Cosmic's Favourite Songs of 2021

2021 was an odd year, overall boy groups had better tunes than girl groups, Stray Kidz released good music but it was unable to live up in the shadow of greater tunes, and Twice, the group commonly talked down upon for releasing catchy pop tunes released the best album of the year with Formula of Love. Song wise I would say it seemed overall better than 2020 but 2020 had higher highs in quality but then again I do need to do a review of that year eventually anyways so I might be wrong. Oh, and Gfriend’s disbandment was the surprise of the year but hey at least Eunha got a cool collaboration song out of it. I apologize in advance if some of the reviews are short, but I am not a musical expert so even if some of the reviews seem way to brief it is the placement that truly shows which one I prefer. Plus, I was also somewhat late on this and rushed while doing it as I multitasked while writing it with a few papers.

Average kpop song of 2021

Everglow-Pirate

EVERGLOW (에버글로우) - Pirate MV

EVERGLOW (에버글로우) - Pirate MV 입니다.모두의 마음을 빼앗을 해적이 되어 돌아온 에버글로우,그들이 이끄는 새로운 세상으로의 항해와 축제의 장 ‘PIRATE’대체불가 퍼포먼스 장인 에버글로우가 만들어 갈 글로벌 대세 행보에 주목해보자. 12월 1일 에버글로우가 3...

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Pirate is a song I should enjoy more than I actually do after listening to it more. I can live with the generic edm backings as edm is always fun. But I would be wrong if it wasn’t one of the best reflections of current girl group trends, with the chant chorus, stunning mv visuals and a club beat that most kpop fans don’t call outdated for some reason. Kpop fans love to use the word dated in my experience as a diss for songs that they do not appreciate which is interesting as I’ve always viewed pop music and anything that charts as part of the stuck culture we are currently in, where Max Martin will always make a radio hit, a Marvel film will always be made, and pop music trends will always become out of fashion as the next trend comes along as nothing super innovative comes about on average on the pop charts, else it would not be pop music. On “retro” songs in this case they are songs that are designed to sound dated to appeal to nostalgia, as people rest in the past as the middle class playing safe with trends stagnates on the artistic front.

Honorable Mentions

AKMU with IU-Nakka

AKMU - '낙하 (NAKKA) (with IU)' OFFICIAL VIDEO

모든 것을 가졌을 때 내 옆에 있는 사람은내가 가진 무엇을 사랑하는지 알 수 없다.When you have everything, you will never know what it is that the person next to you loves about you.-AKMU - 낙하...

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Baekhyun-Get you alone

BAEKHYUN ベクヒョン 'Get You Alone' MV

BAEKHYUN's Japan 1st Mini Album "BAEKHYUN" is out now![Tracklist]01 Get You Alone02 Addicted03 WHIPPIN’04 Drown05 Disappeared06 StarsBAEKHYUN Japan 1st Mini ...

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BDC-Moonlight

BDC 'MOONLIGHT' M/V

BDC 'MOONLIGHT' M/V'THE INTERSECTION : CONTACT' Available Everywhere Now! Melon : http://kko.to/gYG7Vsp4pApple Music : http://music.apple.com/us/album/the-in...

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Billlie-RingxRing

Billlie | 'RING X RING' M/V

Billlie's 1st EP [the Billage of perception : chapter one]Billlie OFFICIAL Twitter | https://twitter.com/BilllieofficialInstagram | https://www.instagram.com...

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Bugaboo-Bugaboo

bugAboo(버가부) - 'bugAboo'ㅣMusic Video

bugAboo(버가부) - 'bugAboo'ㅣMusic VideoMelon : https://bit.ly/3Ech90TSpotify : https://spoti.fi/3BbvrgtApple Music : https://apple.co/3GlZO7yGenie : https://bit...

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Cignature-Boyfriend

시그니처(cignature) - Boyfriend M/V

시그니처(cignature) - Boyfriend M/VTwitter ▶ https://twitter.com/cignature_J9Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/cignature_j9/Facebook ▶ https://www.facebook....

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Chungha-Killing Me

CHUNG HA 청하 'Killing Me' MV

CHUNG HA 청하 'Killing Me' MV CHUNG HA The Special Single 'Killing Me' CHUNG HA's first ever Special Single "Killing Me" is uptempo, pop number piece and rhyth...

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Dreamcatcher-Eclipse

Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'Eclipse' MV

[JP]Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'Eclipse' MV▶ Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) More Information- Dreamcatcher YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/dreamcatcherofficial- Dreamcatcher T...

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Enhypen- Tamed-Dashed

ENHYPEN (엔하이픈) 'Tamed-Dashed' Official MV

ENHYPEN (엔하이픈) 'Tamed-Dashed' Official MVCredits:Director: Yong Seok Choi (Lumpens)Co-Director: Jihye Yoon (Lumpens)Assistant Director: Ran Ro (Lumpens)PA: H...

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Jin-Super Tuna

[CHOREOGRAPHY] Jin of BTS ‘슈퍼 참치’ Special Performance Video

#Jin #진 #슈퍼참치 #SUPERTUNAConnect with BTS: https://ibighit.com/bts http://twitter.com/BTS_bighithttp://twitter.com/BTS_twt http://www.facebook.com/bangtan.off...

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Koyote-Expression

코요태 (KOYOTE) - 표정 (expression) MV

코요태 (KOYOTE) - 표정 (expression) MV 입니다.국민 혼성그룹 코요태가 1년여 만에신곡 '표정'을 발표한다.이번 신곡 '표정'은 2000년대부터 시작된 코요태의 노래가 갖고있는 음악적 요소들에 더 강력해진 리듬을 더해 코요태만의 매력이 가득한 노래로 만들어졌다....

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Ha:tfelt feat. Keem Hyo-eun -Summertime

핫펠트(HA:TFELT) - 'Summertime (Feat. 김효은)' M/V [ENG/JPN/CHN]

핫펠트(HA:TFELT) - 'Summertime (Feat. 김효은)' M/V* English, Japanese and Chinese subtitle is available- Apple Music & iTunes : https://apple.co/3ke1iIn- Spotify :...

