The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, things kick off with the big one… The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday.
To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had a Korean release as a title or promotional track between Dec. 1st, 2018 and Nov. 30th, 2019.
Curious about last year’s countdown? Check out the masterpost here!
DAY ONE: 50-41
DAY TWO: 40-31
DAY THREE: 30-21
DAY FOUR: 20-11
10. BTS – Boy With Luv (ft. Halsey)
Bucking global trends, BTS opted for a breezy pop track to lead their 2019 campaign. Boy With Luv is bright and uncluttered and as exuberant as they’ve ever sounded, pulsing on a roller-rink-ready disco beat that still makes room for several hip-hop verses — each with their own flow. Halsey’s vocals add texture to the hook, but never overpower the group’s unflagging charisma. There were more ambitious title tracks this year, but few had a sturdier, long-lasting appeal. (full review)
9. Stray Kids – Side Effects
The first time I heard Side Effects, it felt like the pop song manifestation of a headache. And judging from its lyrics, that’s exactly what Stray Kids intended. It just refused to go where I wanted it to, to conform to the template set up for it. But, that’s the brilliance of Side Effects. It pulls back and takes its time, making its moments of unbridled aggression all that more dynamic. It’s one big build, teasing and teasing until it clobbers you over the head with a sledgehammer of throbbing electronics. Nothing else this year felt remotely like it. (full review)
8. A.C.E – Under Cover
Too often, modern K-pop latches onto one pre-packaged genre and fails to do anything interesting with it. Tropical, trap, EDM, moombahton, etc. But songs like Under Cover go the extra mile and throw everything they can into the blender. Some distorted hip-hop here, rock guitar there — gunshot percussion in the second verse for good measure. However, none of this experimentation would mean anything without a great melody. Under Cover’s chorus is a whopper, building to a frenzied heavy metal pop hybrid. (full review)
7. ITZY – Dalla Dalla
A good debut track should bound out of the gate as a statement of intent, grabbing listeners by the collar and refusing to let go. In this way, Dalla Dalla‘s unrelenting verve proved to be the perfect platform for ITZY’s introduction to the K-pop world. No other 2019 song cat-walked its way into public consciousness quite like this. Polarizing as its sonic shifts may be, this piecemeal collage is held together by a mammoth chorus and infectious confidence. It stuffs itself to the point of bursting, sampling an entire wardrobe of ideas but always returning to its megawatt hook. (full review)
6. NCT 127 – Highway To Heaven
So many of my favorite pop songs pass the “road trip” test, instantly recalling long stretches of highway with the windows down and a muffling breeze forcing you to crank the music even louder. Never mind that road trips are never actually that transcendent. This is idealism we’re talking about, and Highway To Heaven harnesses that “anything is possible” propulsion in aural form. It’s a pop tonic, culminating in one of the year’s best power notes courtesy of underrated vocalist Haechan. This nostalgic style is not usually within NCT 127’s wheelhouse, but it should be. (And yes, we’re just going to pretend that the needlessly horned up English-language version doesn’t exist.) (full review)
5. TXT – Run Away
After the buoyant synth pop of Crown, few would have expected this guitar-laced anthem from TXT. But, the guys found a way to deepen their sound without resorting to (too many) trendy tricks to get the job done. In an age where the classic pop chorus seems to be a fading antiquity, Run Away ran the opposite way and leaned into its punchy, arena-ready hook. A sense of fantastical whimsy gives the track its own identity, while the members’ wide-eyed earnestness sells the sentiment. This was one of the few big 2019 releases that actually brought me back to the styles that caught my ear when first falling down the K-pop hole years ago. (full review)
4. ATEEZ – Wonderland
If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I love a good rock opera. Wonderland isn’t quite rock, but it’s filled to the brim with bombastic musical elements that make it a showstopping performance piece. ATEEZ themselves described the track as “intense” all the way through, and that’s about right. It’s the culmination of an incredible year for the group, fully harnessing their pirate aesthetic for a modern hype-track reinvention of the classic sea shanty. Wonderland offers boundless energy and commanding vocal turns, flipping expectations by structuring its verses as rowdier and more grandiose than its chorus. And there’s cowbell! Honest-to-goodness cowbell! What more could you ask for? (full review)
3. ATEEZ – Wave
Of all the ATEEZ title tracks, Wave isn’t particularly flashy. And when it comes down to it, the song doesn’t offer the kind of genre-bending frenzy that has put their music on the map. In many ways, it’s the exact style of tropical pop I often complain about. But Wave is special. It works within its own constraints to craft a perfect summer anthem, drawing out the best from the group’s vocalists while wielding Mingi’s distinctly low tone like a bludgeon for its catchphrase chorus.
