K-pop has been mired in early-2000s nostalgia for the past few years. In my opinion, the industry has often adopted the most boring musical trends of that era, but occasionally we’ll see a group hijack the iconic production style of Y2K superstar producers Timbaland and The Neptunes. For Seventeen’s newest album, they skipped the middleman and went straight to the source. They’ve included tracks produced by both Timbaland and The Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams, the latter of which now has a music video.
Bad Influence is one of three full-group tracks on the album and the song I was most curious to hear. Pharrell has an incredible touch when it comes to rhythm, crafting some of the 2000s’ most iconic blasts of sparse, brittle funk. On the back of this resume, I was shocked the first time I heard Bad Influence. What’s with this lethargic trap beat? If Pharrell’s name wasn’t attached to the track, I would never have pegged it as his work. The instrumental sounds generic enough to be just about anyone, lacking the magic touch that characterizes so many of The Neptunes’ early-2000s hip-hop classics. The production here feels oddly robotic and never brisk enough to elicit excitement. It’s as if the song is trying to pull itself from the mud at every turn.
This is a shame, because Bad Influence also includes some of the album’s most memorable melodies. The verses amount to very little and inhibit the song as much as the instrumental does, but I love the moments of layered vocals that offer spikes of intensity in an otherwise reserved arrangement. From what I can tell given the song’s odd structure, there are two main hooks/choruses. Both work well, from the sprawling melodic centerpiece to the slinky refrain that opens and closes the track. A remix might easily transform Bad Influence into a real highlight. Maybe we simply needed a combination of both promoted tracks. Give me the intensity of Thunder and the sinewy hookiness of Bad Influence in a single song, each compensating for the other’s weakness.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Who are these people and what have they done with my Seventeen?
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Conversely, who is this person and what has he done with Pharrell?
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Apparently people are saying the uncensored version is better than the censored version that’s being promoted?
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I think it’s mostly just the fact that the beeps in the censored version are a little odd and take one out of the song randomly, interrupting the flow + the general kpop fans’ love for idols cursing lol. I do wonder if they saw fans’ reaction to the censored version in the album and that’s why they haven’t performed Bad Influence yet for this comeback cycle and why they’ve put the uncensored version on this MV, they did HBD from the album instead for their comeback concert/showcase.
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Same, this along with the Timbaland produced song were the two tracks that I was excited about hearing. I’m not sure what this was, it definitely isn’t the Pharrell sound I’m used to hearing, maybe him and Chad need to make up so we can have Neptunes tracks. Don’t get me wrong, I like the song but I also have to admit that it sounds like something PrettyMuch would have released if they were still making music.
I’m thinking Pharrell is keeping his best work for the upcoming Clipse album. Oh well, I still think it’s dope they didn’t get a generic knock off from another producer and like mentioned went straight to the source, even though its kind of lackluster.
As mentioned in another review, I would love to hear more groups take some influence from the 90’s/00’s boy groups. I guess that would mean a focus on vocals which we know is not a priority in kpop.
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yeah that instrumental is a chop. the songwriting more than makes up for it though.
I can’t stand the censored/album version of the song, so I’m glad they used the original version. the question is will they release it on streaming, or will I have to youtubetomp3 the music video to be able to listen to it?
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nick have you heard the newest clipse record?
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When this came on during my listening party with my carat bff I was like🥱
I guess at least they uncensored it for the mv?
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I’m guessing some of us were expecting that Y2K Pharrell Williams style in true form. Not gonna lie, I almost fell for that trap myself thinking the song could have JT, Nelly Furtado or Britney vibes in terms of the production choices.
Instead, I feel like SEVENTEEN were given one of the more “current-sounding” Pharrell Williams tracks and that makes much more sense to me, because as a producer, I don’t think he wants to revive his past work in such an evident way? I don’t know,that’s my guess.
As a hip-hop and R&B fan I can just say Pharrell produced one of his usual hip-hop tracks, going for the minimalistic, dark and atmospheric approach he usually takes on when producing for rappers. At first listened it reminded me of Timeless by The Weekend and a Don Toliver track I can’t remember exactly.
I won’t complain here because I enjoy this style and SEVENTEEN can really pull it off. As a K-pop group they actually add a lot of color and nice melodies to the track. I’m used to hearing a song like this being delivered by rappers, which of course won’t sound as “pop” or “melodic” so I appreciate what they did here.
Probably my favorite one on their album, along with Hoshi’s solo track.
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yeah its a lot more in line with Pharrell’s modern sound, similar to his work on the recent Clipse track.
i dont think what he’s doing nowadays could top his Neptunes era sound but this definitely works for what it is; it has a bit more bite than the average kpop track and the smooth parts are real smooth. did leave me wanting a bit more though
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I was actually surprised by this song. Initially, it didn’t catch my attention but I am loving it so much now. Not sure why it grew on me..
If I have to look at it as a song in Seventeen’s album, it’s not my favourite genre. But considering that this was actually produced for Louis Vuitton winter show, it felt like a good fit for that.
Anyway, I am happy this song even made it to streaming. Thought it was made exclusively for the show. Another good thing is the uncensored version which makes it so much better..
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Hi Nick, on the subject of 2000 nostalgia, will you listen to this live clip from In A Minute? It’s a self produced trio, you might already know Jaejun and Hyunyeop from TAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43hBPx09ZmQ
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