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Ive-Eleven

IVE 아이브 'ELEVEN' MV

IVE Twitter: https://twitter.com/IVEstarship: https://twitter.com/IVE_twt: https://twitter.com/IVEstarship_JPIVE Instagram : https://instagram.com/IVEstarshi...

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Luna-Madonna

[MV] LUNA(루나) _ Madonna

[MV] LUNA(루나) _ MadonnaProduced by:Marcus Van WattumLyrics by:JoVaughn, Jaden Liver, haz, Ella Henderson, Marcus Van Wattum, James Daniel Lewis, Christopher ...

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Minamani-Stop

MINIMANI (미니마니) '멈춰 (STOP)' MV

#MINIMANI #STOP #미니마니 #멈춰1st Single Album '멈춰 (STOP)'🎧Melon : https://bit.ly/2RcLV6X🎧FLO : https://bit.ly/3vIl7dL🎧Bugs : https://bit.ly/3paOqmZ🎧Apple mus...

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ONF-Goosebumps

(MV)온앤오프 (ONF)_Goosebumps

ONF 6TH MINI ALBUM [Goosebumps] has been released.:: ALBUM Smart Link: https://ONF.lnk.to/Goosebumps:: iTunes & Spotify : https://apple.co/3G5mS9C ...

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Mirae-Killa

미래소년 (MIRAE) - KILLA

미래소년 (MIRAE)KILLA - MIRAE 1st Mini AlbumKILLA | MUSIC VIDEO#미래소년 #MIRAE#KILLA== KILLA ==▲ MUSIC VIDEO | https://youtu.be/ath_KZcfEZ0▲ Spotify | https://open....

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NCT U- Universe(Let’s Play Ball)

NCT U 엔시티 유 'Universe (Let's Play Ball)' MV

NCT's 3rd album "Universe" is out now!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://smarturl.it/NCT_Universe💚 'Beautiful' MV: https://youtu.be/nAvj...

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Pentagon-Do or Not

펜타곤(PENTAGON) - 'DO or NOT' Official Music Video

펜타곤(PENTAGON) - 'DO or NOT' Official Music Video[🎧] [LOVE or TAKE] 💜💖▫Melon http://kko.to/RfqHZLIYo▫Spotify http://spoti.fi/3bL908g▫Apple Music http://app...

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Sunmi-Tail

선미(SUNMI) - 꼬리(TAIL) MUSIC VIDEO

[MV] 선미(SUNMI) - 꼬리(TAIL) 뮤직비디오⠀💿 선미(SUNMI) - 꼬리(TAIL)🎧 https://orcd.co/sunmitail#선미 #SUNMI#꼬리 #TAIL▶SUNMI OfficialSUNMI FB: https://www.facebook.com/offic...

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T-ara-All-kill

[Live Clip]티아라(T-ARA) - ALL KILL(올킬)ㅣ딩고뮤직ㅣDingo Music

티아라(T-ARA) - ‘ALL KILL’ Live Clip🎧 T-ARA Single Album [Re:T-ARA]Track 1. ALL KILLTrack 2. TIKI TAKA👇Listen [Re:T-ARA] here👇https://linktr.ee/Re_TARA👇티아라 ...

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Twice-The Feels

TWICE "The Feels" M/V

TWICE "The Feels" M/VTWICE's 1ST Full English Single "The Feels"Released on 10.01_FRI , 0AM (EST) 1PM (KST)📌Listen “The Feels” HERE👇✨https://twice.lnk.to/t...

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Uza-Finder

[M/V] UZA - Finder

UZA 3rd EP [PROTOTYPE]Track. 2 - Finder M/V 반드시 찾아올 미래가 다가와Produced by UZAAudio Mastered by Brannon Mcleod Dramaface RecordingsFilm by Joonahn Baek♾UZA Offic...

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Weki Meki-Siesta

Weki Meki 위키미키 - Siesta M/V

#WekiMeki 5th Mini Album [#I_AM_ME]'#Siesta' M/V OPEN! 📔2021. 11. 18 6PM (KST) RELEASE

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40. Aespa-next Level

aespa 에스파 'Next Level' MV

aespa's new single "Next Level" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://smarturl.it/aespa_NextLevel⚔️ Performance Stage #1: https://you...

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Aespa had their megahit certainly earlier than I predicted, of course they were probably always going to be big, as long as SM does not have a girl group with songs as boring as CJSH the Grace’s work of course with enough promotional power it would be impossible for the project to be a total failure on the creating a fanbase level. Next Level is addicting, mainly due to that oscillating bass that clearly comes into my head now every time someone simply says “next level”. I can’t even insult the chant-like chorus here, that bass is simply too good. The r&B breakdown here is also surprisingly enjoyable and this is coming from someone that hates when girl groups do r&b, personally I think it works due to the synth textures in there. The production on this is also really smooth, as in unlike IGAB I barely notice the transitions between different segments of the song without wanting to cover my ears by how jarring it is.

39. Txt-Frost

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) 'Frost' Official MV

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) 'Frost' Official MV[Credits]Director: Nuri Jeong [COSMO]Assistant Director: Hanwool Jung [COSMO]Production: KEEPUSWEIRDProducer: Seunghwan Le...

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Frost is one of Txt’s best bsides and it was actually a blessing that they decided to promote it as like BTS in their peak eras they have a ton of good ones. Genre-wise Frost is menacing mixture of hip-hop and edm, with a beat that seemingly grabs you and never let’s you go. People like to rant about Hybe’s vocal processing being too in your face and overused though I like the in-your-face artificially, I think it’s pretty undeniable that the tools were used to create a clear claustrophobic otherworldly feeling that you would think fans who like nitpicking whatever Txt’s overall lore is which I am still trying to figure out would enjoy on a conceptual level. The way the chorus seems sung to sound like a shout is also interesting, as it further emphasizes some emotional despire making this probably the most angst filled song in a very melancholic discography as TXT is similar to Lovelyz with poppy but bittersweet songs with some exceptions. Frost may sound overstuffed but similar to a very-hated song coming later on the list, I think the maximalist sound may have to do with it being hyperpop, as Ashnikko who worked on it as a writer for sure going by what I can find on Wikipedia.

