~some kpop thoughts~
I’ve been ill and listening to some of these songs has put me in a better mood. It helps that a lot of my faves *cough* SHINee *cough* are on the list. I’ve also realised I get excited for a lot of the older songs… I’m old.
For more information check out Billboard’s article here~ The quotes used are from this article and have been credited accordingly.
If you haven’t read my first post on this and would like to, click here ♥
Let’s get into the list!
90. SHINee, “View” (Odd, 2015)
MY CHILDREN! ♥😂
View is one of my favourite songs. It’s chill, fun and came out in time for Summer. The MV was beautifully coloured and the boys look wonderful! Also shout out to Jonghyun writing another sexy song haha
This song “kicked it all off, opening the floodgates for other takes on retro dance music after EDM and dubstep’s decline” — J.M.K. SHINee are trendsetters and a vital part of the Kpop growth. I’m biased, but right 😂
89. Beast, “Good Luck” (Good Luck, 2014)
I’m glad Beast are on this list. This group has such a vocally unique sound.
The little orchestral opening is so good, but did it have to be so long? And Yoseob opening this song is such a power move!
According to M.M. “The group’s 2014 single upgrades the melancholic electronic pop sound Beast showcased in “Shadow” and “Fiction,” melding classical violins and piano melodies with sleek production and vocal performances that make the heartbreak palpable”.
I will say my only problem is that I haven’t listened to this song in a while so the mixtures of sounds and rhythms are a bit jarring. M.M. brings up Shadow and I personally think that’s a better song… ooh or Breath?!… I’m so old 😂
88. PSY, “Gangnam Style” (Psy Six Rules, Part 1, 2012)
A few weeks ago, Radio 1’s National Boppery featured Gangnam Style and I hadn’t listened to it for years and honestly, it’s still a bop! I also forgot that Yoo Jae Suk is in the MV which just makes me happy haha~
I would like to include this quote from J.B. – aka an intellect – “While “Gangnam Style” will go down in history for its viral dance craze and record-breaking YouTube video, it should also be remembered for lyrics that cleverly poked fun at high-class society”.
Too often I heard Psy being ridiculed and seen as a joke or an annoyance, but he is a great and well respected artist and is doing great work as at P Nation ♥
87. Epik High, “Run” (Epilogue, 2010)
Run is about pushing ahead to achieve your dreams, and with “an orchestral instrumental layered throughout and lilting keys driving much of the tune, “Run” is at once evocative and energizing” — T.H.
I really hope that Epik High and/or Tablo show up on this list again because they are incredible artists and deserve more recognition than they get.
Also enjoy the live performance from 2010. It’s both adorable and incredibly cringey 😂
86. MBLAQ, “Smoky Girl” (SEXY BEAT, 2013)
Oooh Smoky Girl is not as good as I remember…
The music breakdowns are good individually, but it just feels too robotic and everywhere to me. Mir’s rap is solid though!
According to J.M.K. “the subtle shifts in the throbbing beat channel the sensual energy of nightclub pursuits, where getting lost in the music goes hand in hand with getting lost in someone else”. And as the children on Rain, this isn’t a surprise.
Also, MBLAQ are one of the funniest groups EVER and I highly recommend watching their Sesame Player series! It’s hilarious!
85. Taemin, “Move” (Move, 2017)
YES!!! I’ve had this song on replay since it came out!!
“With its forbidding analog synths and Taemin’s breathy vocals, “Move” possesses an unnerving seductiveness that leaves you with a chill”. That is in fact correct M.M. The first time I heard this I was speechless. Taemin is incredibly creative and seductive with his music and I’m like a proud mother 😂
Every time I listen to a Taemin song I feel so cool! Sugawara Koharu did a phenomenal job in the video and with the choreography. Dance truly has no gender ♥
84. Girls’ Generation, “Mr.Mr.” (Mr.Mr., 2014)
It wouldn’t be a Kpop list with the Queens on it!
Mr. Mr. was a more mature sound for SNSD and they “served up strong, domineering verses, while the chanty chorus blended sounds associated with the ‘70s to create an addicting earworm” — T.H.
The concept and visuals were also fun and interesting. Although, I wish the MV was far more cohesive than it is (it’s kind of a mess!). This song was definitely a stepping stone into where we see SNSD’s sound is now.
83. NCT U, “The 7th Sense” (NCT 2018 Empathy, 2016)
This was honestly one of the best debut songs I have ever heard. It’s so unlike any other Kpop song I had heard before. LOVE IT! (even though I don’t know anything about all the NCT’s… don’t hurt me haha)
T.H. summarises this song well by saying ““The 7th Sense” is a seductive alt-R&B track fueled by trap percussion, dramatic raps, and slinking verses”.
82. Se So Neon, “A Long Dream” (Summer Plumage, 2017)
I had never heard of this indie rock band. As someone with a lot more expertise, L.S. has this to say about A Long Dream, that it “tugged at the nuanced threads of human nature wrapped up in a confluence of psychedelia, jazz, and synth-pop”.
Personally, this isn’t my cup of tea, but I can see the appeal. Especially, as the lyrics are rather pretty~
81. DAY6, “I Wait” (Sunrise, 2017)
Every Kpop band is next level! DAY6 included ♥
L.S. calls I Wait “tighter and cleaner” and that the song is “held together by addictive electronica and synths, reaching an exciting crescendo in the chorus before crashing perfectly into waves of cymbals.”
I will say that some of DAY6’s songs sound very similar to each other. Whereas, I Wait stands very much away from the rest. This is a great song, a little busy at times, but the chorus definitely wins me over every time!
What were your thoughts on these songs?
Thanks for reading! I hope you’re having a lovely day~
DramaRambles 🌸 