No song that rests on “hakuna matata” as a central refrain should be this deliriously great, yet ATEEZ transform a cliche into a rallying cry through the sheer force of their personality. But, what really sends Wave soaring is that final, galvanizing refrain. It’s a piece of melody so sublime that its sheer boldness has given me goosebumps on more than one occasion. Songs rarely end on this kind of a high anymore, but Wave leaves you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and hyped, with a pureness of sound that no amount of swaggering bluster can match.
(full review)
2. TXT – Crown
When TXT’s Crown was first released, I remember some bemoaning it as “just another boy group track,” devoid of the layers of meaning infused into much of big brother BTS’s work. I don’t think this is true. In fact, I can’t recall another K-pop song that sounds like it. Yes, there have been plenty of bright boy group tracks in the past, but none has quite the same cadence as Crown. However, this alone is not enough to vault the song to my runner-up spot.
What makes Crown truly outstanding is its choice of synth textures and vocal effects. As with anything, the appeal of different soundscapes is subjective, but the specific tones present during Crown‘s chorus evoke a strong sense of nostalgia unlike anything else I heard this year. More and more, K-pop listeners are besieged with the same sample-pack electronic flourishes, which ultimately renders so many comebacks interchangeable. Crown‘s brilliant synth lines exist of their own accord, and instantly give TXT a unique identity.
The guys’ voices are pulled and twisted just enough to give the track a fantasy-like appeal without sacrificing the charm of their performance. This, combined with a lively melody and personality-rich delivery, makes Crown the aural equivalent of sunshine in a bottle — relentlessly upbeat but never cloying. Even an errant second-verse “skrrt” can’t dull the enthusiasm. (full review)
1. Stray Kids – Miroh
Right from the start, as emergency sirens fade in and Felix’s introductory monologue booms with cinematic presence, you can tell that Miroh isn’t going to be a typical K-pop track. Yet despite the theatrical opening, Miroh is remarkably streamlined. No other 2019 release accomplished so much with so little. Taking the rap out of the equation, the song’s melody boils down to only two refrains, and they’re often layered right on top of each other. But, by changing the key and intensity of these lines, Miroh is able to fashion a diverse, thrilling EDM/hip-hop mash-up that feels constantly in flux.
In my mind, Stray Kids’ rap line is the best in the idol business at the moment, and Miroh capitalizes on this by utilizing their talents to power the most vital segment of any EDM track: the pre-chorus build. Their breakneck pace, coupled with the hypnotic loop running underneath, forge an explosive sense of rising tension that culminates in a beat drop/chorus pairing for the ages.
I often talk about my love for songs that constantly gain momentum. In a world of half-time trap breakdowns, this quality is becoming frustratingly rare. But Miroh has a not-so-secret weapon in a form we don’t often hear in idol music. From the beginning, the song is pulled forward by a melodic chant that underlines most of its verses and pre-chorus. Miroh uses this refrain to refuel itself, adding layers of energy like a little pop song turbine. Thanks to this unyielding intensity, no song this year felt as widescreen and climactic. (full review)
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Yay, i correctly managed to guess every somg that would be in the top 10 yesterday! That said, i was pulling for Under Cover to be number 1… but I really can’t be mad about Miroh taking the top spot, it’s my second favourite of the year and highly deserving. Thanks for all the passion and work you put into this site, here’s to a great 2020!