38. IU-Lilac

[MV] IU(아이유)_LILAC(라일락)

[MV] IU(아이유)_LILAC(라일락)K-POP Wonderland, 1theKK-POP의 모든 즐거움을 1theK(원더케이)에서 만나보세요! :)Welcome to the official YouTube channel of K-POP Wonderland, 1theK""1theK...

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IU goes groovy for Lilac, a hazy citypop song with a dreamlike blend of guitar, twinkling synths and strings. It’s certainly wispier than most citypop songs I listen to, and that’s okay as it works well IU’s sweet tone of voice which is the main reason I can listen to her sing absolutely anything. It’s a song like a spring breeze, rejuvenating and ethereal.

37.E’last-dark Dream

[E'LAST] 엘라스트 - 악연(Dark Dream) M/V

#엘라스트 #DarkDream #악연#ELAST #라노 #최인 #승엽 #백결 #로민 #원혁 #원준 #예준 E'LAST Information ▶E'LAST Fancafe : http://cafe.daum.net/EBOYZ▶E'LAST Vlive : https://channels.vl...

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This song came out of nowhere, as I’m pretty sure I forgot about it somehow pre-list, as I was probably jamming to the number one song as my super unpopular group jam. It reminds of Boyfriend’s Janus, a forgotten classic of sorts with the orchestral instrumental being melodramatically awesome by how lush and opulent it is. The strings are monumental, the pieces of electric guitar adding to the bombast of the track. The slowness of the track actually works in its favour as it is the operatic flow of the instrumental that provides energy for the song with the slow tempo allowing a listener to truly take in the changes.

36. Seventeen-Ready For Love

SEVENTEEN (세븐틴) 'Ready to love' Official MV

SEVENTEEN (세븐틴) 'Ready to love' Official MV2021 프로젝트 “Power of ‘Love’”의 시작을 알린 세븐틴은 이번 프로젝트를 통해 삶에서 마주할 수 있는 다양한 사랑의 순간에 대해 이야기하며 솔직하면서도 다채로운 사랑의 감정으로 2021년을...

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This year was Seventeen’s best year ever musically in my opinion so expect to see them a fair bit on the list. Ready to Love is a single-minded potion of synths and chuggng guitar with a melody that reminds me of a river more than a waterfall. By that, I suggest that it’s smooth and flowing never overpouring over the delicate layering of the instrumental, which is the real star of the show. For a song in 130 BPM, it is the sorrow expressed in the rock electronic mix that truly brings out the emotions within the song similar to a T-ara midtempo ballad like in the good old days of yore.

35 Tri.be-Would you Run

TRI.BE - WOULD YOU RUN

TRI.BE(트라이비) '우주로(WOULD YOU RUN)' MV TRI.BE 1st Mini Album [VENI VIDI VICI]#트라이비 #TRI_BE #VVV #우주로 #WOULDYOURUN #SongSun #Kelly #JinHa #HyunBin #Jia #SoEun #...

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Tri.be are Shinsadong Tigers and LE’s girl group. If we ignore the atrocious Rum a Dum they actually have had a decent year musically. Would You Run is certainly not the most imaginative or exotic of songs if you have listened to any kpop songs in the past few years as the verses are Blackpink and the chorus is pure Itzy in the style of their best song Wannabe. So, what made Would You Run stand out enough on this list you ask if I find it so run of the mill on the song experimentive scale? . One, I actually like the rift that drives the song for in a year without a proper Blackpink Comeback it was pretty good and the pounding drums mixed with whatever that instrument that is in every Tri.be song sounds amazing and let’s not even get into how the chorus is like a 2012 YG song on that front with the synths. On a more unique front, the antidrop that builds up to the actual bombastic chorus is surprisingly catchy and the contrast is very well done between those two parts of the song.

34. Seventeen- Rock With You

SEVENTEEN (세븐틴) 'Rock with you' Official MV

SEVENTEEN (세븐틴) 'Rock with you' Official MVCredits:PRODUCTION｜RIGEND FILMDIRECTOR｜RIMA YOON, DONGJU JANGEDIT｜RIGEND FILMPD｜HANUL NAAD｜YONGOH LEE, HYERIN CHOI...

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Again Seventeen makes no unnecessary detours in Rock With You. Sure, the song could have rocked harder but I’m not complaining I still bop my head side to side when listening to it. The vocals are sleek and restrained, never overshadowing the rocking instrumental powered by those bursts of guitar, a wistful synth, and that goes at 164 BPM. It’s by far their best title track to date, especially with the earworm of a chorus.

Fun fact I learned while writing this list, you know the Ready Set the band, right? They had a niche I suppose back in the day. Anyways, their lead singer Jordan Witzigreuter was a writer and composer on this.

33. Everglow-Promise

EVERGLOW(에버글로우) - Promise(for UNICEF promise campaign) MV

카리스마를 잠시 내려 둔, 에버글로우의 특별한 변신 에버글로우가 전하는 평화로운 세계를 위한 희망의 약속 약속을 수화로 표현한 안무, 중독성 강한 밝고 경쾌한 멜로디가 돋보이는 ‘Promise’ 이번 곡 ‘Promise’는 아름답고 평화가 가득한 새로운 세계를 꿈꾸는 아이들의...

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I may have sounded critical on my brief review of Pirate as the average song this year, but keep in mind Pirate came out after this. Though I naturally despise the UN and charity songs(all I want for next Christmas is for my father to stop blaring Do They Know It’s Christmas every Christmas for as a Christian there are many beautiful hymns and chorales that would be preferable ), Promise destroyed both my previous biases by being an amazing 80s tune in the vibe of La Di Da. I would dare say it’s a softer La di da. Now that breakdown at 1:33 is the reason it’s not higher, if not for that flaw I would probably place this bop above Dun Dun on the very small list of Everglow promoted songs.

32. Rocket Punch-Ride

로켓펀치(Rocket Punch) - 'Ride' @Special Stage Live

If you like this Video, Plz click "LIKE" and "SUBSCRIBE".로켓펀치(Rocket Punch) - 'Ride' @Special Stage Live#로켓펀치 #RocketPunch #RingRing #Ride#연희 #쥬리 #수윤 #윤경 ...

