It’s been over seven years since YG Entertainment debuted a girl group. This is the agency that gave us 2NE1 and BLACKPINK, so when it comes to new projects expectations will always be high. BABYMONSTER has been teased for quite a long time, further heightening curiosity as we approached their long-awaited debut date. So, why does digital single Batter Up feel so underwhelming?
YG Entertainment needs to learn some new tricks, or maybe just hire some new writers. Their music has become a parody of itself, which describes Batter Up pretty well. There’s nothing in this song — not a single thing — that hasn’t already been exhausted by BLACKPINK and 2NE1 before them. I could tell you exactly how Batter Up would sound before even hearing it. From beats to structure to cadence, it’s the YG house style to a tee. I guess we can applaud them for loyalty to their brand, but this doesn’t make for exciting music.
Because of this, the question becomes: is Batter Up an above or below average example of this predictable template? To answer, we must look at each of its elements. The production is rather boring, so that works against its favor. The braggadocios lyrical content is often cringy (“sting like a bee”? “I’m a boss baby”? Really?), so that’s another point against it. The second verse rap is fine, and what we hear from the girls’ vocals sounds promising. However, the dull “batter, batter up” chorus is so low-effort I can barely believe the agency went with it, and the requisite tempo change at Batter Up‘s climax fails to wring extra excitement from the track.
Add it all up and you’ve got a non-starter, regurgitating the most tired elements from the agency’s depleted supply of ideas. Despite the baseball-themed title, BABYMONSTER have not come out swinging. Here’s hoping we get stronger music in the future, but it’s hard to be optimistic given YG’s track record.
| Hooks | 6 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 6.75 |
Grade: D+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I mean… the last 30 seconds are fun and I really like it, but the rest of the song is just a medieval torture device.
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Agreed!!! The last 30 seconds sound something like the last 30 seconds of JikJin or Bang Bang Bang
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first thought after listening to this is “how would blackpink make this work?” which already sets them to a disadvantage. i need yg to steer away from the girl-crush concepts. it’s getting tired at this point. the song is not good, the music video is middling, and the choreo isn’t anything exciting. yg could have the next big thing in their hands but they seem to be too stuck in their ways to create a new sensation. what a shame.
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We were literally just discussing here on this blog on how they could debut without sounding like clones of Black pink, and they go ahead and debut as inferior clones of Black pink. No hate on the girls themselves, just the song choice. Sounds like a debut era BP song that’s 30% as intense but worse rap (not a fan of the English enounciation after getting years of Jennie and Lisa in comparison)
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Feels like YG’s take on teen crush. This song is accessible so I still think it’ll take off, but it’s no Boombayah or Fire. Actually I’d argue it’s very much like Treasure girl version to a tee, even the chorus reminds me of Bona Bona, and Hyunsuk being a co-writer makes it obvious here.
As with most YG idol songs I’m gonna need the live stage treatment to be fully convinced.
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We can’t even say “YG’s Take of Girl-Crush”. YG is basically Girl Crush lol. Bona Bona is a lot more energetic and less empty imo
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Most of them still look too young to be singing these braggadocios lyrics for me to take them seriously. Looks like they are cosplaying with some of the outfits.
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This! This is the comment I was looking for. The outfits even, it’s not good. The song is so lacking. The girls clearly have talent, notice I said girls, because they are literal children, and again, k pop taking adult lyrics and concepts and feeding them to teen groups with teen fans. This is tired even for YG.
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If YG won’t ever try anything new I don’t think this one is too bad. The verses and final chorus are pretty fun, and the English lyrics are so stupid that they’re good 🤩REMEMBER ME, STING LIKE A BEE
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I think you hit the nail on the head: we’ve heard this formula before. I think I’m not mad at it only because yg has given such predictable songs that I’m not silly enough to expect anything else. Even the video is quite predictable with the first rapper wearing a try hard getup and visual striking but random scenes for the pre chorus. I think I prefer baby monster to blackpink as far as the members themselves are concerned, but I may be calling that too early. Hopefully I like the next track better. After all blackpink took a few singles to get to “as if it’s your last”
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feels like blackpink cosplay all the way down to the facial expressions and gestures in the MV – the bored sneers and smirks feel like direct emulation of lisa and jennie but without the real confidence or attitude for it not to look a little silly.