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We’re in agreement there–of this Top 10, Under Cover is my favorite, heads and shoulders above the rest. Miroh had the best rap breaks of the year, though, so it’s a great pick too. I just find that repeated chant a bit grating after a while, which is inevitable given how much they used it to color the song.
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It’s funny you say this, because I don’t think Miroh would be in my top spot without the chant! For me, it’s the song’s calling card and what makes it so unique.
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I thought it was gonna be either “crown” or “undercover” but ah, i can respect the miroh placement. It’s just what “anthemic” is in a song form, reminded me of how hype rap pre-chorus in kpop is.
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.
This is it!
My top album of the year is AKMU. No contest here, this whole album is fantastic.
Singles
1 “Wonderland” ATeez
2 “Under Cover” ACE
3 “Side Effects” Stray Kids
4 “The Fifth Season” Oh My Girl
5 “Super Clap” Super Junior
6 “Breathe” AWeek
7 “Cosmo” Pentagon
8 “You Calling my Name” GOT7
9 “9 ¾” TXT
10 “Here I Am” Taeyeon
Notable guilty pleasures, including ballads:
“Katchup” Soooooobin
“Déjà vu” / “Silent Night” Dreamcatcher
“Hip” Mamamoo
“I Wanna Be” Key
“Fate” Boy Kim. (Boy, not Roy)
“Aewol-ri” by Kyuhyun
“Begin Again” by Kim Jae Hawn
“Old Movie” by Heechul
“Above the Time” by IU
“Fly” Gaho
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I can’t believe Katchup came out this year, it feels like ages ago already. So underappreciated but so good…same with Fly. Both songs build a special atmosphere and keep you in it the entire time.
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That AWeek placement had me doing a double-take! Very spicy pick 🙂
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It’s a serious ear worm, and sounds great in the car.
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A spot for Here I Am by Taeyeon! I am sold on this list.
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Yes, love it when people appreciate Pentagon’s singles! And Silent Night too?? You’re an intellectual. ATEEZ was also my top group this year, though Say My Name is #1 for me.
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Act VI
The principal of Dream High School enters her office and sits at her desk. It’s been a week since the break-in. Despite the kerfuffle that arose from that episode, day to day dealings seem to have returned to normal. Before setting about her daily routine, she peers at the in-basket for anything requiring her attention. There are three items.
The first, a funding request to hire the band “AOA Black” for this springs prom. The second, a request from Emily Anchovy, the guidance counselor, to send flowers to the Terran residence. The third, a letter addressed to “Dream High School, ATTN: Principal”. She opens the letter and reads…
…
Dear Principal Mymagoogle,
I am writing to inform you that our son, Xeno, will be taking some time off from school. Due to recent difficulties, he will be spending time at home when not at his court appointed therapy sessions. His motor skills are returning quickly and we’re hopeful that he’ll soon regain speech.
Despite his recent issues, we’re still proud of him. Yesterday, he made something he called “a lightstick”? He used a pretzel rod, licorice whip, play-doh, and some glitter. I wanted to take a picture of it, but when I had returned with my phone, he had eaten it. Maybe next time.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Terran
…
The End
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Don’t worry, dear Xeno, you can have the very far back seat in the mom-mobile all to yourself. But you will have to fight Sonny Boy for control of the ipod. He does have some promise though, because although he finds Weki Meki Picky Picky too picky picky, he asked me yesterday to download some Bowie for our holiday road trip. (!) Who knows, maybe in a few years he can be persuaded to listen to 20 minute long early Genesis songs on vinyl.
(I am not kidding here. He asked very specifically for Space Oddity and Changes for “his playlist”. He is 9.)