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Firstly, I love the fashion in this performance video, the black and white outfits are just so my style. Ride is more of a headbanger than Ring Ring I would say as the synths do go harder here. For a random bside of a group I don’t even follow that well because I will dare say Woolim’s new groups are to into the trends for my own personal liking(Infinite and Lovelyz had core sound but Rocket Punch and Drippin do not), I did not expect a song this good to not be a title track. There’s some lovely textures here, especially at 2:44 to 2:54 where the songwriter let the song breathe pure synthy goodness.

31. Adora feat. Eunha-Make U Dance

[4K][MV] ADORA(아도라)-MAKE U DANCE (Feat. 은하 of VIVIZ)ㅣ[띵곡가들]ㅣ딩고뮤직ㅣDingo Music

▶딩고뮤직 (Dingo Music) : http://bit.ly/Dingo__Music▶딩고프리스타일 (Dingo Freestyle) : http://bit.ly/Dingo__Freestyle▶일소라 (일반인들의 소름돋는 라이브) : http://bit.ly/ilsoracontac...

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Adora is probably more musically talented than the majority of kpop fan favourites if we want to get into the talent debate. You like Spring Day like me(which I do, because ballads are always better with guitars and that cool synth that sounds like me zipping up my winter jacket, note to self rate random BTS promoted tracks one day) she wrote and composed that as well as the incredibly good album track on Love Yourself:Tear Love Maze and on the girl group side she is responsible songwriting and composing wise for Labyrinth, Griend’s best song of 2018. Now, tangent aside back to the brief review. If you aren’t enchanted by Adora’s ethereal voice and the dreamy atmosphere of the song remisnicent of some of her work such as the excellent Suga solo album track Trivia 轉 : Seesaw which is a damn good song then the lullaby chorus will catch you or start/stop beat.

30. Seventeen-Anyone

[SPECIAL VIDEO] SEVENTEEN(세븐틴) - Anyone

[SPECIAL VIDEO] SEVENTEEN(세븐틴) - Anyone#SEVENTEEN #세븐틴#Your_Choice#AnyoneSEVENTEEN Official Homepage : http://www.seventeen-17.comSEVENTEEN Official Facebook...

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Thank goodness this song got a video or else it would never be on the list, after all similar to Ride and Loro it is not a title track. A title track if you are a non-kpop fan who somehow wondered into allkpop, is how promoted songs are usually described as in kpop one song is promoted over all to focus fandom and if possible the general public on one song. Thus, the title track can have the same title of the album as seen in Kara’s Step album or it cannot as seen in Wonder Girls album. Back to the review, Anyone is amazing, the melody surges with emotional angst and the real star of the show is of course the chugging post-punk guitars(collab with new order or Joy Division remake kpop song version when?) which truly shine in the instrumental break after the dramatic chorus. Can someone make more kpop groups have breaks like this please?

29. Bae173-Loved You

[MV] BAE173 _ 사랑했다(Loved You)

[MV] BAE173 _ 사랑했다(Loved You)K-POP Wonderland, 1theKK-POP의 모든 즐거움을 1theK(원더케이)에서 만나보세요! :)Welcome to the official YouTube channel of K-POP Wonderland, 1theK"...

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Big Bang were great in their prime not only due to absolute club bangers like Fantastic Baby but their angstier melodic work such as Haru Haru, Lies, and a few songs in their later work such as Sober and Gdragon’s Crooked. This is a good example of this sound, driven by soft rock guitar and a sharp melody which as you can tell from it’s placement within the top 30 is a good thing. I adore how songs like this actually sound 10x sadder than most ballads I have forced myself to listen to in kpop and western pop while also having a propulsive feel to them.

28. Sunmi-Go or Stop

선미 (SUNMI) 'Go or Stop?' MV

#선미 #SUNMI #Go_or_StopListen "Go or Stop?"🎧 https://orcd.co/sunmi_gosSubscribe to SUNMI Official YouTube Channel!👉 https://bit.ly/SubscribeToSUNMI▶SUNMI Of...

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Sunmi goes futuristic in the electronic house Go Or stop which is a slick as the cars in the video. It’s a propulsive song with no trap breakdown to break the tempo of the song, which is a welcome change that is ironic considering it’s title. One could argrue the brief slowdown during the chorus lacks impact or that the song isn’t grandiose enough for a singer of Sunmi’s calibar. But the fashionable beats with Sunmi’s vocal tone make it highly enjoyable for a head-bopper.

27. Dreamcatcher-BEcause

Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'BEcause' MV

Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'BEcause' MV▶ Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) More Information- Dreamcatcher YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/dreamcatcherofficial- Dreamcatcher Twitt...

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Dreamcatcher will probably never have a song as good as Scream or Good Night or Endless Night again and that’s okay, even at meh level they’re still better songs than a large majority of the kpop industry when it comes to girl groups in the year of 2021. Though Because suffers from a constant weakness I find on Dreamcatcher’s work that is, them not being metal enough, because as they seem to aim to fulfill a niche and benefit from it I would rather have them go on ideally. That’s not to say I do not incredibly love BEcause oddly moreso that the more metal Odd Eye though. BEcause because is by far Dreamcatcer’s most catchy song this year by far, from the cool drum and bass breakdown in the second verse, the pitch-shifted beats during the first post-chorus rap, and the cathartic peak of the chorus.

26. T1419-Asurabalbarata

T1419 1st Single Album [BEFORE SUNRISE Part. 1] '아수라발발타(ASURABALBALTA)' MV

#T1419 1st Single Album [BEFORE SUNRISE Part. 1] #아수라발발타 #ASURABALBALTA MV☆T1419 Official Youtubehttps://youtube.com/c/T1419_official☆Official Twitterhttp://...

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Best hype song of the year. For a hip-hop instrumental in idol boy group music it’s surprisingly fast and snappy and those acid synths are chef’s kiss. I would dare say the song “goes hard” as the melody is as intense as the instrumental itself while also being somehow soothing after the rap parts.

