As far as girl groups go, Apink has been the one to fully master and maintain the upbeat, cutesy image. Even as their music has become more sophisticated in sound, its bubblegum hooks have always stood front and center. Initially, I feared that they would be a little too “girly” for me, and that kept me from exploring their full discography as quickly as I did other girl groups. But, anyone who appreciates a bright pop melody will find much to love about Apink’s consistent singles run. With main vocalist Eunji’s solo debut upon us, it seemed a perfect time to look back at their impressive discography.

*Updated 1/1/17

10. Petal (2015)

A more languid, lazy summer afternoon feel is captured perfectly through Petal‘s delicate, gracefully catchy hook.

9. Only One (2016)

A more subdued take on their melodic sound, highlighted by its stuttering beat and mature vocal arrangement. (full review)

8. Luv (2014)

The new jack swing production touches are a welcome addition to this restrained, sophisticated pop hit.

7. I Don’t Know (2011)

The girls’ explosive debut track, which successfully painted them as the successors to Girls’ Generation’s brand of bright, refreshingly innocent kpop.

6. Remember (2015)

Anchored by a bubbling, tropical beat, Remember stands as a dynamic balance of the contemplative and celebratory, eventually exploding in full dancefloor power.

5. Brand New Days (2016)

Returning to their sugary roots, the girls offered a surprisingly addictive distillation of their sound for their first original Japanese release. (Full review here)

4. NoNoNo (2013)

Building on their more mature sound, NoNoNo gifted the girls with the most addictive and memorable beat of their careers. That sexy, serpentine bounce is so strong that it almost eclipses the actual melody.

3. My My (2011)

The group effortlessly recaptured the laidback, groove-driven pop of the 90’s, sprinkled with a melody that rides the beat, but soars unexpectedly as the chorus rises to a goosebump-inducing climax.

2. Mr. Chu (2014)

Surging forward with 2014’s catchiest girl-pop hook, Mr. Chu remains irresistibly buoyant and in-your-face melodic. Hear that bright, triumphant chorus once and there’s little chance of you ever forgetting it.

1. Hush (2012)

Hush represents a perfectly calibrated sugar rush of pop hooks and propulsive production. It deftly balances the group’s cutesy image with weightier electronic dance aspects, resulting in their most addictive and populist single. For the first time in their career, their schoolgirl innocence flourished into 21st century girl group sophistication.

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