July 29, 2020

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings XI: Summer 2020

So it's been a long time since the previous installment of Girl Group Power Rankings. As such, this probably won't be as polished as I'd like. Plus, my waning interest in the girl group landscape (especially for newer groups) makes it difficult to rank groups, even with subjective opinions. Regardless I will do my best because that's what this blog is all about. The next ranking will be out before 2020 ends at least so there's some continuity available.

Honorable Mention: Black Pink
* New Releases: How You Like That
God it pains me to keep putting Black Pink here. Not only because they keep putting out shitty music, but because none of the young blood has piqued my interest enough to justify putting them here in BP's place. That and my status as a Jennie and Jisoo fan are keeping enemy groups at bay. "How You Like That" was completely disappointing at best and absolutely atrocious at worst. Their first ever studio album (literally called "The Album") has been delayed to October in traditional YG fashion so we'll see what comes of that later.

Honorable Mention: CLC
* New Releases: N/A
CLC unfortunately take a tumble all the way out here, because of the line directly above. That's right, no new music since "Devil" last September. Seungyeon has been dancing her heart out in some videos but that's really all the relevant content on this group. And like Black Pink, it's kinda sad this inactivity hasn't resulted in them dropping from the list. At least, sad for the other girl groups out there. You gotta hope that Cube Entertainment hasn't forgotten about these girls already.

#10. Oh My Girl (--)
* New Releases: Nonstop
Outside of a selection of Japanese releases this summer, things have been quiet on the Oh My Girl front. "Nonstop" was from April, which was on par with their usual output over the years. Honestly, I'm still waiting for another masterpiece like "Closer." Call me old-fashioned, a boomer, or whatever. It doesn't really matter because they're a capable with a consistent schedule/ Mimi carries this group, so as long as they keep giving her bars to spit, Oh My Girl will remain relevant as far as Girl Group Power Rankings are concerned.

#9. Everglow (NEW)
* New Releases: Dun Dun
What's impressive about Everglow is that they've pretty much found their niche after only three releases. They are the queens of the hard-hitting electronic dance genre and their statistics show it. Everglow has a couple of members worth keeping an eye on (namely Aisha and Yiren), and it seems Yuehua is confident in the slow and steady approach with them - a rarity in this day and age. With but a few songs to their name, there's not much else I can say about this group.

#8. Itzy (NEW)
* New Releases: Wannabe
The complete list was difficult to compile, but Itzy vs. Everglow was the trickiest battle. Both only have three main comebacks, all of which are pretty comparable to each other (per artist). Both have a strong rapper that is the centerpiece of their respective group. Both enjoy super exhilarating dance numbers. The difference comes down to their labels: JYP vs. Yuehua. At the end of the day the legacy and history of JYP put Itzy on top. But with it being so close, the next comeback could decide the winner next time.

#7. Apink (+1)
* New Releases: Dumhdurum
Apink are still going strong, with their shift to a more mature image and sound providing them a breath of fresh air. Their newest single was...alright. Everything about it was fine up until they forced poor Eunji to rap. Seriously, that ruined the entire track for me. Anyway Apink has been extremely consistent over the years and have always hovered in this range of the rankings. It's a bittersweet feeling knowing that they won't fall too far because of their history, but they'll also struggle to break through unless they release something otherworldly.

#6. Loona (--)
* New Releases: So What
I'm not comfortable placing Loona any higher yet. Don't get me wrong I love the talent and energy they bring, but with such a small sample size of main tracks (and only one standout) I cannot in good conscience say they're a top five girl group. "So What" was rather underwhelming, certainly not after the utter brilliance of "Butterfly." Haseul's absence may have played a part, so I'll be anticipating what their next comeback will be with the full squad.

#5. (G)I-DLE (+4)
* New Releases: Oh My God / Dumdi Dumdi (upcoming)
With Loona just missing the cut, Yuqi's gang takes a huge jump forward. Yes, I'm gonna continue avoid writing their group name as much as possible. I hate it that much. Teasers for their comeback have been mixed from a visuals standpoint, so I have no idea what to expect. Hopefully that ends up being a good thing. We know these girls are talented and can bring a variety of styles to the table. Speaking of talent! Soyeon has also been busy, making feature appearances with a plethora of artists. She is a grim reminder that I haven't updated Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings in over two years...whoops.

#4. GFriend (+1)
* New Releases: Crossroads / Apple
Hm, GFriend's Source Music gets signed under Big Hit and land their highest placing ever at 4th. Coincidence? Absolutely. Though the directional change that both their 2020 releases brought with certainly helped. Each song showed a new side of the group, with "Crossroads" setting up as appetizer while "Apple" was the main course (heh). Definitely a surprising change of direction, though not an unwelcome one. With their growth, GFriend have shown us that they truly are the successors to Apink.

#3. Twice (-2)
* New Releases: More & More
Unlike the rest of this list, the top three were easy to place and write about (and have almost always been). Surprisingly, Twice have only released one new Korean song since "Feel Special," which means this pandemic has really been a factor. Jokes aside, "More & More" was an alright song which illustrated both their strengths and weaknesses simultaneously. Zara Larssson's version of this track popped up and I gained a bigger appreciation for what the song could be. Unfortunately, Twice just aren't to par in the vocals department.

#2. Red Velvet (+1)
* New Releases: Psycho, Monster / Naughty (Seulrene)
Poor Red Velvet. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Ever since their debut on these rankings four years ago, they have yet to claim the #1 spot. This is their second appearance at 2nd overall and they've been top three over the previous five installments. The brutal efficiency of Mamamoo and staggering promotions of Twice have been difficult to fight through, especially while down a member. Seulgi and Irene have been doing their damnedest though, as their subunit material has been pretty sweet. With Wendy still in recovery, they're holding down the fort together.

#1. Mamamoo (+1)
* New Releases: Hip, Eclipse (Moonbyul), Spit It Out (Solar), Maria (Hwasa)
Mamamoo have once again reclaimed their title as the best girl group from the clutches of Twice. This is their third time at #1 and are only two placings behind Girls' Generation for most appearances at the top spot. This time around it's a true team effort, as the individual projects of every member combined with the delightful "Hip" combine to give them the extra edge over Red Velvet. Wheein is the only member who hasn't released something new since last September. Hopefully that changes before the year is over.

Final Glance
H: Black Pink
H: CLC
10. Oh My Girl
9. Everglow (NEW)
8. Itzy (NEW)
7. Apink (+1)
6. Loona
5. (G)I-DLE (+4)
4. GFriend (+1)
3. Twice (-2)
2. Red Velvet (+1)
1. Mamamoo (+1)
Previous Ranking (Fall 2019)

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