25. Pixy-Bewitched

PIXY(픽시) - ‘Bewitched (Eng Ver.)’ M/V

PIXY(픽시) - ‘Bewitched (Eng Ver.)’ M/VPIXY (픽시) - (Chapter03. TEMPTATION)💿 The 2nd Mini Album ‘TEMPTATION'💿멜론 : https://bit.ly/3akw0t6💿지니 : https://bit.ly/...

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Pixy are one of those few groups that are consistent on one thing, having better albums than title tracks a reverse of how it generally works with kpop groups. This is best shown by Bewitched being an album track on their most recent album and not placed as the title track that honestly if no one told me about I would not have even checked out any Pixy albums as their title tracks are always assaults on my eardrums. Bewitched is atmospheric with a dark bassline, synths to die for and mysterious airy vocals. The melody is fractured in an interesting manner that makes it feel like an endless puzzle so it’s constantly enjoyable on every new listen

24. Exo-Don’t Fight the Feeling

EXO 엑소 'Don't fight the feeling' MV

EXO's Special Album "DON’T FIGHT THE FEELING" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://smarturl.it/EXO_DFTF[Tracklist]01 Don't fight the...

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Exo’s Don’t Fight the Feeling is Power 2.0, as Lovey Dovey was Roly Poly 2.0, or Bonamama Sorry Sprry 2.0. Similar to Power and Dancing King before it the song is pure poppy fun, however since so many songs can get excused for being bad by that same excuse, I will attempt to add a little more to my short glowing review of it. Despite the horrendous trap breakdown that is mandatory in kpop now and seems like it will never disappear, firstly the tempo is fast, which is something that seems harder and harder to find in pop music in general. Secondly, the instrumental seems really simple with the heavy emphasis on the bass heavy groove but I appreciate the Daft Punk esque synth accents, people say it’s SM petty answer to Dynamite and Butter when genre wise it sounds nothing like them, seriously newtro disco is nothing like whatever specific type of EDM Power and Don’t Fight the Feeling are. Thirdly, though the chorus is nowhere near as anthemic as Power I would say the heavy synth and bass mix in the chorus instead serve of the star of the show here and the vocal emphasis being surprisingly controlled for boy group choruses benefits the track overall.

23. Pop! Corn!-Shoot

[릴레이댄스] POP! CORN - Shoot! (4K) @Girls Planet 999

[릴레이댄스] POP! CORN - 슛[Relay Dance] POP! CORN - Shoot!슛깅이들 생각만 계속 POP POP!!입덕 모른 척 하기엔 너무 늦었어❤️(2:45) 설레서 모니터 부숴버림 (˘▾˘)#릴레이댄스 #RelayDanceMore from #M2? :DFac...

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I know I somewhat bent my own rules for this to be here, but it was too good to leave off the list. GP999 was a mess and I’m certain all reality competition shows are designed to be that way, but unlike Produce 48 and Produce 101 before it, it had one other thing that made it stand out beyond having Chinese trainees who had a natural talent of angering everyone from progressive ifans to Korean nationalists(though that one I would dare say at least makes more geopolitical sense for the reasoning), and it was good songs. Utopia by Unicorn(the group with Yurina, Yeseo, Chaehyun, Bora, and Xing Qao) was for example a great Apinkesque song, which is a high compliment. However, Shoot is simply better as it’s the quirky kpop synthpop tune of the bunch. Honestly if Kepler debuted with this or a song similar to it, I’m sure everyone would be happier, and considering Mnet being Mnet they probably still would have sold well on physicals.

22. Taemin-Advice

TAEMIN 태민 'Advice' MV

TAEMIN's 3rd mini album "Advice" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://smarturl.it/TAEMIN_Advice[Tracklist]01 Advice02 Light03 If I c...

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Taemin has no bad title track, bad as in making me wish I never had ears. Sure his debut Danger is on the weaker side for me, but it’s my no means terrible. As an on-and-off listener though I never expected him to break the top 30 of my lists ever, after all Boa who I adore a ton has a hard time getting on these lists. Advice is one of his more dramatic tracks, with a bold, baroque, the insistent beat, and really cool production on the vocal side, I’m not sure what exactly was done but however they mae his voice synthesized at parts is simply awesome.

21. Twice-Scientist

TWICE “SCIENTIST” M/V

TWICE “SCIENTIST” M/VTWICE 3rd Full Album "Formula of Love: O+T=＜3"🧪Listen "Formula of Love: O+T=＜3" HERE👇https://TWICE.lnk.to/formula-of-love TWICE Offici...

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As I’ve stated above Twice’s Formula of Love is the best album this year, with their other releases also being high quality such as the Taste of Love mini and if you have not listened to them yet you are missing out. Also I’ve must have listened to this and Umpah Umpah 100 times back to back and I still don’t hear the similarities people always talked about at release. Scientist is sleek and bouncy, bulit upon a formidable bassline, unspoiled synths, and a staunch melody. Sure it’s no Knock Knock or I can’t See me, but it’s addicting in how Twice it is.

20. Wonho-Lose

WONHO 원호 'LOSE' MV

Love Synonym 2: Right For Us – available now. Listen at: https://WONHO.lnk.to/LoveSynonymNo2ID WONHO Official Fan cafe : http://cafe.daum.net/official--wonho...

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I fully believe that if kpop agencies focused on sexy male soloists enough boy groups could become obsolete but I think the biggest issue for male pop soloists in targeting the female fanbase is not standing out visually. Now Wonho does stand out visually, he’s so…muscly moreso than the flower boy look which is in right now and probably will be till South Korea has literally no youth as their fertility rates collapse even more. Lose does not mess around as a song, you are not getting any three songs in one here, on hyperpop warrior girls, or metal/pop hybrids. Lose is a sonically darker progression from Open Mind building from a moody opener to an explosion of chugging guitar that never let’s down and gains an extra layer for the final chorus. There’s even some interesting dynamic contrast going on with the strings as strings as sexy such as at 2:16. I would not be surprised if this song gave kpop fans heart attacks(by how heart attack is used in kpop songs do you know how many songs have that title in the industry, far too many I mean no offense to anyone who has had a heart attack), by the fast tempo, seductive melody and extremely visually appealing male objectification.

