The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll 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 track, follow-up or promotional video between Dec. 1st, 2023 and Nov. 30th, 2024.
Curious about past countdowns? Check out the masterpost here!
Honorable Mentions
Songs 50-41
Songs 40-31
Songs 30-21
20. Fantasy Boys – Pitter-Patter-Love
You’ve got to respect a song from an album called “Make Sunshine” going as bright and bubbly as humanly possible. K-pop lacked big summer-themed hits this year, but Pitter-Patter-Love offered an irresistible launch to the season. (full review)
19. EPEX – Youth2Youth
EPEX took a more emotive approach to their sound this year, revealing a knack for melody-driven angst. Youth2Youth‘s chorus hits hard, but its softer moments reveal a touch of musical theater that become the song’s secret weapon. (full review)
18. WHIB – Rush Of Joy
I need at least one song a year to be called “Rush Of Joy.” Pop music has such innate ability to spread positivity and WHIB took those vibes to the disco for this breezy funk workout. (full review)
17. G-Dragon – Home Sweet Home (ft. Taeyang & Daesung)
There are few K-pop acts legendary enough to force a change in my eligibility rules, but even if Home Sweet Home lacked a music video its declaration of staying power and cultural dominance make it too big and anthemic to ignore. (full review)
16. Kep1er – Shooting Star
Shooting Star marks the end of an era with a celestial, synth-driven sound. The production is immaculate, blending the members’ voices with a lush, propulsive instrumental. (full review)
15. TAN – Hyper Tonic
TAN had two back-to-back highlights with Heartbeat and Hyper Tonic, proving themselves far more than a generic survival show project group. Hyper Tonic‘s complex electro attack also represents the final work of legendary producer Shinsadong Tiger, who passed away shortly before its release. (full review)
14. The Wind – H! TEEN
Down a member, The Wind returned strong early this year with the irresistible punch of H! TEEN. The track moves from a catchy Vivaldi sample to 60’s pop flourishes with ease, fully capturing their youthful energy. (full review)
13. SF9 – Bibora
I love a mystical-sounding house track, and SF9 delivered with the wispy power of Bibora. The song never loses its intensity, recalling second-gen sounds as it whooshes to a frenzied climax. (full review)
12. TWS – Last Festival
Melody remains king in pop music, and Last Festival‘s melodies are airtight. Gorgeous synth tones support the group’s most engaging vocal performance yet, proving that subdued sounds don’t have to be dull if you bolster them with a palpable sense of tension and release. (full review)
11. aespa – Supernova
Supernova took K-pop by storm this year, and it’s easy to see why. The song melds old with new, providing a springboard for aespa to showcase their effortless charisma. It includes some of 2024’s most iconic moments, but the accelerating energy of its chorus feels like its most enduring asset. (full review)
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
There are thirteen days left until Christmas. I’ve never been much for celebrating these dates, but all I know is that each festival reminds me of a specific singer. I have nothing in memory but James Lord Pierpont and Bobby Helms… predictably
20. NCT Wish – Dunk Shot
Perform accurate musical pitches and conquer sonic scores: combine abrasive vocals with impactful percussion and layers of robust synths, creating a symphony of danceable energy. In the free throw, add a refined shot influenced by the new jack swing, and the result will be a dynamic game that translates into the vibrant single Dunk Shot. If this track were a basketball match, it would certainly end with a breathtaking sonic slam dunk!
19. Aespa – Supernova
Although it never occupied a place among my favorite songs of the year, Aespa’s Supernova shines as an ode to the group’s dominance in hyperpop, with its maximalist and infectious electronic rhythm.
18. DKB – Flirting X
Heal yourself with Flirting X, a fusion of smooth melodies and emotional rhythms of modern soft rock.
17. The Wind – H! Teen
Foregrounding a danceable, exuberant and powerful sound over a catchy and easily assimilated chorus, whose pronunciation is strangely reminiscent of a Pokemon name, H! Teen reveals itself to be a true sonic pastiche, accessible and irresistibly charming.
16. WHIB – Rush Of Joy
Don your tuxedo and join WHIB on a groove track that fully amplifies the joy as its own composition inspires.
15. NCT Wish – Songbird
Although many consider it just a single in Japanese, its promotion also in Korean qualifies it, in my opinion, to be part of this list. However, such classification becomes irrelevant in view of what really matters: the delicate guitar touches, inserted over the effusive dance-pop melody in Songbird, are just a detail, but a detail that adds depth and captivates in an infectious way.
14. Vanner – Automatic
If you appreciate refined electro textures and punchy basses that masterfully calibrate all the energy of a stylish track, transporting you to the vibrant atmosphere of a clandestine party, Automatic is an excellent gateway to your musical delight.
13. The Wind – Hello, My First Love
With sometimes lighter, sometimes more upbeat danceable melodies, Hello, My First Love captures your emotions, while The Wind maintains its first-class classic sound.
12. Taemin – Horizon
Flowing smoothly over gliding synthwave textures, Horizon fully embodies the personality that Taemin masterfully brings to another of his creations.