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Bowie at 9? That boy definitely qualifies for the title “Prodigal Son”. As a lifelong fan of Earth’s greatest Martian, may I be so bold as to offer a selection from his discog that have enriched me for many years. I present:
A decade of B-sides from some guy:
Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud (1969)
Oh! You Pretty Things (1971)
Soul Love (1972)
Drive-In Saturday (1973)
1984 (1974)
Fascination (1975)
Golden Years (1976)
Sound And Vision (1977)
The Secret Life Of Arabia (1977)
Look Back In Anger (1979)
Proof that not only can you stay relevant beyond a decade, but even your non-titular tracks can exceed other groups best offerings.
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After combing through your New Wave playlist and discovering some new personal favorites, I think I will also try this selection of Bowie, whose music I have never really delved into beyond a cursory listening of Space Oddity. Thanks!
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Welcome to Tin Can Airlines. The captain has turned off the no seat-belt sign. You are now free to move about the cabin. The in-flight movie will be “The Man Who Fell to Earth”. Enjoy your flight! 😀
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I downloaded a greatest hits for the road trip tomorrow, and we will progress to your bsides list on the flip side.
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This seems germane to the conversation at hand:
It’s an… interesting rendition.
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Kooky! Thanks for sharing that with me. 😀
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Now, you know this story will not be complete without an epilogue that includes your top ten songs of the year. Inquiring minds want to know…
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This may surprise you..
2019 has been an odd year for me, K-Pop-wise. I seem to have been drawn more to B-sides and foreign releases. For example, Red Velvet didn’t make my top ten because the song that would’ve put them there, “Sappy”, was a Japanese release. Anywho, here goes…
Songs that made my Top Ten* (alphabetical):
ARIAZ – Moonlight Aria
Everglow – Bon Bon Chocolat
GWSN – Pinky Star
Honey Popcorn – De-aeseohsta
ITZY – Dalla Dalla
IZ*ONE – Violetta
Oh My Girl – The Fifth Season (SSFWL)
Pink Fantasy – Fantasy
TWICE – Feel Special
Weki Meki – Tiki Taka (99%)
*NOTE: My Top Ten would be different if I was judging “all” releases; including foreign (e.g., TWICE “Breakthrough”), B-sides (e.g., Cherry Bullet “Violet”), or special releases (e.g., AOA “Egotistic”, Queendom).
Female acts that had releases in 2019, but failed to make my Top Ten (for.. ..reasons): Ailee, AKMU, AOA, Apink, Baek Ye-rin, Berry Good, Blackpink, BoA, Bolbbalgan4, Brown Eyed Girls, Bvndit, Cherry Bullet, ChungHa, CLC, DIA, Dreamcatcher, DreamNote, EXID, Favorite, Fromis 9, (G)I-dle, GFRIEND, Hashtag, Heize, Hoody, Hyomin, ITZY, IU, Katie, Kisum, Laboum, LADIES’ CODE, Lee Hi, Lena Park, LOOΠΔ, Lovelyz, mamamoo, Momoland, Nature, NC.A, NeonPunch, Park Bom, Rainbow, Red Velvet, Rocket Punch, S.I.S, Saturday, Sunny Hill, Taeyeon, We Girls, WJSN, Younha
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Quite surprised not to see Sunset in Top50. o.O”
Here’s my end-year Top20 (I don’t make difference between title tracks and b-sides):
1. NCT 127, Highway To Heaven
2. TXT, Run Away
3. BTS FEAT. HALSEY, Boy With Luv
4. KNK, Sunset
5. ATEEZ, Wave
6. NAM WOO HYUN FEAT. JUNOFLO, Hold On Me
7. ONEUS, Valkirie
8. NU’EST, Stay Up All Night
9. ATEEZ, Sunrise
10. MONSTA X FEAT. STEVE AOKI, Play It Cool
11. NCT 127, Superhuman
12. EVERGLOW, Adios
13. STRAY KIDS, Miroh
14. DAY6, Deep In Love
15. THE BOYZ, Complete Me
16. BTS, Heartbeat
17. VAV, Thrilla Killa
18. KANG DANIEL, Touchin’
19. ATEEZ, Say My Name
20. SOUTH CLUB, Twice
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I had KNK “Sunset” on my short list of about 40. It didn’t make my own top 10, and I didn’t rank my 10-40, so its somewhere there in the middle.