19. TXT-0x1 Lovesong(I Know I Love You)

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) '0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. Seori' Official MV

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) '0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. Seori' Official MVCredits: Director: Yong Seok Choi, Guzza (Lumpens)Assistant Director: Hyunhee LimPA...

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Individual group-wise Txt are the winner of the list, appearing 3 times in total and 2 times in the top 20. I have to admire how emotional their sound has been from runaway onwards without sounding like a bland ballad which is usually what kpop fans usually use when going on about emotional songs in my personal experience, though I suppose one could argue this song as a rock ballad due to how the drums are even if there is no proper rock guitar in the song from what I can hear(there’s a guitar yes but I would’ve probably placed this song higher if it had been more prevalent), but when I’m thinking of average sounding ballads imagine something like Davichi Cry again. 0x1 Lovesong(I know I Love you) is bold with an anthemic chorus, bellowing percussion, and a cathartic hook. The song is like the swirling eye of a hurricane it will consume you, from the smooth texture of Seori’s voice, the brilliant use of the synth that reminds me of white noise, to how beautiful and powerful the drums are.

18. Aespa-Savage

aespa 에스파 'Savage' MV

aespa's 1st mini album "Savage" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://smarturl.it/ae_Savage[Tracklist]01 ænergy02 Savage03 I'll Make ...

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Savage is interesting as a song to say the least, with the hyperpop synths mixed with a grungey hip-hop beat instrumental, I will admit with my narrow music taste that I haven’t heard much like this before but that’s my own fault I guess for not keeping up with /mu/’s 100 gecs obsession that they had for a while before the whole “hyperpop is cool guys” spread to music journalism. The common way of defining Savage is “next level on steroids” but I would rather place it as next level on LSD. I don’t know exactly why I like it, maybe it’s how pretty the synths are during the vocal bridge or because for some malicious reason I assume this is one of the few song-chant choruses I simply cannot escape. I remember when it came out, listened to it one, sat around for a bit doing homework and such and those “zu zu zu zus” crept into my head. Who knows, maybe in a few years if I’m still writing these kpop reviews I’ll be going on about how Savage is Aespa’s best musical work with flowerly language out of a thebiaslist post, but we will see.

17. Yuqi-Bonnie and Clyde

우기 (YUQI) - 'Bonnie & Clyde' Official Music Video

우기 (YUQI) - 'Bonnie & Clyde' Official Music VideoComposed, Lyrics by Galeyn Tenhaeff, Catalina Schweighauser, Joel Strömgren, Benjamin RoustaingArranged by J...

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I can best place this song as a trance-like disco song with rock elements. It’s propulsive and it generally sticks to the constant loop on the instrumental which is a good choice as shoving too many ideas within a dance song is the quickest way to ruin it. Also I’m a huge fan of Yuqi’s voice especially her vocal tone as it sounds stronger and deeper than the majority of female idols voices and that also played a huge part in my enjoyment of the song. If you don’t like this song, there’s always her rock ballad Giant which is also pretty good.

16. Shinee-Don’t Call me

SHINee 샤이니 'Don't Call Me' MV

SHINee's 7th album "Don't Call Me" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: http://smarturl.it/DontCallMe_SHINee[Tracklist]01 Don't Call Me02 He...

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I have probably the oddest musical relationship with Shinee as in I highly enjoy watching them perform any song out there but a large amount of the time despite their albums have some amazing tracks their title tracks do not do it for me. To this day, I’m still trying to figure out a top ten title track for them but speaking of lists, Don’t Call me is clearly number 2 on that list after Lucifer. I know people argue that it isn’t representative of Shinee as a group, which is an interesting take, as Shinee’s sound single wise went through some intense changes from their r&b debut Replay in 2008, their electronic peak of the eardrum hurting Ring Ding Dong and the amazing Lucifer in 2010, and the defining funk singles of Juliette, Dream Girl, and Married to the Music released in 2009, 2013, and 2015 respectively(yes I know I didn’t cover every single Shinee title track but you get my point) . Whereas f(x) seemed to stick consistently to electronic genres, the Shinee sound has been all over the place, especially if we add in their Japanese works and that’s okay as that is normal for kpop groups as they follow pop music trends intensely to appeal to younger audiences and stay “hip” with the general public.

Don’t Call me is an experience. Its opulent production mixed with a lush build forms an intense hip hop dance track (is that a thing because I need something to call these types of songs okay) that is hypnotic in nature.

15. Brave Girls-After we Ride

브레이브걸스(Brave Girls) - 술버릇 (운전만해 그후) MV

[ official Site ]Brave http://bravesound.comTwitter http://twitter.com/bravesound_facebook http://www.facebook.com/BraveEntertainmentInstagram...

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This is the best song Brave Girls as a brand(I say brand because their membership has gone through many changes over the years,that one might say we are in a ship of Theseus situation), After we Ride is a melancholic synth rock song that is beautifully melodic in a year where most of kpop idol groups were not, at least on the girl group circuit. It is a whirlpool of wistful synths, floating rhythm guitar and a syncopated beat, these elements combine to create a lush, bittersweet blend of sound further complemented by Bravebrother’s trademark full arrangements.

14. Key-Bad Love

KEY 키 'BAD LOVE' MV

KEY's The 1st Mini Album "BAD LOVE" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://smarturl.it/KEY_BADLOVE[Tracklist]01 BAD LOVE02 Yellow Tape...

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Bad Love sounds a lot like Blinding lights, but that’s probably due to being part of modern 80s inspired synthpop tunes, after all when tropical house was the kpop and pop trend most of those songs sounded alike so do not take this as me calling the song plagiarized, it’s simply the first thing that popped into my head when listening to it and I consider it much better than Blinding Lights. What first hooked me on the song was the little piece of electro distorted sound in the beginning before it went full 80s newtro(newtro is my new favourite word it certainly is any musical journalists new one as well when they aren’t hyping up hyperpop) trend with a hard groove accentuated by little continuing pieces of the beginnings distortion and the unique screaming noise. Of course the star of the show is the punchy chorus that reminds me of Lady Gaga vocally.

