What are your honest thoughts about your bias/favorite groups/artists recent releases?

I liked Twice's Japanese releases this year but their korean comeback was a step back from their "iconic(?)" releases in 2016 or 2019? I am still waiting for BP and SNSD comebacks.

One thing I've noticed is that Twice and Seventeen always kill it on the bsides for me, especially in recent years

Twice - Alcohol Free definitely grew on me a lot and I like it a lot. I wouldn't put it in my top 5 for Twice tts though but the MV is my favorite visually next to ICSM. The album was great overall

Seventeen - Even though Ready To Love isn't even close to one of my favorite tts from them (still enjoyed it though), the album is probably my favorite mini from them. Don't listen to RTL much anymore but still regularly listen to the bsides

Fantastic as always, we just need an English single to complete the hattrick

BTS - Butter. Loved it. It has become one of my favourites.

Aespa - Next Level. 10/10. Superb song I’ve liked since first listen. Can’t wait for their first album.

Others

SuJu and SHINee not so impressed although their albums were good as they usually are.

Gone is a masterpiece, otg aged but still alright. Excited for lisa and bp's next album

Lisa - Coming Soon

Rosé - love Gone. OTG is okay.

BlackPink - who?

RV's big comeback was disappointing

EXO's "Don't Fight the Feeling" was a step in the right direction. Perfect title track for a special album dedicated to fans.

TXT's LoveSong was a good comeback.

I have yet to listen to Red Velvet's new song. I've been pretty busy lately but I will as soon as I have the chance.

EXO - Loved it. They never go wrong for me.

D.O. - Loved it. Amazing debut.

Oh my girl - Dun Dun Dance is okay but the b-sides blew my mind.

Taeyeon - I have yet to listen to Weekend for the same reasons I haven't listened Queendom.

BP - It wasn't disappointing, but I didn't love it either. Same for Rose's solo.

D.O.'s Rose was a really strong debut track and the whole album is fantastic.

EXO - should have a been a full album not special album.

D.O - amazing debut 10/10. Wish we got at least one up tempo song but I ain’t complaining over all.

Bambi - he was made to do many useless things cough SuperM coming instead he should have been given time to promote his album or even shoot a damn dance practice.

Quote from Tic_tac_toe

EXO - should have a been a full album not special album.

D.O - amazing debut 10/10. Wish we got at least one up tempo song but I ain’t complaining over all.

Bambi - he was made to do many useless things cough SuperM coming instead he should have been given time to promote his album or even shoot a damn dance practice.

I forgot about Bambi! But yes 10/10. That album is my favorite Korean release by him so far!

BTS : Film out was really nice, Butter was a bop, we don't talk about PTD. Incredibly hyper for their next album.

BP : The Album was absolutely perfect, but we haven't have any new OT7 song since then Starting to doubt we're even getting one this year. Rose's solo suited her a lot, and I enjoyed it though.

And as for some groups that are not my bias but I checked the recent releases :

Twice : I thought Alcohol-Free was very underwhelming honestly. Perfect World though... so, so, SO GOOD. I'm just a little bit worried about the fact that their cute concept seems to take a back seat, and that we're going toward something a little more... not girl crush, but femme fatale, maybe.

Aespa : I loved both BM and NL, waiting for the album

TXT : Honestly congrats on TXT for releasing the best title track of the year for now ( Loser=Lover ). The exact amount of cheesy I needed. I support this revival of soft emo punk rock 100%. Also congrats on TXT for releasing the best Bside of the year with Anti-Romantic.

... Yeah, TXT is really living their best life ( musically right ) right now.

EXO : Honestly, the utter lack of promotion turned this album into a non-evenement in the end, for me. Which sucks, because the b-sides on the album are actually really good, and I'm still listening to Paradise a lot

BTS: Butter is great - it’s a step up musically from dynamite, and I already loved Dynamite. PtD is cute and I loved to see how happy they were to perform it, but it’s not so much my thing. I’m ready and excited to see whichever new direction they try next.

EXO/ D.O: DFTF is a bop and I am still listening to it a LOT. Rose was a really solid release. I will always love love love his vocals.

SKZ: watch this space. I am fully hyped up and invested.

BTS : I love Butter and Film out. PtD is nice too but I don't listen to it much these days. I am impatient to see them releasing a new album.

Mamamoo : I love the title track but I don't listen much to the b-sides though they are nice.

Wheein : I enjoy everything in her solo comeback.

Purple Kiss : Nice first album. The title track and the b-sides are amazing.

Red Velvet : It's not their best album but it's still pretty nice. I prefer Queendom, Pushin N Pullin and Pose.

Wendy solo debut : As a Wendy stan, I was not disappointed. My bias served.

Joy solo debut : It was really nice.

Permission to dance and Butter will always always get me in a good mood. It’s such a mood lifter. Especially when you hear it on the radio, such a fabulous rush.

But I am also craving for some LGO, Black Swan, 0 o’clock type of songs.. so I’m hoping for a new album soon!!