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I like Sunset, and I liked it a lot when it was first released. But, it’s one of those odd songs that — despite my liking it — I never really played this year.
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Fantastic list as always, though our tastes diverse significantly in places. While we’re in the mood for leaving our own Top 10 title tracks, I’ll do just that as well:
1. CLC – Me
2. A.C.E – Under Cover
3. Red Velvet – Umpah Umpah
4. ATEEZ – Say My Name
5. Seventeen – Hit
6. TXT – Run Away
7. Stray Kids – Miroh
8. HyunA – Flower Shower
9. NCT 127 – Highway to Heaven
10. Somi – Birthday
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Looks like we share half of our top ten list, at least!
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I don’t know my top 10 list, and my top 50 is probably going to take another two weeks. So for now I’ll just state a few songs that will end up in my top 15 for sure
-Seventeen: Hit (pls don’t stay dark)
-Pentagon: Sha La La (Pls don’t continue with Shine ripoffs, I’d rather you make Energetic ripoffs)
-Every Ateez title track excluding Wave and Illusion (Wave is in my top 30) LETS GO ATEEZ! COWBELL!
-STRAY KIDS AND TXT IN TOP 10 BBAAAAAAYYYBEEEEEEYYYYY
-Bts, Nct, and A.C.E. Will be somewhere in there I just don’t know where
All I do know is,
– I am enjoying Sha La La and Hit way more than I should be
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Looks like we had a lot of the same feelings about the year! I was lucky enough to see both Hit and Sha La La performed live this year, and both are even better in a concert setting!
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😦😦😦😦live!
Also while we’re at it I’ll just put out my top 20
1.Under Cover
2.Miroh
3.Sha La La
4.Side Effects
5.Boyness (Poduce 101)
6.Run Away
7.Hit
8.Wonderland
9.Highway to Heaven
10.We Must Love
11.Say My Name
12.Crown
13.Time Of Our Life
14.BWL
15.Bloom-Enoi
16.You calling my name
17.Superhuman
18.Getting Closer
19.Fancy
20.Love Me
I’m a bit boy group biased
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Some of my favorite that weren’t included in the top 50:
NCT DREAM BOOM
X1 FLASH
EXO OBSESSION
STRAY KIDS DOUBLE KNOT
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Boom and Flash were definitely honorable mentions to my honorable mentions!
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I agree with the majority of this list, but I’m one of those weirdos that loves “Illusion” and doesn’t really care about “Wave.” I liked their full album too but found “Wonderland” underwhelming. I’m excited to see what’s next after the pirate/treasure theme.
For “Dallas Dalla”, I’ve grown to prefer the Dallask remix. I listened to it so much that the original sounds like the remix to me now . . .
Haven’t put together a full Top K-pop songs list yet, but my top Korean song (not sure if this fall under “K-pop”) is Shawn and Ovan’s “Home.” It’s actually a contender for my favorite song of 2019 period.
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“Dallas Dalla” WHY AUTOCORRECT. 😦
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Hey, hey, don’t worry. I was disappointed with Wave and Wonderland when they first came out as well. I was giddy about Illusion and loved but now for me it’s switched. Illusion didn’t have much lasting power therefore causing me to turn to Wave. Also it took me about 2.5 weeks for Wonderland to properly win me over
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I liked Wave, but Illusion was definitely more my thing. Wonderland didn’t blow me away, but neither did Pirate King on the first few listens. Love them both now!