Key also deserves an award for having the most cohesive concept of this year with the retrofuturism 80s concept and that cute spaceship that looks like the starship enterprise in the mv. Plus his album is also very good so go listen to that.

13. Yubin-Perfume

[MV] YUBIN(유빈) _ PERFUME(향수)

[MV] YUBIN(유빈) _ PERFUME(향수)K-POP Wonderland, 1theKK-POP의 모든 즐거움을 1theK(원더케이)에서 만나보세요! :)Welcome to the official YouTube channel of K-POP Wonderland, 1theK""...

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Perfume is an electronic cascade, with sparkly boisterous synths and wonderful vocoded vocals pre-chorus. It’s similar to Apink’s Eung Eung, but if Eung Eung had an off-kilter vocal performance. Sure, I adore Eung Eung more and you probably do to, but imagine what civilization would look like if we had more kpop songs like this(this is an allusion to a meme do not take seriously).

12.ONF-Beautiful Beautiful

(MV)온앤오프 (ONF)_Beautiful Beautiful

ONF The First Album [ONF:MY NAME] has been released.:: ALBUM EVENT: https://bit.ly/3k9kgxR:: ALBUM Smart Link: https://smek.lnk.to/ONF_MYNAME:: iTunes & Spot...

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This song is one huge burst of jubilance, from the pounding intro of “brrram bbabam bbabam bbambbam” before it goes straight to synth funk fun. The chorus even utilizes the high energy of the track well, with a melodic descending refrain. Who are we kidding though the best part of the song is the bridge because of how it goes from chant to choral a capella with an awesome electric guitar.

11. . Rocket Punch-Ring Ring

로켓펀치(Rocket Punch) 'Ring Ring' M/V

If you like this Video, Plz click "LIKE" and "SUBSCRIBE".로켓펀치(Rocket Punch) 'Ring Ring' M/V#로켓펀치 #RocketPunch #RingRing#연희 #쥬리 #수윤 #윤경 #소희 #다현 #YEONHEE ...

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Ring Ring like Snuper’s Platonic Love before it and IU and Fiestar’s Sea of Moonlight is yet another song where kpop goes A-ha Take on Me. Was the song a megahit in Korea? Is it easy to sample? Whatever the reason for all these Take on Me style songs are I’m certainly not going to complain about it. The best way I can think of to describe Ring Ring is it sounds like Twice doing an A-ha cover, so Take On Me with chirpy sweet vocals and less vocalizing.

10. Youha-Abitpussy

YOUHA - 오늘 조금 취해서 그래 (Abittipsy) Official Video

YOUHA '오늘 조금 취해서 그래 (Abittipsy)' is available now!Produced & Arranged by Arno Cost, Ryan S. Jhun, Jeremy Lecarour, Rodolphe LejeuneComposed by YOUHA, Vadim A...

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The throbbing synth in this song sold me on it from the get go. That synth loop is simply majestic and goes well with the simple melody. If you are an NCTizen(NCT fan) you can probably make a good mashup to Highway to Heaven with this as both are pop perfection though this is more Carly Rae Jepson goes 80s than 80s rock.

9. Nct 127-Sticker

NCT 127 엔시티 127 'Sticker' MV

NCT 127's 3rd album "Sticker" is out!Listen and download on your favorite platform: https://NCT127.lnk.to/stickerID[Tracklist]01 Sticker02 Lemonade03 Breakfa...

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Sticker is awesome and part of that awesomeness is the autotuned flute, as whatever effects they used in the studio on it makes it sound so mystical. There’s also that super cool distorted bass noise and the harmonies that float atop the carousing instrumental a paradoxical sonic landscape of organized chaos. If anything, I’m in awe of how despite those disparate elements how smooth the song Is considering how I think the instrumental would make a good metal song if guitars were used instead because the rift those elements made would be killer.

8. Jackson-LMLY

Jackson Wang - LMLY (Official Music Video)

Official Music Video for "LMLY" by Jackson WangListen to "LMLY": https://teamwang.lnk.to/LMLYIDMusic Video Directed by Jackson Wang and MamesjaoProduction Co...

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Jackson went incredibly 80s for this song with analog synths, a pulsing beat, and a dreamy melody. I swear all this song is missing is a saxophone to be more 80s. I honestly cannot listen to the song without gaining a feeling of sadness for times gone by. It’s this high purely due to emotional impact as I cannot listen to this song without feeling bittersweet and I cannot pin down exactly musically why but it just gives me that feeling.

7. Txt- LO$ER=LO♡ER

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) 'LO$ER=LO♡ER' Official MV

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) 'LO$ER=LO♡ER' Official MVCredits:Director: Guzza (Lumpens)1st AD: Soeyoung Park2nd AD: Ran Ro (Lumpens)PA: Kookki Kim, Seongyeol Park, Chanya...

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Txt always delivers above average music for a boy group with decent albums and Bighit generally picking the best tracks to promote, possibly due to what a label as “the group is newish give them good songs to establish them then we can go shitty in quality control later” strategy. Now you could say there are easy exceptions to this rule depending on your view of each group and musical taste but one thing is certain, once you get big enough as a kpop group fans will generally buy anything but this whole point could be me against what critics label “maturation of sound” which is a nice way of saying boring when it comes to pop music.

Now, I’m certainly a loser for going on that rant, now back to LO$ER=LO♡ER, now if you manage to not make dog noises at the thought of a Txt member like one memorable MOA tweet you’ll realize that this song is incredible as a straightforward pop-rock track(I almost called this pop-punk until I realized that pop-punk is one of the few genre terms dumber than incelcore which is just punk but pretty much exists as a term because punkers nowadays might be triggered by Negative XP actually being countercultural though pop punk is dumb as a term because yes punk is simple but pop is the mainstream culture and by appealing to mainstream like pop I would say it loses any punkness to it, plus pretty sure if this was punkier it would be well harder and faster but my punk knowledge is small as it always seemed like a rich kids genre to me despite the working class aesthetic). I love LO$ER=LO♡ER for it’s melancholic chorus, how gravelly the TXT members sound in it, how uncomplicated it is(hypocritical I know since some songs got on because of how crazy they sounded) and because electric guitars with strong melodies is always something that needs to be acclaimed more in pop music as rock as we know it is dead in a ditch somewhere.

