Tomorrow, I’ll post a year-end recap and my ten honorable mentions before launching into my Top 50 K-pop Songs of 2023 countdown on Monday. But in the spirit of my monthly “Risers and Fallers” feature, I thought it would also be fun to take a look back at the top tens of last year’s countdowns and re-evaluate some of the placements. After all, any best-of list is a snapshot in time and a lot can change in a year.
Below, you’ll find updated countdowns for K-pop, J-pop and Pop — alongside the amount a song has jumped or fallen since last year.
Top 10 K-pop Songs of 2022 (Re-evaluated)
(Last Year’s Countdown)
10. DRIPPIN – Zero (-1)
9. TO1 – Drummin’ (-1)
8. DRIPPIN – The One (-1)
7. RoaD-B – Icarus (+4)
6. Alice – Dance On
5. Tempest – Can’t Stop Shining
4. RoaD-B – Nonstop
3. Girls’ Generation – Forever 1 (-1)
2. IVE – After Like (+1)
1. Golden Child – Replay
Top 10 J-pop Songs of 2022 (Re-evaluated)
(Last Year’s Countdown)
10. Miyavi – Strike It Out (-4)
9. One Love One Heart – Honjitsu wa Seiten Nari (+16)
8. JO1 – Move The Soul (-3)
7. One Love One Heart – Now Or Never (+2)
6. Naniwa Danshi – The Answer (-2)
5. Genic – JiriJiri Summer (+8)
4. Fantastics – Summer Bike (-1)
3. Ado – New Genesis (-1)
2. Sexy Zone – Forever Gold (-1)
1. One Love One Heart – Glory Dayz (+6)
Top 10 Pop Songs of 2022 (Re-evaluated)
(Last Year’s Countdown)
10. Rina Sawayama – This Hell (-3)
9. The Weeknd – Sacrifice (+1)
8. Ava Max – Maybe You’re The Problem
7. Beyoncé – Break My Soul (-1)
6. Sigala – Living Without You (ft. David Guetta & Sam Ryder) (+3)
5. Måns Zelmerlöw – What You Were Made For (-1)
4. Sigala – Melody (+1)
3. Ellie Goulding – Easy Lover (ft. Big Sean) (-1)
2. MUNA – What I Want (-1)
1. Erika Vikman – Kateus (+2)
And as a special bonus, if we totally eliminate regions and genres, here’s what my top ten overall singles would (probably) look like for 2022.
Top 10 Singles of 2022 (Overall)
10. MUNA – What I Want
9. Girls’ Generation – Forever 1
8. Erika Vikman – Kateus
7. Genic – JiriJiri Summer
6. Fantastics – Summer Bike
5. Ado – New Genesis
4. IVE – After Like
3. Sexy Zone – Forever Gold
2. Golden Child – Replay
1. One Love One Heart – Glory Dayz
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
this is just an excuse to flex glory dayz as the best song of 2023, isnt it
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(kinda)
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But it also annoyed me that that countdown in particular didn’t match my thoughts now…
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I personally enjoy After Like, but’s it’s not one of my favorite releases. For Golden Child, I’ve unfortunately never felt strongly about their music, I think it’s catchy and well produced but not much more. Forever 1 has become one of my songs favorites in general, so I’m glad to see it so high up
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I can’t believe it is already year end.
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I’m not sure my top 10’s really changed from last year. I wasn’t crazy about Forever 1 or After Like – not enough to put them in my top 10. I ranked both RoaD-B tunes in my top 10, and that hasn’t changed, and Replay and Drummin’ would both still be in my top 10; I went gaga over NewJeans’ Hype Boy and Attention, and they’d still be there; ditto for Fifty Fifty (Tell Me, Higher, Lovin’ Me); as well as OnlyOneOf’s idol series (esp. Begin, Be Free, Because – in order). Yikes, that’s already over 10. So many great songs last year. This year’s been a real bummer.
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This year, I’m hard-pressed to get to a top 10. NewJean’s Ditto & Super Shy are my 1-2 respectively; NINE.i’s Turn It Off is next (surely that will make Nick’s top 3 or so); OnlyOneOf’s Nine’s BeyOnd is next. But after those, nothing’s really solid. I’d just add more NewJeans tunes, tbh – Cool with You/Get Up, ETA…
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OMG, sorry, After Like is definitely top 10 for me! I was confusing it with this year’s I Am – that’s the one I didn’t go as crazy for. *facepalm* Sorry…
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I found Icarus a year late, but better late than never. I’ve listened to it a LOT this year. Happy to see it rise on your list this year!
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