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The Top Ten Best Songs by GOLDEN CHILD

Posted on by 19 Comments

With a new comeback right around the corner for Bias List favorite Golden Child, it seems like the perfect time to finally commit to a top ten ranking of their title tracks. Since 2017, the group has been delivering nothing but quality, even though I have my preferences.

As will quickly become obvious, I’m a proponent of “bright child” over “dark child.” But, the guys have shown an ability to improve upon many different genres and moods. This list is all-killer, no-filler.

10. Spring Again (2019)

Something of a stopgap release during their long 2019 hiatus, Spring Again nonetheless bounds with warmth, capturing the essence of the season with ornate instrumental touches and a whistling hook. (full review)

9. Without You (2020)

Middle entries in trilogies are often more pensive and character-driven, and you get that sense with Without You. Opening with an prolonged, atmospheric build, the song soon settles into its slinky beat-drop hook. (full review)

8. Wannabe (2019)

Offering the first glance at a darker, BLSSD-produced Golden Child, Wannabe shone new light on the group’s brilliant cache of vocals. It’s a skeletal dance track, twisting and pulling with stuttering beats and hip-hop touches. (full review)

7. Pump It Up (2020)

Back on the bright side after a series of moodier fare, Pump It Up captures Golden Child’s enthusiastic pop sound, galloping over bright funk beats and growing to an effusive, shout-along hook. (full review)

6. One (Lucid Dream) (2020)

The culmination of the group’s edgier sound, One moves from aggressive electro stomp to funk bass nirvana and back again. The guys perfectly harness the song’s dense, experimental soundscape, creating a style all their own. (full review)

5. Let Me (2018)

Drawing upon the power pop sound of their debut, Let Me secured Golden Child’s place as this generation’s number one purveyors of feel-good anthems. Let Me skips forward on unbridled optimism, driven by punchy guitar and youthful exuberance. (full review)

4. DamDaDi (2017)

I didn’t quite know what to think about DamDaDi at first, but it quickly established itself as a K-pop classic. Golden Child debuted with a clear intention, drawing upon their personalities to drive this bombastic singalong. It’s the sound of an exclamation point, repeated for three-and-a-half minutes. (full review)

3. It’s U (2018)

Sweetune and Golden Child proved to be a match made in heaven, as the unrelenting It’s U played like the baby brother to Infinite’s 2013 mega-hit Man In Love. The song’s bright synth backbone supplies a sugary adrenaline rush, anchored by a major earworm of a hook. It has aged better than I would have ever thought. (full review)

2. Lady (2018)

Taken from the group’s strongest mini album, Lady was too flawless to remain a simple b-side. Thankfully, the guys promoted it as a follow-up, and the world was blessed with their second Sweetune-produced classic. Lady takes a heaping dose of classic pop melody, finds an utterly transcendent pre-chorus, and ties it all together with a brilliant vocal. (full review)

1. Genie (2018)

In my mind, there’s no better combination of Golden Child’s core strengths than Genie. It’s a fluffy pop song, but the structure is robust, the melodies are sharp and distinct, and the arrangement is varied – but never at the expense of the song’s propulsive momentum. It all culminates in a walloping dance break that ushers in an extended finale that draws upon the group’s enviable vocal line. (full review)

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19 thoughts on “The Top Ten Best Songs by GOLDEN CHILD”

  1. I have to say, Golcha is one of those groups that I never think to much about but actually like most of their songs and like songs such as Genie and DamDaDi as much as One and Without You. It’s not often I am a fan of groups doing polarising sounds but Golcha just seem to pull it off. Maybe I should pay more attention to them this year.

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  2. Lady is my favorite to this day. It reminds me of 2012/13 sound some of my favorite groups had at the time and is just gorgeous, especially the prechorus.

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  3. You Did It. You Blessed-holy-god-person. YOU DID IT!

    It’s U is my favorite and Rivals Complete for Top Song of 2018!

    But Genie and Lady are very close!

    Then Comes One and DamDaDi!

    And Let Me…

    Also, I have questions Nick and will you please answer them.

    If you could place DamDaDi in 2017’s Top 50 Kpop Songs countdown, would you place it at Top 10?

    Also! Did 2020 stink that much…… Imagine being number 2 and getting run over by a song which was placed Number 6 or 7….

    But these are epic songs , nonetheless!

    ALSO! GOLDEN CHILD COMEBACK! possibilities of Sweetune! Squeal!

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  4. I LOVE THIS LIST SO DEARLY! I have no idea why…. But this list.too good. too powerful.too majestic and…you described DamDaDi as… bombastic and Now… I love..it…more..TOO MUCH AMAZINGNESS

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  5. I have been waiting for this one! When you mentioned you wanted to give Pump It Up more time before making the list, I kinda saw it coming.. and there it is, at a relatively low 7.

    I gave Pump It Up more time too, and I have to admit.. it doesn’ t hold up to Genie in the long run. Genie, to me, is a perfect song. I keep coming back to it and I love it as much as ever. In comparison I don’ t play Pump It Up as often or enjoy it as much anymore.

    My ranking:
    Genie (1) is still my favourite Golcha song, with Damdadi (2) and Let Me (3) following close behind. Lady (4) and It’ s U (5) also deserve to be in the top 5 – I love the melodies and the production is *chef’ s kiss*. So.. hey, looks like I arrive at almost the same conclusion. Pump It Up ends up on number 6, followed by Spring Day (7) and the ‘darker’ songs will conclude the list. I agree that ONE / Lucid Dream (8) is the best one, the other two are interchangeable for me.

    Though Golcha pulls off a dark concept beautifully, it still doesn’ t convince me to like the songs very much. I would not rate those lower because of lack of quality, it’ s just my musical sweet tooth showing.

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