Essentially to sum up my opinions of the songs as somehow listening to it and thinking about it led to weird tangents, electric guitar+angst+ surprisingly decent tempo= good song.

6. Yuikika-Loving you

[MV] 유키카 (YUKIKA) - '여자이고 싶은걸 (loving you)' Official Music Video

유키카 (YUKIKA) 4th Digital Single [여자이고 싶은걸 (loving you)] Official Music Video▶ 유키카 (YUKIKA) 4th Digital Single [여자이고 싶은걸 (loving you)] Information“내 맘 이야기 하기 ...

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Yuikika is consistently good and her albums are always a treat. My oddest fact that I know is that she voiced a background character in one of the greatest animes of the 2000s, K-on. If you are able to focus on anything than how hot and cute Yuikika is than you can experience her best single so far, which says something considering the average quality of her work. The topline of the song is whimsical and bright, the brass triumphant, and the bass spectacular. There’s also the bonus of Yuikika rocking 90s fashion with that adorable bob haircut. I admire female idols with short hair looks a lot as that’s one look that if I ever tried I would look like a boy.

5. Pink Fantasy-Poison

[MV] Pink Fantasy(핑크판타지) _ Poison(독)

[MV] Pink Fantasy(핑크판타지) _ Poison(독)K-POP Wonderland, 1theKK-POP의 모든 즐거움을 1theK(원더케이)에서 만나보세요! :)Welcome to the official YouTube channel of K-POP Wonderland,...

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Poison is absolutely amazing and it’s rare that any kpop goes this hard or dark while still being fast. I know some are you are going to say “Cosmic what about Dreamcatcher”, I suppose Dreamcatcher does sometimes go around this hard but mainly for Japanese not Korean releases, even if I do adore their sound flaws and all. For Dreamcatcher comparisons, I would think Endless Night is best for the heavy vibe if one wishes to compare but that’s for another time. Poison is rough, the voclas sound harsh(which I consider a good thing who on earth wants super smooth vocals in a song like this), the screaming bits are highly fun, the rifts are catchy, and the chromaticism in the melody makes me bubble with joy.

Also for anyone super into the business side of kpop, this is a girl group created a female CEO, her name is Lee Sohee who was known as Chie/Yumi in the nugu groups Uniz and Kirots. And yes, I do find the Donnie Darko rabbit mask member cool as a gimmick plus the cute-creepy concept bouncing fits pretty well with Alice in Wonderland as a concept.

4. Akmu feat Kim Sun Hee -Hey kid close your eyes

AKMU - '전쟁터 (Hey kid, Close your eyes) (with Lee Sun Hee)' OFFICIAL VIDEO

피와 총탄이 등장해야 전쟁일까.비극적이게도 우리는 전쟁터의 뼈 더미 위에 조성된 어린 시절을 보내고 총칼을 휘두르며승리하는 법을 배운다.가장 중요한 것은 잃고 나서야 아는 것처럼,이명 뒤에 기다리는 비명을 우리는 모르고 전진하는 것처럼,무엇에 쫓기며 급히 가는가. 또는 어디로 가는...

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Akmu released a lot of songs this year with their new album giving every song on it a mv. Though I enjoyed Nakka, this song is simply more my style with its haunting beauty while also having a brisk rhythm because I am of the belief that the world needs more sad songs with a tempo, you can make a song melancholic without it being a funeral dirge after all. The useage of space within the song is incredibly well done with no oversinging over the instrumental nor the instrumental being too much things happened at once which simply wouldn’t fit in this type of song. Beyond the parts of the sing you would expect to appreciate such as the sirenic synth feathery melodies, I have to admire the harmonization of Lee Su Hyun and Lee So Hee.

3. Cherry Bullet-Love so sweet

체리블렛 (Cherry Bullet) - 'Love So Sweet' MV

체리블렛 (Cherry Bullet) 1st Mini Album [Cherry Rush]'Love So Sweet' MV[Apple Music] https://music.apple.com/us/album/cherry-rush-ep/1549185972[Melon] https://ww...

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I don’t generally like judging most kpop idol’s agencies decisions because I’m not in the music business but FNC for one of the dumbest mainstream agencies somehow managed to get Cherry Bullet excellent songs twice in a row, first hands Up and now Love so Sweet. Love so Sweet isn’t the most complex of musical offerings, it’s a bubbly synthpop song with what is known as the pop-punk progression( vi-iii-IV-I) at least I think that’s the progression I’m pretty much tone deaf and I’m not joking about that. The rhythms are snappy, the melody alluring, and the “dadadadada” part the best part of the song.

2. G-reyish Blood Night

G-reyish(그레이시) '숨;(Blood Night)' MV

G-reyish(그레이시) 1st Mini Album 'M' [숨;(Blood Night)] Official MV[G-reyish Official SNS]✔ G-reyish Official Twitterhttps://twitter.com/g_reyish_https://twitter...

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G-reyish do 24 Hours on a budget and without the tango breakdown and it’s somehow better than 24 Hours because as much as I adore the tango breakdown, light electropop is my Achilles heel. No more needs to be said, but G-reyish are the Tahiti of our times and if you aren’t at least admiring one of their works like the forgotten Tahiti of old you can always start with this one.

1. N.O.M.-Megapunch

N.O.M - 메가펀치[MEGA PUNCH] 19980701 #COMEBACK #메가펀치 #MEGAPUNCH

N.O.M - 메가펀치[MEGA PUNCH] 19980701 #COME BACK#메가펀치 #MEGAPUNCH #TEASER #RETRO #90s #NOM #놈 #엔오엠Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/user/NOMEntLiveTwitter : https...

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N.O.M. as a group deserve a lot more attention than they get but I can’t really complain as I’ll be honest considering what happens to most nugu groups I appreciate I’m happy they’ve lasted this long. Megapunch is what would happen if Maniac and Physical had a kpop boy group baby. The synths are energetic, the beat is conquering like Genghis Khan and the chorus is undeniably perfection.