RV: I very much enjoyed Queendom and the mini album. Y'all needa stop comparing it to Psycho however because wbk it can't be topped - at least maybe not for a while (especially after coming from a scandal and a long hiatus, it was the right choice to promote a "safe" song).

(G)I-DLE: I'm over HWAA. It was good but I'm kinda tired of hearing it (maybe I overplayed it lol). The whole mini album has zero skips however, so they did well.

NCT: Everything released so far has been okay but not superb. Thoroughly enjoyed Hot Sauce and Hello Future but aside from that everything has been alright. I kinda forgot what the Dream and WayV albums sound like too lol.

EXO:

- DFTF is so underrated but comparatively it's one of their worst title tracks. Didn't really like the mini either except for Paradise.

- D.O: Rose along with the whole mini album was amazing as expected.

- Baekhyun: Bambi is literally the best release of 2021 and no one can tell me otherwise.

TXT: Amazing. Loser Lover is just a repackage but I loved Freeze and the new songs are perfect. DuDuWa is cheerful but meaningful, Loser Lover is amazing. I’m loving it. 10/10

Exo: BFTF: I keep listening this and it’s a really good release. I’m going through they discography and this album started it so I’m very happy with it. 8/10

Purple Kiss: Great debut album. I liked every song from it. They have beautiful voices and I can’t wait for the next comeback in September! 10/10

Enhypen: Carnival was just such a great album, I loved it from top to bottom. Aside from TXT (and EXO recently)it’s propably the album I listen the most since it’s came out. Once again, I’m looking forward to how they will go forward. 10/10

BTS: Film Out, one of ther best songs period. Butter, a great song defiently their best English song by miles. PTD, I want to like this song but I just can't feel the chorus at all, the verses on the other hand I really like. Really hyped for the album.

EXO: DFTF: A really solid album from them, not one of my personal favourites though. Run away is so far the best B-side of 2021 imo. LAY was in the comback which is great. Overall would say the albums is weaker than Obsession , but Run away helps DFTF not lossing by a to big gap.

Stray Kids: This album gonna be LIT!

TWICE: I really liked Alcohol-Free as a Title track. It was more chill title track which Twice never done before, which I belive will help the song in the long run since it felt less like being hit by the "bop express 2000", and more so someone stepping on you slowly. Both great feelings just one lasts longer. As for Perfect World, now that song did the straight up oppisite form Alcohol-Free, the "Bop express 2000" went crazy this time around.

AKMU: Damn Nakka is fucking amazing, without IU. With IU on the other hand is even better.

IU: She released one of her best albums tlhis year, amazing as always.

Taemin: How does he do it!? First it was Criminal amazing fucking song, then Idea which was just as good. And now Advice which again is equally as good as the other two.

NCT: Going at mach 10 atm. No wonder they've grown so quickly! All they release is amazing music. Hot sauce though, probably my favourite from them this year.

Just for my UB Taeyeon, who I used to be the biggest stan of her on here ever (literally)

Her music has always been great but I wish she would go in the direction of songs like the My Voice album, but at the same time I'm happy she always tries out new genres. She seems to be following current Western trends, especially with Weekend and she's not really showcasing her good vocals like before.

RV's comeback was alright it was a little disappointing because we've waited so long for a comeback

psycho supremacy tho

I am pretty much always honest with my opinion about BTS releases, although with recent TXT release I can just add that even their music feels more mature than BTS' one and that Disney channel trash song should definitely stayed in the draft

Film out was beautiful; a classic japanese bts release!

butter; i remember release day, it was an amazing day! really like this one!

ptd; it grew on me, but still not really my thing

can't wait for their album & the coldplay collab

SHINee/Taemin: as expected, neat, quality albums.

Seventeen: Your Voice is an immaculate mini, one of my faves of them already.

Stray Kids: Album of The Year.

just going to mention the groups of my badges:

Itzy - I like ''in the morning'', I'm always listening to the song BUT I'm so tired of jyp giving them that type of songs, still waiting for a wannabe 2.0 and the album was good, ''shoot'' or ''kidding me'' are way better than the title track

seventeen - ''ready for love'' is really nice, I love the chorus, but not my favorite comeback and album, I was disappointed

Twice - Alcohol Free is their best Korean Single since Fancy. I love Kura Kura more than Perfect World but all 3 are BOPS.

Red Velvet - Queendom is AMAZING. Not the biggest fan of the B Side but Queendom itself more than makes up for it!

Blackpink - ............GIVE US THE COMEBACK FIRST. But anyways I like On The Ground more than Gone! EVERYTHING I NEED IS ON THE GROUNDDDDDDDDD

AESPA - I LOVE NEXT LEVEL. WE SEE THE NU EVO

ITZY - Mafia in the Morning is a BOP. It's really not bad like everyone says. And the concept is AMAZING

Oh My Girl - I AM CRYING TEARS OF HAPPINESS FOR THEIR SUCCESS

BRAVE GIRLS - I love We Ride still as their best song but I'm happy for their SLAYAGE

EXO's Don't Fight the feeling

For tt it was rather simple for Exo tbh. Or it was not ground breaking or iconic like Tempo Monster or CMB but rather fun and easy listening and I actually enjoyed it.