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My top favorite song of 2019
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GOT7 deserve more recognition
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People doen’t appreciate them for some reason
They were called Flop7
I don’t know why people dont want to give them a chance
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Not a bad pick.
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As much as I am normally at peace with our differing tastes etc. I am astounded that a straight up trop-house song made your top 10….in 2019 no less!!!
As much as I love ATEEZ I am of the opinion that it is their weakest promoted song due to the the main reason that you seem to detest trop house, that its all been done before. Granted yes its fun and summery and I know you love a summer song, but it really didn’t bring anything new to the table that KARD, Chungha, sooo many boy groups have done before.
The only trop house song that has gotten many plays from me is BVNDIT’S Dumb…darker tone, catchy hooks, great performance factor (vocally but also dance is cool too).
I guess it is the “bias” list, but I am surprised it made the top 10 over Say my name.
Also Side Effects is a little surprising too given its lack of any chorus (Personally Double Knot seems to be my fave of those two with its better hooks – “dada dada”)
I am also in the camp that much preferred Savage to Under Cover but again I see how that isn’t your taste.
Glad to see you came around to 2019 as a good year for Kpop music despite all the horrible occurrences throughout the year in terms of suicide, produce 101 scandals and the burning sun/group chat scandal that plagued the year.
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You know what’s funny? As much as I rag on tropical house (though much of that rancor has been funneled to trap and future bass these days…), it’s always represented in my top ten. Both The Star of Stars and Complete had strong tropical undertones, though Wave takes that a step further.
For Wave, it’s all about the song’s melody and energy. At the end of the day, those aspects far eclipse genre — at least where I’m concerned.
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Ahhh okay I see your point here.
I am actually a massive fan of both of those songs but they sit into the more upbeat (tempo esp) electro pop genre while utilising some of the genre’s synth sounds at varying degrees.
Obviously its not the instrumentation you dislike.
To me that percussion rhythm is the dead giveaway that sways me away from the trop house. Seriously every single one to a degree has the same primary rhythmic drum beat or incredibly close to the same “regaeeton” steel drum sample.
Wave isn’t bad for me but its more my roadtrip song than anything else. Carefree and happy and sometimes you need that
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As a Stay, my heart is swelling over your placement of Miroh as number one… though I wouldn’t even call it mine!
If 2018 was the year my love for girl groups was cemented, 2019 was the year that began chipping away at the concrete. The solid foundation is there, but it is not as smooth as it once was. For I must compare my favorite female releases of the year (Boogie Up, No, Icy, SSFWL, Deja Vu, etc.) with my favorite boy group releases, on whose front I am rock-solid: TXT’S Run Away, ONF’s Why and We Must Love, A.C.E’s Under Cover, NCT127’s Highway to Heavan and Superhuman (which I had been so sure would end up on your top 10…), SuperM’s Jopping, and Stray Kids’ Miroh and Side Effects. I listened to almost no boy-group releases other than this paltry handful, but boy was this handful potent in it’s longevity!
All in all, I downloaded much more girl group fare this year – that is a given – but my personal always-fluid top ten would almost entirely consist of boy group tracks. (Which is blasphemy! Here’s to a stronger 2020 for my girls!)
I cannot wait to comment on your favorite album release post, because on that front I have a solid top 10 in which some females can feature!
On a slightly different note, however, 2019 was the year I really began following this blog. I had discovered it in the waning days of 2018, but I only started keeping up with it – and occasionally commenting – this year. In the quagmire that is the internet kpop fandom, this is a safe haven of chill musical commentation. Thank you, Nick, for drawing up this tiny community at the bottom of your blog posts.
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Thank you for the kind words! I do what I can, and I’ve been so happy to see a community start to form around this blog — particularly this year.