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No : )
6/10 for me
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I guess it would be fine if YG would just write a chorus. Just once. I don’t think there’s enough of a distinction from Blackpink though to give them their own identity.
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we waited years for this shit?
also, “i’m a boss baby?” what are they, those talking babies from that godawful 2017 dreamworks movie
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I remember BP doing anything and everything when they debuted with Boombayah. Breaking their necks and sweeping the floors type of things. This debut did nothing of the sorts, which just solidified how they’re riding on their seniors’ coattails. From the rap verses, melodic pre-chorus, beatdrop chorus, and the way I could see that chanted outro from a mile away, all of it is just BP. Like, I swear they just didnt put Teddy in the credits so they wouldnt get compared.
I watched the mv with the intent of giving them the chance of not being compared to BP but they just did it themselves without even me asking.
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Guys, just remember that this the same reviewer who gave Ateez’s Bouncy an 8..
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Ok, so? Nick changed his mind about the song and it fell down to a 7.75.
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Stuff like this reflects negatively on you not on Nick. Grow up
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Guys just remember that this is the same reviewer who gave Ateez’s Bouncy an 8.. yep, an 8 to the worse kpop song of the year
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lol and? nick isn’t wrong in his assessment in my opinion, and even if you don’t agree, this blog IS called thebiaslist for a reason…. p.s. bouncy was a bop ;P
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lol and? nick isn’t wrong in his assessment in my opinion, and even if you don’t agree, this blog IS called thebiaslist for a reason…. p.s. bouncy was a bop ;P
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wheres the lie tho
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bouncy should have been higher tbh
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Guys just remember that bouncy is a bop
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This is a review site. Nick is free to express his opinion on K-pop songs anytime here.
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Except Nick changed it to a 7.75, so that means he doesn’t like the song that much anymore.
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You thought it was the worse song of the year. He thought it wasn’t…. See how nothing changes
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It was at least interesting
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I can only agree – This feels very paint by numbers which, considering the multiple young girls in this group & even its name, feels apt. Even considering that YGE groups run on bravado this feels like a generic version of it. Unlike with BP there’s no amazing starting point for them to fall from/fall from grace from and it feels unfair to saddle these girls with such dated & boring material. I’m sure they’ll do well because its YGE but is there anything even here worth becoming invested in?? Not for me IG!
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They kinda sound like the girl version of Treasure. Pretty sure Treasure would perform this song better though.
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Jesus, YG. Give them something a little more interesting than this.
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this feels like a watered down blackpink song, which in turn were a watered down 2ne1! The well is dry teddy, please try something new!
3/10 tbh, and i usually like this type of sound
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teddy didn’t even participate in this
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Just shows how YG’s a&r were collecting BP formulas all along.
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True but still Future bounce who we all know have worked together for years
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right people just shove in teddy as copium lmao
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I echo most people here so I’ll just say that the girls deserve better. They didn’t prepare for 2 years and have their debut delayed two times for this shit. YG better give them the sound identity they deserve.
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So… It’s fine. Nothing remarkable other than it sounded like a BP song sitting in the backburner.
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You have Aespa, IVE, LSF, NJ, XG, Kiss of Life, Billlie, Fromis_9, Stayc, even Everglow and Kep1er!
Each of them sell their concept well, to various degrees. You like rap? Pop? Feel good music? Noise? Uk Garage? Girl Crush? You have it
Following the YG same old music formula wont take them anywhere in the current music landscape
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It’s already been said. It’s just that YG style that 2NE1 and Blackpink have already done. It’s not my music style so I don’t like it. I also don’t like most of Blackpink’s and 2NE1’s songs (I do like several B-sides and certain singles). Anyway, I wish the girls the best. Hope there’s more interesting music in the future.
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I…actually find this more listenable than the vast majority of Blackpink songs lol. I like the vocal tones and find them less grating than I usually do Blackpink’s. But I’ve already listened to it four or five times and still barely remember a thing about it. If the entire instrumental was more like the final 30 seconds it might have been more interesting, with some actual energy and without that horrible squeaky discordant brass at the drop. The little horn stings during the verses are neat, and between those and the bassline there’s something that makes me think of SNSD’s Hoot – wouldn’t that have been amazing, if a song in 2023 tried to sound like Hoot! I can only dream.
