Glitch Mode is the second full studio album from the NCT sub-unit, NCT Dream. It was released on March 28, 2022 with the lead single "Buffering (Glitch Mode)."
II. Background & Release
After its blockbuster release, Hot Sauce and its repackage Hello Future in 2021, NCT Dream returned with its second album in early 2022. This album was the first NCT sub-unit release after the all-unit release, NCT 2021 Universe, in December 2021. The group structure of NCT is unique among K-Pop groups due to the fact that the concept of NCT is an ever expanding group with "unlimited" members and it is comprised of several individual subunits. Currently there are 23 members in NCT, making up four individual subunits, including NCT Dream. The sub-units combine to create an all-unit project in select years that features all NCT members, debuts new ones, releases albums, appears on TV shows, web and social content.
Glitch Mode was announced in January with an unspecified release date in March. Like the previous album, this album would feature all 7 members, after the elimination of the graduation system in late 2020. On February 28, the album's schedule was announced, with teasers, photos, live countdowns and performances until the album's launch on March 28.
The album's theme references video games, arcades and 80s-style nostalgia with references in imagery and the songs, including video game-type sound effects. The album had three versions: Scratch, Glitch and a digipack version with member covers. The album features 11 songs, including the title track "버퍼링 (Glitch Mode)," which translates as "Buffering (Glitch Mode)." The title track was also simply called "Glitch Mode" in some regions, including the U.S.
Members of NCT Dream contribute lyrics to several songs. The album also included songwriters and producers new to NCT and/or NCT Dream, as well as frequent NCT collaborators like Rick Bridges, Dem Jointz, Junny and minGtion.
To support the album, the group launched a second season of its reality show "7Illin," called 7Illin In OurYouth, as well as announcing its second online concert, "Dream Stage: Glitch Mode" on April 5.
The group also partnered again with the children's brand Pinkfong for animated content.
During music shows, the group performed the title track with the b-side "Arcade." They also performed a special stage of "Never Goodbye (Polaris)" to celebrate their debut.
III. Tracklist
Title
Lyrics
Music
Arrangement
Length
"Fire Alarm"
Lee Seu-ran, Rick Bridges
Bleu, Brooke Tomlinson Jesse St. John, Rick Bridges
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Never Goodbye - M Countdown Special Stage - 4.14.22
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SM Entertainment announced the album had over 2.03M preorders on the day of release, topping their previous record for Hot Sauce and setting the second highest total in SMhistory. NCT Dream became one of the only three Korean acts to surpass 2 million preorders. It also became the fourth artist to reach 5M albums sold on Hanteo.
Its first day sales were the third highest in SM history and 8th amongst all Korean acts on Hanteo with 703,000 copies sold. The album went on to sell over 1.2 million copies in only 4 days, breaking its own record and making the group only the third to surpass 1 million Hanteo sales in the first week of release.
NCT Dream became the first artist in 2022 to reach an All Kill on the MelOn Real Time Chart ("Glitch Mode," "Never Goodbye," "Arcade.") It also became the first group to debut straight into the top 100 in 2022. All of the songs from the album charted on debut on MelOn Top 100, MelOn Real Time and Bugs.
The album debuted at #1 on iTunes worldwide album chart and #29 on the Apple worldwide album chart and topped the charts in 28 regions. It also received the Platinum certification on QQ Music in China and ranked first on the digital album sales chart. It took first place on the Japanese Line Music album, AWA real-time chart and top 100 song chart. It also became NCT Dream's first entry into the American Billboard 200 album chart, debuting at #50. The album debuted at #2 on the Gaon album charts with 1.6 million copies sold and quickly became another double million seller for the group.
At its launch date, the music video became the most viewed boy group music video in the first 24 hours on YouTube in 2022. The title track "Glitch Mode" debuted at #23 on the MelOn Daily Chart. It also debuted at #1 on the Hot Trending Songs Billboard chart. The song went on to be NCT Dream's longest-charting track on Melon, outpacing the previous song "Hot Sauce." It charted for 57 days, tying with NCT 127's "Kick It" as the longest charting NCT song on the platform. The song extended its lead by recharting with the repackage, Beatbox.
