Posts by bbgc
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Yes and No. 3 Factors, but yes on is Youtube -
1. There's a major demographic bomb forming in Korea, where 5 years ago they had like.. 10% more 12-20 year olds then they have now. The amount of young people (one of the biggest consumers of "chart" music) dropping has decreased the total pool of Circle Points.
2. Changes to social media and specifically virality on social media. 5 Years ago it was still though more domestic platforms, along with Youtube in general. Nowadays it's Tiktok and Youtube Shorts. There's a fragmenting of the monoculture of "chart toppers" that was prevalent through 2010-2020.
3. The other part is Youtube Music. 20% of the market share (conservatively) is now on Youtube and Youtube doesn't count for Circle Chart Points.
So slightly less people (as a %) being swept up by chart topping songs, dropping listener count amongst the most important demographics, and market share moving to a non circle chart platform.
Fair points, But even if YT is 30%, Circle still represents 70% which is a huge sample data.
So what does this drastic drop in competition since 2017 represent?
It can't be that we have 10% less listening population, therefore 50% less competition.
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That would be even more impressive than IU ft Hyein.
At least IU did that before the disputes had escalated & NJ were still with ADOR. But if GD features Danielle at this junction, it is a direct eff-off to ADOR/HYBE.
Those "BTS-paved the way" idiots who shaded Taeyang/Bigbang will get all worked up, that would be fun to watch.
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I also wonder another thing : are kdrama less popular now in Korea leading to overall less interest in OST? Ot just OSTs not hitting as hard as they used to
Not entirely.
Melomance & LYW charted their OST's well.
But like with other genres, Kpop domination is limiting OSTs on the charts as well, compared to the past.
Maybe if IU breaks her own rules & does OST for her upcoming dramas, there would be a certain high charter
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I would add that kpop is becoming a lot more international and a shift to the West (aka US) so more groups are targeting international success as the rise of spotify and YT
and thus groups that have a more international focus will sell more albums overseas than locally and thus groups who can cater to the international fans are generally those more established (or debut from the big4)
the other thing is that groups now last longer (especially GG)
previously (1st and 2nd gen and 3rd) GG would have most of their members quit/retire/disband on or before 1st contract renewal and therefore the fans of those groups would naturally move on (if there were still into kpop) to newer groups however these days more and more GG like the big3 of the 3rd gen - BP, Twice and RV are still around to consolidate their success and thus fans of those groups remain fans of those groups
But this is only Korean digitals, so international sales don't matter much.
Irrespective, it does feel like the industry has consolidated and there are fewer acts in play, compared to 2nd or even 3rd gen
Longevity might be a reason.
But between streaming, Kpop overtaking up become mainstream in Korea, since 2017, the direction of Kpop has changed.
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The decrease of different #1s in a year is because of 2 reasons:
1. The drop of downloads and rise of streaming. Downloads obviously just reflect its impact in the short run unlike streaming. Prior to 2012 the digital market was completely dominated by downloads, which translated in songs having a super short run in the charts. In 2013 there was a price change in downloads which made them drop, streaming started to rise, but the digital market was still in the rise, so downloads were still really relevant and even rose after the initial drop of 2013, repeaking around 2017-2018. In late 2019 it started to be noticeable the download market was decreasing a lot (Gaon/Circle hide it but we could see it through the certifications), streaming started dominating everything to the point downloads are almost irrelevant nowadays.
2. The system change of the charts in 2020. Summarized, they changed realtime charts with 24h charts, making it way more difficult for new songs to chart high. For some reason koreans seem to focus their streaming habits on charts a lot, so this caused a lot of artists that were guaranteed hitmakers thanks to people noticing about their songs through the charts directly disappear. Now promotions are way more important, that's why only we see few non idol artists topping the charts nowadays.
I didn't expect this to be this long, sorry lmao.
Regarding the topic, honestly the charts and the streaming habits of Korea change that much that I don't think we can measure something like competition with numbers. Also, Kpop dominates the charts now since 2022 I'd say, and it did during the 2nd gen (when Kpop probably peaked in Korea), but the truth is that during the 3rd gen most of the biggest hits of Korea were coming from soloists and non idols. Half or maybe more of those #1s during 2015-2020 are probably not idols, with some cases like 2019 when we didn't have any group song topping the charts until Psycho did in December. The korean charts are a representation of the korean public, not of Kpop.
After all this boring essay... IMO the most competitive year was 2017, like I said I don't think we can measure it just with numbers, it's just my feeling as someone who has been checking the charts for longer and more frequently than I'd like to recognize lmao.
Good points,
Download vs. streaming.
And yes, this measure did not separate out Kpop and non-Kpop.
Gut instinct, my opinion is also 2017 was the toughest year.