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I never noticed that Siwon was in this. I love hoot and it just got better (if we act like it’s 2009 and we don’t know Siwon is controversial).
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Would like to add that even if snsd used to get mocked for it because at some point it seemed like SM was only using the aesthetic to save money and get copyright free content to use, SNSD executed 60’s concepts really really well. They look timeless.
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Bunch of haters on here. The song is still going to get tons of views and Babymonster is going to long have long successful careers. Cry more
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and?
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k-pop stans are so predictable LOL the song is still bad 😦
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Hating and having genuine criticism are two distinct things. No one doubts they will be successful so why would we discuss numbers. You didn’t even acknowledge your own thoughts on the song and went straight to the “‘insert group’ will outsell”. That tells me that you’re not here for the quality of music but likely that you’ve mentally subscribed to whatever the company puts out regardless of whether you enjoy it or not.
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Simp more. We deserve better than the same served soup, regurgitating the same samples and beats while expecting millions isn’t what music is meant to be about.
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People seem to forget that the band just lost a member. I bet (hope) they recorded a few great tunes as 7 but can’t release them. So I’ll give them a pass.
They still could have picked something a bit fresher for a first single. YG must have a factory of writers who can write smtg that doesn’t sound like Blackpink
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This was to be expected, YG has been following the money for years, BP made money, let’s make new faces with that music
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On first listen I was like what is this like various random sounds as if they were from different songs. But I like the beginning tho
All in all it gets better with each listen and for those saying it’s yg recycled at this point it’s like kpop girl crush recycled
And of course random English
Xg as a yg group would have made more sense
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Feels like an unsuccessful stewing of treasure and blackpink sounds and motifs. The members are undoubtably talented but it feels like they’ve been forced in a typical YG mold as opposed to exploring sounds that would help define them sonically as their own unique group with its own style. The song lacks anything for me to grab onto and remember it by personally. YG and BP in particular have a sound i’ve already started to feel fatigued by and its a shame that this group might be made to follow that pattern for its undeniable success in the mainstream
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It’s basically Jessi – Cold blooded and Lisa – Money sax sample beats together
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Well, I finally got the answer for the question: “What if WAP was produced by YG?” The bass is very WAP/Jessi’s Cold Blooded. Everything else is so Teddy I was shocked knowing he isn’t involved in this track. At least it proves that YG’s backup Teddy is emulating him just fine.
Look, it’s a nice track to listen to when it comes up, but likely we will forget about it in a week. At least YG still has XG, right?
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Teddy, future bounce and R.Tee (and others) made music all together throughout the years, it’s all their sound at the end of the day I guess heh. XG as in the group? lol XG is under AVEX
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I like this group, and I hope they can find a better song in the future.
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There is a mashup with WJSN Boogie Up instrumental (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjOh_K3y_B4), it doesn’t work for every part of the song but when it does, it makes it way more fun and energetic. And memorable, at least for me.
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Trending… the best debut.
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This is just a recycled BP song. These girls deserved better
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YG has a predictable pattern of trying to tie their new groups to older groups soundwise, especially at debut. BP was the most infamous. If you listen to AI versions of this, you can tell it was made with BP in mind. Like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FyRZB5JIUQ It actually sounds better on BP, I might stan the BP version more. I also noticed the usage of sirens, reminds of YG 2013-2014 where they used sirens a lot.
The part with attention reminds me so much of AKB48/48 groups. AKKKBBBBB4888888. I can’t remember which song they use this in but it gives me so much whiplash. The icons (JKT48): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg6Xia_NemU
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As a YG Stan, I enrage to YG itself. The sounds are similar to a whole YG song. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle not only for SDGs but also YG take it seriously.
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Never a YG stan, but I find the girls as talented as Winner and AKMU. Almost all of them, at very least know how to sing. Rap-line also arguably ‘rap’ better than Lisa and Jennie.
The problem lies on YG only whose vision is as dried as salted dried plums.
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