SM vs YG...

...which label will fall first? Both SM and YG have shown signs that they are declining and have a ton of things working against them like;

SM:

1. lost LSM the brain behind the company and it's music and idols' concepts which made them pioneers in a ton of things that made them special especially creating the idol formula and it's sustainability but not it's growth according to the available changes on the market which has kept SM among the top labels but kinda stagnant lately.

2. SM thought they'd still use slave contracts and get away with it in this era. That has driven lots of valuable employees, idols, actors and staff like Min Hee Jin out of the label to join and or become direct SM competitors.

On a positive note,

1. SM has Aespa and Nct and both are super successful. They also still mange to keep many of their most money making senior idols.

2. SM idols have been able to fight slave contracts and sign contracts that give them creative freedom even though it reduces on the push that senior idols get from the label as seen from RV and Shinee's recent group and solo album promotions.

YG:

1. Still keeps their most successful idols on tight leashes in the dungeon until they don't renew their contracts.

They ended up losing 2ne1, BigBang, effing BP... in the name of "we don't promote every now and then be it solo or in a group so, get over it or leave because it's the YG style"

2. YG can't manage more than one GG or even BG at ago. It worked with 2ne1 because they had Big Bang and with BP because they blew up and made the label more money than all it's other idols combined. But will it work with BM?

Positively, they have BM and they are a very talented group so with the right marketing, they can grow so much.

Which label do you think will remain among the top labels for a long time?

Quote from Icaro_Ribeiro

SM is the second kpop company (No JYP stans, JYP is not bigger than SM) so unfortunately I don't see them collapsing anytime soon. They have a big host of legacy acts and their newer groups are all successful or promising

SM also have the most hive-minded group of company stans. At this point they craved a niche of people who likes SM music and don't need to rely on GP

YG is already many times smaller than JYP and SM. Their biggest share in revenue no longer comes to music. They are basically Blackpink's company. If they don't make Baemon big they can turn a cosmetics and album distribution company

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Yes, having huge loyal fan bases for decades is one of SM's biggest successes.

Quote from purnhub

I think YG will do fine.. YG has other businesses aside kpop. Don't forget that YG is the album distributoer of HYBE.

Whoa 😮 that's major.

Can distribution companies be as big as the Big 3 kpop labels while only orr mainly distributing music?

Quote from sveznalica

I don't think LSM is that important, he is not some music Messiah. Change in sm was needed which is why chart wise, after his leave, this was their best year in a long long time.

He is old man who is way past his retirement and who couldn't grasp needs, tastes and wants of new kpop audience.

I agree.

But because he was behind the creation of all the SM groups and their concepts and directed their discography for about 20 years and they were all super successful, I can't help but wonder if he would have helped push SM further had he accepted change to the way things are done and retired and remained as a consultant and advisor?

I mean the guy is behind Snsd, Exo, Aespa etc which put SM in it's own league for decades.

Quote from sveznalica

Riize is successful and in last years he wasn't that included in group making proces aside from aespa and super m and even when he worked on these groups he had team of people working with him. SM success is not only his effort, he was just marketed that way, similar to MHJ.

There are tons of professionals out there who know history of SM and what SM requires with modern and additional touches. Kpop doesn't want new version of old SM groups anyway. Most new kpop fans were not into sm AT ALL. Change was needed.

I said he directed those groups' making and music. I remember him pushing the SM Town tours to the West without knowing if they'd sell out and they did. He was only the brain behind them which means many other people including producers made the magic happen. Thus the consultancy suggestion which would give unique ideas that can be used in a more modern way by younger, smart, and creative employees like the Aespa concept.

I'm sure SM can do well without him and they already are I just couldn't stop wondering if working with him would bring them back to their golden era times. He always thought ten years ahead and that's what set SM apart. And it's obvious that they shifted the way they do things with every era. The TVXQ and BoA era was so different from the Snsd, Fx, Shinee and Suju era etc. I just don't know if they'll keep their unique touch which is why I fall for all SM idols. I see them shifting to the generic side in future and it'll break my heart

I love Riize's music. They kinda give me the modern and hip-hop version of Back Street Boys which is great. I don't know how it sets them apart from other boy groups in the game like Shinee, Exo, Suju, or even Nct since their debut. I feel like they lack that spark that makes them special compared to their predecessors. Maybe it's too early to judge.