There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Over the past few years, CRAVITY … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It always bugs me when a … Continue reading
Just like NewJeans before them, CORTIS have spawned their own K-pop progeny. This irreverent, “we don’t give a f*ck,” vocal effects heavy alt-hip-hop has become a popular touchstone and I don’t expect it to slow down any time soon. The most obvious competitor at this moment is WAYF Boys, who do a very similar thing … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Thus far, TIOT’s career has been somewhat inscrutible. Rather than develop and expand upon a signature sound, they’ve waffled greatly between extremes. One moment they’re shouty bad boys, the next they’re sentimental balladeers. New single Five Hours In Pieces (다섯시간의 조각들) leans toward the latter with added rock heft. Somewhere along the way, this driving … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. September 2026 Overall Thoughts I don’t usually have great expectations for September in K-pop. It tends … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Mixtapes are all the rage for K-pop acts looking to build street cred. The thing is, “street cred” doesn’t really exist in K-pop and mixtapes function essentially the same way any other release would. Girl group Keyveatz debuted earlier this year with an abrasive hip-hop sound and double down on that with their mixtape A1 … Continue reading
With their new album, Close Your Eyes have taken the unlikely move of fusing jazz with K-pop. It’s not that this has never been done before, but it’s certainly outside of current trends. So far, this approach resulted in the very strong Open Your Eyes, which really leaned into the concept. Title track Drop That! … Continue reading
It’s been great fun to watch CRAVITY grow into their sound. While their first few years were very hit and miss, they’ve recently found a way to mature their output without falling into the traps and tropes that often come with “maturation” in K-pop. To put it bluntly, their music ain’t boring. This statement is … Continue reading
Earlier this year, XngHan&Xoul released a big dance banger as part of a successful mini album that traversed the breadth of this exciting genre. For me, this set him up as an artist to watch and someone who might bring back some of the high-octane sounds I used to love in K-pop. Now, it’s time … Continue reading
Before their early-November comeback, xikers have divided into two sub-units to deliver pre-releases of vastly different genres. I really enjoyed the breakneck pace and energy of Just For Fun a few weeks ago. Now, it’s time for the remaining members to take us to the rock club with Runners High. xikers’ music has often played … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
WOOAH have spent their year blitzing the market with digital singles, hoping something will stick. Thus far, we’ve gotten spring and summer tracks and judging by its title you might assume Voodoo Doll is targeted to the Halloween season. Instead, the girls have delivered a bright house track promoted with a seemingly random AI music … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