11. Kep1er – Shooting Star
With an ethereal and vibrant sound, Shooting Star stands out as a desirable reference for female groups. Expertly mixing synth-pop with emotional synth lines and electric guitar, the track transports the listener to the stars, evoking the magic of Cliff Edwards’ composition When You Wish Upon A Star.
Here’s a tip: If I say that I like electro crunch and that my favorite song of 2019 was Superhuman by NCT 127, anyone can know what my favorite song of this year is 😉
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I’m inclined to say TAN’s HyperTonic (and definitely not because I also love electro crush, adore Superhuman and have it has my top song of this year)
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Finally someone who appreciates SF9’s BIBORA! It’s one of my favorite songs of the year, but I feel like it’s been so underrated.
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damn I thought Supernova was guaranteed for top 10 😭 easily the best gg song this year for me.
Last Festival is already becoming my favorite TWS song honestly. it all just sounds so correct.
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Damn, the way 8/10 of this list reached the 9s and above (given it’s obvious that Home Sweet Home and Last Festival reached the 9 mark and assuming Rush of Joy is still a 9) :O But well, I’ll bite :p
Youth2Youth is just beautiful. The chorus is so anthemic and has that theatrical vibe to it. I hope the guys continue this sound, but given Universe is just as strong and they seem to continue the Youth series, I have hope.
Rush of Joy is cute too, although haven’t listened to it since release. It reminds me of Boom Boom Bass tbvh
Home Sweet Home is a grower! It’s growing massively on me as well :p
Shooting Star is just as euphoric as before. Such a great way to end a chapter of your career and mark a new one.
Hyper Tonic is an adrenaline rush in a song. But they also managed to stuff in great melodies too! Sad to see them on an indefinite hiatus for now, was rooting for them since debut.
Bibora is cute too. A nice dance banger, haven’t listened to it in months as well.
Last Festival is subdued music done right. Beautiful melodies with production that is subdued, but also atmospheric (?) or like, has that intensity to it.
Supernova is still a banger! Probably in my Top 3 (will work on my Top 10 tomorrow!), but I love how it sounds like 2nd gen SM sound, yet also perfectly crafted to suit the modern sound without sacrificing anything. Can imagine it sounding fun once I start driving and if I were to drive on a free highway or something.
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We’re almost down to the wire!
From watching Project7 and a bit of Starlight Boys I’ve been checking out the Fantasy Boys songs… Pitter-Patter-Love seems like the best of them.
Although I don’t listen to a lot of ggs, Shooting Star was definitely one of my favorite songs of the year.
Is Last Festival’s high ranking due to recency bias? I have to say it’s grown on me. Most of all, I’m intrigued like everyone else to see where the other TWS songs end up…
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If anything, recency bias works the opposite for me. It’s much harder for a recent song to place higher because I’m just not sure how it will age. My first draft of this list had Last Festival lower, but the song is really aging well for me (even though it’s only been a few weeks).
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Wow, I’m surprised by Supernova’s placement. Easily my second favorite song this year. I’ve began to notice I’m not a pop rock anime anthem girly, and that’s okay
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Last festival is certainly higher than I expected
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It’s a shame that Supernova doesn’t make it to the top 10 songs of the year. It is by far my favorite result of the year.
But now the top 10 songs of the year are clear. I will take a stab at predicting the order and fail hilariously.
10. Earth Wind Fire
9. ABCD
8. Mamacita
7. Dopamine
6. Boom Boom Bass
Ok I have decided that I will not even try to predict the order of the top 5. A TWS win will be dope but if I have to place a bet, I will place it on Impossible.
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That’s a pretty great prediction
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Last Festival was so close to sneaking into the top 10! Ah well
I love Shooting Star and Supernova too, and like others have mentioned I expected a top 10 placement for Supernova 🫢 must speak to how strong the top 10 is this year. I havent listened to Bibora since the beginning of the year but I was obsessed with it then, thank you for reminding me about it!
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I’m one of those in the minority, I thought Supernova was a bit overrated, the Kraftwerk sample seems out of place, and the chorus is on this side of being annoying. I mean, it would definitely make my top 20 list, but I do rate the song below some of my favorites by aespa (2023’s Spicy and Hold On Tight; and of course, Next Level).
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I LOVE 8 of these 10 songs. Surprisingly, I’m not a huge fan of Last Festival yet. And I’m 100% sure I will never like GDragon’s Home Sweet Home.
Even though I’m concerned that my favorite song will not make anyone’s top 50, I’m looking forward to your (and everyone else) Top 10 tomorrow.
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if dopamine isn’t in the top 20, could it be in the top 10? (or top 5 perhaps??😦)
none of these songs really appeal to me, but supernova is nice!
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I’ve started compiling a list of my own top songs of the year, and… Oops. It’s already 26 songs long. I’m not even attempting to put them in any ranked order, but expect a long comment from me under the top 10 list!
Glad to see Supernova placed so high, by the way! That song is on my list too.
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