BTS, EXO, TWICE, BP, BOL4, PSY, SISTAR, return of SECH KIES, TAEYEON, SUNMI, IU, G-Dragon and Wanna One - it is long list of heavy hitters all releasing iconic songs - Spring Day, Through the Night, Ko Ko Bop, Gashina - many are signature songs for the acts. Ailee had her huge OST for Goblin.
IU involved with 5 song PAKs.
I actually started the exercise to see if I can quantify it. But even in such an year, Ailee, Twice, EXO, Taeyeon and IU scored multiple weeks with the same song.
But 2017 might have been the pivotal year for
From Downloads to Streaming,
From non-Kpop to Kpop being dominant in Korean charts
From good presence of soloists to domination by groups.
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i don't know whether I am allowed to use the greatest acronym for her which I used all the time at OH, namely Kpop's Least Useful Singer, Klus.
Think only "Senior Singer" achieved traction.
KLUS, Strange Creature.. not so much.. though I personally like "The Great Anachronism"
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I was wondering how to measure which period (year) was the most competitive in Kpop?
Thought the most RUDIMENTARY way would be simply to check the #1 s in an year, more the number #1s in the year, means more competitive the year, means more the competition, so took a shot at it, using Circle Digital Weekly.
Please note RUDIMENTARY, before you jump this method
, ideally it would be great to have all the releases in any period etc., but it is what I have and have time for, but maybe this will tempt the objectors to come up with a better method.
My "flawed" assumption being "more competition = less domination" & vice versa.
A bit of Cunningham's Law, which states that "The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer. This is because people are more likely to correct a wrong answer than to answer a question. "
Here are the results.
2010-34 songs in 51 weeks
2011- 37/52
2012 - 32/52
2013 - 42/52
2014 - 42/52
2015- 40/52
2016 - 38/52
2017 - 41/52
2018 - 25/52
2019 - 29/52
2020 - 15/52
2021 - 20/52
2022 - 19/52
2023 - 14/52
2024 - 18/ 52
But now it raises other questions, than answer my initial thought.
Does this represent that Kpop is getting massively consolidated and dominated by fewer acts, and lesser number of acts are debuting each year?
Is that a good thing for the industry, for the art or not?
Pitch in please.
MassiveKpopFan Kreatin wsoet and who else?
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The only blemish to the Concert of KPop (TOBTTCOK, pronounced tob-tt (as in the Twice song) - cock) has annoyed the entire KPop world for 15 long years but the defeat inflicted by Bibi , who killed TOBTTCOK's two title songs in one shot, seems to be decisive, as seen by the sheer lack of respect IVE members showed to the now 1,352 years old.
She terrorized the 2nd Gen with the first style, she terrorized the 3rd Gen with the second style but the third style was weak which did not impress the 4th Gen.
That's too contrived a title and does not roll off the tongue ..
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But are the BGs?
Make them into a separate category - VGs.
I don't know about Melon, but think MC Mong has occupied all top 10 on Gaon/Circle.
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IVE songs are getting to be polarising - either people strongly like it or strongly dislike it, with very little overlap.
While good for music, might not be good for the charts, which do need that overlap to have many listening in.
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Yeah, Dives, unfortunately that's a wrap. Of all groups, they were blocked by Plave, virtual idols.
My condolences.
I would wait till Wednesday, when Circle updates for the previous week.
Melon #1 is not absolutely necessary for Circle #1, #2 and #1 on other charts might still pull it off, particularly if they are leading on YT.
But if they don't #1 on week ending Feb 1st, then probably they won't for 'Rebel Heart' - Plave or they themselves would block it.
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Have listened on the drive only once & musically, I liked "Rebel Heart" better.
there was strange electronic tinkle/slow down somewhere in them middle.. did not gel.
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I knew you'd both have an interesting perspective and approach to contextualizing these statistics. Always an insightful read.
There is one more stat I like,
New Jeans is the only act - solo/group etc., who has put 4 songs on the Circle Yearly top 10.
Bigbang in 2015 and IU in 2014 have done 3, and many times 2 songs.
And Ive also achieved 3 in 2023, but were overshadowed by NJ's 4 songs.
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I would say B and then F.
"A" looks impressive at a shallow level, but what matters is longevity than an interesting circumstance.
That's B and F.
I don't give a shit about "eras", there is no definition or standardization of an "era", could be single, EP or Album, with or without MV, could be after year, or months or weeks or days.
So Meh .
B is my pick.
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How did IU do with Palette, Through the Night and Can't love you anymore?
And then Autumn Morning?
But 2017 was a crazy year in terms of competition - BTS, BJP, TWICE, BOL4,Ailee, Wanna One.. Heck even Sech Kies were back.
I don't think any song stayed at #1 beyond a week, probably the most competitive year so far.
So maybe not.