan have lost a member but gained plenty momentum in 2018. Subunit and full group activities were seen since the summer and while "Not That Type" wasn't perfect, it was a solid dance number that really impressed me. That and "The Boots" give me plenty of hope for the future of gugudan.
Honorable Mention: Black Pink
* New Releases: Solo (Jennie)
Black Pink has not been in our area, but Jennie did drop a solo on us out of nowhere. I'm in the group that thinks a solo debut for a group that has less than ten total songs in their discography is odd if not desperate, but at least the song itself was serviceable. Her rapping was better than her singing, though the choreography was powerful and for a debut piece especially so. I considered dropping them off the list entirely but other groups don't have the luxury of having YG as their label, which theoretically bodes well for their future endeavors.
#10. Lovelyz (-2)
* New Releases: Lost N Found
When it ain't broke, don't fix it. Lovelyz have a formula for innocence and continue to display it with "Lost N Found." That chorus is magnificent while the rest of the song is competing for that coveted ethereal sound that Cosmic Girls mostly hogs to themselves. Kei, Yein, and Mijoo lead this team with all sorts of success, and the visual combo of Mijoo and Jisoo is devastating. With Infinite members enlisting left and right, Woollim will focus their efforts on Lovelyz as their main attraction - I don't exactly know how popular Golden Child is but Lovelyz is the only girl group regardless.
#9. Girls' Generation (--)
* New Releases: Lil' Touch, Punk Right Now (Hyoyeon)
Had I had known the remaining members would promote as a "subunit," I'd have kept them on the last two iterations (though they would have not been very far up the rankings) ha. How ironic for this group to return to rankings at #9. With the group fractured as far as labels are concerned, it'll be difficult for them to climb any higher than the lowest two ranks. If power groups with rich history like T-ARA and Girl's Day are shelved off the list due to inactivity the same could be true for SNSD. They'll be heavily reliant on solo efforts. Speaking of, despite Tiffany not "leaving," her new song was for the American market so I did not include it here. We do not speak of Hyoyeon's latest endeavor.
#8. Loona (--)
* New Releases: Favorite / Hi High
If this was an actual debut, Loona would probably be higher than 8th, but given all their music that exists you know that isn't possible. Not that such a discography hurts them because it's full of selections that showcase variety and talent. Their two August tracks exemplify that trait. "Hi High" was classic girl group dance pop while "Favorite" (not gonna stylize it the way they do) was powerful and had tons of personality. The best thing Loona has going for it is that unlike other powerhouse fan favorite groups like I.O.I and the new IZ*ONE, these girls are here to stay.
#7. GFriend (-1)
* New Releases: N/A
GFriend isn't exactly in trouble, but they could find themselves on the downtrend. Their best days are behind them, the genre they market is everywhere, and there's no shortage of newer, younger competition. Yuju is still an ace up their sleeve as a vocal juggernaut but that only holds so much weight when you're consistently releasing quality music. It's hard to imagine them falling out of the rankings entirely, but there are a plethora of groups jockeying for position in the lower tiers so they had better be careful.
#6. Apink (-1)
* New Releases: Being There (Eunji)
The sloth in me wanted to copy and paste GFriend's blurb here for Apink, substitute names where appropriate, and then add a sentence about Eunji's newest ballad. But I won't. Instead I'll rehash what was printed above haha. Apink is one of the oldest groups still on this list, and even though "I'm So Sick" was really good, they need to stay in that mature direction to keep prospering. They have never broken through to the highest levels of recognition in both the general public and my rankings (topping out at #5 on two separate occasions) so hopefully they use "I'm So Sick" as a launchpad for future successes.
#5. Dreamcatcher (+2)
* New Releases: What
The fusion of Jpop and rock in Dreamcatcher's music will continue to carry them higher and higher. I worried that they would stray from the style that revitalized their careers but "What" left me saying exactly that (as in "what the fuck it's so good"). Song is powerful and easily distinguishable as Dreamcatcher material. They might not have any superstars on either side of the mic, but they all work together in unison and their amazing style blends it all together. The top four groups had better watch out, because Dreamcatcher is coming.
#4. EXID (--)
* New Releases: I Love You
Praise everything holy, mama Solji is back! And not only that, they've returned with a song that best characterizes their music from a few years ago. Powerful chorus vocals, catchy melody and a simple yet effective dance are what we like to see. Even though the chorus and verses sound like completely different songs, and LE's raps left me disappointed, I can't understate the important of Solji's return. Plus Hyerin and Junghwa continue to make impressive strides in their vocal development. Also I am loving the new signature Hani seductive whisper previously seen in "DDD." That shit is fucking hot. Few days ago we learned they split income equally during Solji's hiatus. Can this group get anymore lovable?
#3. Red Velvet (--)
* New Releases: Power Up / RBB
Despite the mediocrity of "Power Up" (and the fact it ruined an impressive string of comebacks), Red Velvet vs. Twice will ride on the quality of "RBB." If it delivers, then I'll gladly shove them up to 2nd. The early verdict on "RBB?" Too much going on. Don't get me wrong I love some of the things here: Irene's visuals, the standard treat of their choreography, and those fucking harmonies are divine. But the rapping and quips are awful, a lot of the vocals sound strained, and the structure and instrumental are mostly a huge mess. People say it's the same early criticism of "Rookie" where everyone ended up liking that song. But I still don't like "Rookie" after all this time, so for the sake of "RBB" I hope it doesn't follow that trend. Red Velvet is still easily a top three girl group but they could've done so much more after "Bad Boy."
#2. Twice (--)
* New Releases: Yes Or Yes
Maybe I'm trying too hard to like Twice's music. Since the days of "Cheer Up" and "TT" I have not enjoyed anything they've released (with the exception of maybe "Heart Shaker") but I have appreciated their crazy success on the statistician's sheet. Their latest conquest in "Yes Or Yes" is more or less the same: basic cute dance pop without any punch. Even the choreography disappointed. On their large list of title tracks I'd guess this falls into the middle of the pack. It's not amazing or horrible. Should probably write up a Best Of Twice soon...
#1. Mamamoo (--)
* New Releases: Wind Flower
Mamamoo is still the best girl group in town. "Wind Flower" was a trip down memory lane in terms of style (returning to more retro sounds) and setting (MV filmed in Hong Kong). The usual symphony of voices is wondrous, but let's be real: Moonbyul is the star of the show. Moonbyul's rap segment might be the best of the year (for female idols) and her support vocals were no joke. She may actually be carrying Mamamoo for this comeback They look sharp, sound sharp, and thus rank sharply at #1 for a repeat performance.
Final Glance
H: gugudan
H: Black Pink
10. Lovelyz (-2)
9. Girls' Generation
8. Loona
7. GFriend (-1)
6. Apink (-1)
5. Dreamcatcher (+2)
4. EXID
3. Red Velvet
2. Twice
1. Mamamoo
Previous Ranking (Summer 2018)
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