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We share Miroh, Run Away, and Side Effects in our Top 10. Though, I am incredibly surprised that Deja Vu didn’t even make your top 50 (unless I somehow missed it lol). My entire Top 10 list in order of your ranks are:
1. Stray Kids – Miroh
2. TXT – Run Away
3. Stray Kids – Side Effects
4. Oh My Girl – The Fifth Season
5. NCT 127 – Superhuman
6. Twice – Fancy
7. ONF – We Must Love
8. Twice – Feel Special
9. Dreamcatcher – Deja Vu
10. Stray Kids – Levanter (unfortunately ineligible)
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Am a little surprised the Chungha did not make the list particularly Gotta Go, which I think of as definitely one of the top 10 songs of the year, and there are some omissions I was honestly surprised with particularly with (G)-idle, Mamamoo, Ha Jin, Ever Glow Victon and NCT Dream, which I would put in my own list. However, overall I am quite fascinated by some of your choices as it is helping broaden my musical tastes and also check out on stuff I might have missed…
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My top 10 (including b-sides & foreign tracks):
1. WayV – Love Talk
2. NCT Dream – 119
3. Ryeowook – Drunk in the Morning
4. SuperM – No Manners
5. ITZY – Cherry
6. WayV – Take Off
7. Red Velvet – Sappy
8. Stray Kids – Side Effects
9. Taeyong – Long Flight
10. A.C.E – Under Cover
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I’ll just put my top 10.
1 – Stray Kids “MIROH”
2 – Seventeen “HIT
3 – Oneus “VALKYRIE”
4 – Pentagon “SHA LA LA”
5 – AleXa “BOMB”
6 – Twice “FANCY”
7 – Up10tion “YOUR GRAVITY”
8 – X1 – “FLASH”
9 – Twice “FEEL SPECIAL”
10 – Stray Kids “LEVANTER”
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My top 20 would be:
1. Miroh – SKZ (the song to beat since its release in march)
2. Run Away – TxT
3. As You Wish – WJSN (the final minute of this song is absolutely immense)
4. Wonderland – Ateez
5. Boy with Luv – BTS
6. SSFWL – OMG
7. Under Cover – A.C.E
8. Side effects – SKZ
9. Highway to heaven – NCT
10. Wave – Ateez
11. Crown – TxT
12. Missing – TRCNG
13. You calling my name – GOT7
14. Dalla Dalla – ITZY
15. Superhuman – NCT
16. Fancy – Twice
17. Boogie up – WJSN
18. Sunset – KNK
19. Blind for love – AB6IX
20. Valkyrie – ONEUS
Honourable mentions that would fall right outside my top 20 would include:
Feel special – Twice
Flash – X1
Say my Name – ATEEZ
Wannabe – Golcha
Forever love – Youngjae
Spark – JBJ95
Hakuna matata – Dreamnote
Violeta – IZ*ONE
We must love/Why – ONF
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Also forgot to mention Tonight (with melody) by Huta, which became a sleeper hit for me Over the year and would defs be somewhere in my top 50
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My Top 3:
1. STRAY KIDS – MIROH
Undoubtedly the best Kpop song i have ever heard. The pre chorus was astounding. Changbin and Hyunjin’s bouncing back of fierce rap complemented by an insane instrumental which teases elements for the drop, completely blew me away. But what sold me was the drop. The lead synth and the dirty bassline work so well together, bursting unrelenting energy. This is the pinnacle of EDM.
2. SEVENTEEN – HIT
My words are the same. This song is powerful achieving everything miroh does, but at a slightly lower level. The first drop had me hooked, but what killed me was the second. The squeaky lead synth influenced from French music, accompanied by the outstanding choreography and cinematography was too much for me to handle. Probably my favourite moment in kpop history.
3. ONEUS – VALKYRIE
Again. Like the two above, but slightly worse. The looped melody is simple but so effective. It has a bouncy and energetic vibe while also expressing a melancholic and deep emotion. I have never felt the same way with any other song. Something that would come remotely close would be VICTON – Nostalgic Night.
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