When it comes to album... I LOVED IT

Runaway and Paradise are like my fav b-sides of this year. 10/10.

Just as usual too. It is so mellow and kinda emotional. No matter is weaker compared to them.

It was laso so good to see Yixing back. Overall it was indeed a special album for us and I enjoyed every second of it.

LOONA - PTT is the best of the 'girl crush trinity' and I liked the b sides better than 12:00's. Plus Haseul back so ahhh

TWICE - Perfect World was just 'good' in having only a small number of new songs that sounded like typical TWICE, enjoyable but not the best of their sound. I still love all the singles though. On the other hand Taste of Love and Alcohol Free were stunning, even giving us my favorite choreo in years.

I see a lot of groaning about this being a weak year but I've been very happy :3

BP - saturday-punch-the-snake.gif

Twice - Loved Alcohol Free. Liked their latest Japanese release, but really loved their releases last year (Cry For Me and Better and More and More).

Itzy - MITM is their second best song, they never miss with their titles.

Loona - PTD is a good song, a step down from Why Not and Star but enjoyable.

Everglow - Not feeling First, Dun Dun is still their best song.

Idle - Hwaa was ok, loved Dumdi and OMG more.

Izone - Panorama was ok, all their title songs were just ok. It's their B sides that shine.

Random note: I just discovered OMG's Secret Garden. It's a GREAT little song with a great little choreo.

EXO - I enjoyed DFTF and felt really fortunate to get it when I didn't expect anything or a single at best. I think the b-sides are tremendous here and vocally everyone is outstanding. I think the album itself has aged well - it's definitely a warm and summery vibe that I'm still grooving to.

Baekhyun - The Japanese release Baekhyun was really solid and explored an additional "grown and sexy" vibe while throwing some of that playful funny vibe that I loved in EXO-CBX, so I really enjoyed this one., too. Bambi tho - nothing has knocked this out of my album of the year yet - head to toe phenomenal as Baek delivered old skool r&b callbacks with modern flair. I LOVE THIS ALBUM.

D.O. - ngl, I was hoping for a stronger r&b feel here, but he delivered a really strong album in the tradition of all EXO members and many of the songs seem to resonate with a lot of people. It's nice to see more clearly defined the direction each of the EXO members seem to be taking in their solo work. And nonetheless, his voice is always amazing and there are some gorgeous songs here that definitely moved into my must listen list.

NCT 127 - I enjoyed Loveholic when it came out, but it has not aged well - there is only one track on the EP that moved into my rotation - the fantastic "Lipstick." Coming on the heels of the fantastic Neo Zone and the Resonance all-unit albums, this was a disappointment. I'm really looking forward to Sticker.

NCT Dream - my surprise of the year. I haven't been into NCT Dream's musical style and I really fell in love with Hot Sauce and Hello Future, which are incredible albums. For me, their sound - while still poppier than the other sub-units - has really evolved into an excellent blend of pop, r&b and rap. They really do a good job of playing with shimmering vocals on the higher voices of the Dream vocalists IMO. The addition of Mark back into the mix feel like it boosted the other rappers, rather than hurting them, to my surprise.

WayV - Kick Back isn't as cohesive as Awaken the World, but still a really fine EP IMO. Some of the b-sides here are really exceptional and all of the vocalists are showing growth and strength, especially noticeable on the ballad "Horizon", even if the title track is not my favorite.

Overall, I think it's been a great year for my faves...

ATEEZ - Didn't like the album outside of Take Me Home and Fireworks.

SHINee - Immaculate as always.

Red Velvet - A safer album, not as daring as ReveFestival Day 1 or Ice Cream Cake.

EXO - Again, safe album. Probably my least favorite album from them.

BTS - Out of 3 singles, I enjoyed Film out, LOVED Butter, and PTD is annoyingly catchy but not their best by a long shot.

TXT - My favorite full album of the year. I haven't been let down yet and I hope they don't.

BTS- I loved Butter and it is one of my favorite tracks of theirs, I like PTD, it was a mood lifter.

Twice- Alcohol Free was nice but Perfect World is amazing. They need to do more songs like Perfect World!

Blackpink- YG GIVE THEM A COMEBACK

Ateez-Fireworks was nice but I don't really feel like listening to it much.

Itzy-Mafia in the Morning is catchy but SHOOT is amazing

Aespa-Next Level was a really good grower

TXT-Lovesong, Antiromantic, Loser=Lover are all amazing and my fav songs from them.

Enhyphen-Drunk Dazed was really good

Gidle-I didn't really like Last Dance

Bts: I really love Butter, PTD and film out so much

Twice: I love the japanese comeback's a lot and Alcohol-Free is a bop