Posts by the101

  • If you could erase 1 song from your faves discography, what would it be?

    EXO: Two Moons and Run This are fighting in a corner. I love EXO but rap is not their forte and it shows.


    NCT: Punch.starts interesting, then we get the huffing and puffing and I think “well it’s going to get better it’s okay let’s see” and then I get that gorgeous prechorus, then they crush all my hopes and dreams with “hey we ballin.” Honey, no. It replaced Wakey Wakey as the song that made me cranky, although I still see you, Wakey. (And I say this as a person who is perfectly happy to walk with the cheese, thank you very much, queso queso.)


    Shinee: Kiss Yo.

    uh..yeah, no.

  • Having less members is more beneficial than having more members

    If they don’t have songwriting or production credits, most artists/musicians make the bulk of their money off tours, endorsements and merch, where they typically have a larger percentage, not album sales.


    But within this specific discussion, there’s a potential chicken and egg component here - are people purchasing more albums because there are more members (i.e. there’s a member that suits every taste.)? So, by adding members, are they potentially increasing their profits, particularly in those more profitable areas of tours and merch, compared to a soloist? So the album is serving as the “loss leader” to get people interested in the real moneymaker. Since 2008, the top selling album in Korea has been a group, not a soloist.

  • Best Nct song?

    Eeek. If I had to pick one, I’d say Boss.


    But I love the range as I noted in another thread, from hip hop swagger to shimmering pop. Their discography just keeps expanding, as they try on other styles like jazz (Dancing in the rain).


    My top 10:

    - Boss

    - Good Thing

    - Elevator 127F

    - Highway to Heaven

    - Regular

    - Cherry Bomb

    - Day Dream

    - Baby Don’t Stop

    - 7th Sense

    - From Home


    (That was hard - so many other faves! I looked at my most listened in Spotify)


    Dream: I only like a few songs so this is easy because these are the only ones LOL: Boom (top)

    Honorable mention: 7 Days, 119, Deja Vu


    WayV: A tie between Take Off and Nectar


    Top 5:

    - Domino

    - Turn Back Time

    - King of Hearts

    - After Midnight

    - Bad Alive

  • Why is EXO’s discography so loved and praised?

    It’s probably the obvious answer, but it starts with their vocals. When I was a kitten, my mom always used to make the point that she listened to music based on the VOICE, genre be damned. So even though it was mostly r&b, she loved country artists, rock artists, etc, if they had THE VOICE - which is something I took into my own music appreciation growing up and as an adult. Those amazing VOICES are then combined with exceptional harmonies and some really interesting and strong songs, ranging from sultry r&b to operatic rock to hard-driving dance. Those VOICES are then wrapped around and woven into those songs to suit the mood - playful, sexy, poignant, dark. It’s just so good! ^^

  • NCT, EXO, STRAY KIDS, & ATEEZ: Can fans recommend me what is the first song I should start listening to love them? I just re-entered Kpop again and decided to learn about all famous groups.

    I’m not a big fan of Ateez or Stray Kids (just not my jam, although I do really like “Back Door”.)


    Everyone has covered off so many great EXO songs but I’d also add two more songs: “what is love?” because I love a good r&b, wave my hands and “sang” type song. (Maybe I missed on someone’s list?) And “Love Shot,” which has an iconic video and a catchy hook.


    For NCT, there is such a wide range of options here: hip hop swag to shimmering pop and it varies based on the sub units.


    If you just had one song?

    NCT U: Boss (spitting strong rhymes + looping melodic power vocals, ie what I love about NCT.)

    NCT 127: Cherry Bomb and Highway to Heaven because I think they represent the duality

    NCT Dream (not usually my bag because they’re a little too sweet for me, but this song is a bop): Boom (although probably not the most like their usual music) Maybe 7 Days? (I like that one too)

    WayV: Turn Back Time


    If you feel like exploring further:


    A few NCT U/127 extras:

    Hip hop swag: Regular, Kick It, Misfit

    R&b flava: Elevator (127 F), 90s Love, Baby Don’t Stop, Good Thing

    Shimmery pop: Touch, Sun & Moon, Superhuman, Summer 127


    WayV extra picks: Nectar, Take Off, Domino

  • SuperM 2 years later: Avengers of kpop or Pretenders who flopped?

    Mixed. I think it was a good concept that was poorly executed. The idea of an all-star band from different groups is a tried and true thing in music, however, I think they did a poor setup of introducing the concept beyond “Avengers of Kpop” to the mainstream American market, esp. who each of the members were and why they were all stars for those who didn’t know.


    As a specifically US-targeted band, they failed to really effectively work the PR rounds, esp on social media. (I would have thought they would have worked the NCT template where NCT blitzed the full array.) They also failed to pick the right songs IMO - they have b-side songs that were more reflective of music on the US charts that would have better to lead off with rather than Jopping or 100 (Drip, Super Car.) I really love Tiger Inside personally, but it feels like a definite miss that they didn’t consider resetting their plan to promote feel good tracks like Better Days or Wish You Were Here harder, esp on the talk show type rounds, which may have gained greater traction at the time.


    Okay sorry I’m writing a novel here but there’s a lot I like about SuperM, but a lot that made me cringe from a marketing perspective and tell “you’re doing it wrong.” Finally, I’d note that while they may not have delivered on all of SM’s expectations, this is a group that delivered #1 and #2 albums on Billboard when there are groups that are better known and been around longer that have not been able to achieve. (Yes, I get it about the bundling, and yes it takes fewer albums to be #1 these days, but that’s still a solid achievement.)