Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. April’s new mini album has a very strong Cosmic Girls feel, … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! December … Continue reading
Genic are one of my (many) great J-pop hopes. The co-ed group has already been pitched as the successors to agency-seniors AAA, and they certainly have that potential. They were formed through Avex’s a-genic project, one of the many J-pop youtube series I would desperately like to see subtitled. I’ve been loving their music since … Continue reading
I’ll never forget the impact that HA:TFELT’s 2014 debut had. Ain’t Nobody was an explosion of a pop song, melding the commercial with the artistic in a really gratifying way. Since then, I’ve wanted to love most of HA:TFELT’s music more than I actually do. She’s an immensely appealing performer, but I find a lot … Continue reading
I’m surprised at how long this Pepsi CF campaign has hung around. Though it’s officially connected to Starship Entertainment, the resulting songs have featured artists from across the K-pop sphere, often completely unrelated to Starship’s roster. Such is the case with Refresh, which pairs Zico with Kang Daniel. I can’t think of a trendier duo … Continue reading
Since releasing last November’s mega-hit Hip, Mamamoo have taken a well-deserved break. But, that doesn’t mean the girls haven’t been busy. February saw Moonbyul release the solid Eclipse, Hwasa dueted with label-mates ONEWE earlier this month, and now leader Solar has unveiled a new solo single – her first to eschew typical balladry for something … Continue reading
Since its release last month, I’ve held up News’ Story as 2020’s best J-pop album so far, but Miyavi’s new Holy Nights might just give it a run for its money. Album track Heaven Is A Place On Earth is worth the price of admission alone, with a final spine-tingling minute-and-a-half that may just be … Continue reading
2020’s girl group slate has given us Dun Duns and Nun Nu Nan Nas, ASSAs and Dumhdurums. So, it only makes sense that this onomatopoeia train would wind up at its logical destination: a big, honking LALALILALA. This is the all-caps exclamation with which April have finally put a cap on their seemingly endless hiatus. … Continue reading
After a couple of pre-releases, Hangyul and Dohyun (H&D) have officially made their post-X1 debut with the release of Soul. If nothing else, the Produce franchise has reignited interest in duos. It’s a unique and challenging configuration for an idol act, but can work if the two personalities and talents are well-aligned. So far, I … Continue reading
Last week, I lamented that it had been three months since I had rated a K-pop boy group title track higher than 8.25. This got me thinking about which act could be the one to break this unenviable streak. It turns out, the long-awaited champion was waiting right around the corner. After a fifteen-month hiatus, … Continue reading
Different groups are loved for different reasons, but one of my favorite concepts within pop music is the “imperial phase” — a (usually) brief era when every promoted song an act releases is absolutely superb and iconic. This got me to thinking: what are K-pop’s greatest imperial phases? I combed through my exhaustive playlists and … Continue reading
My relationship with GOT7’s post-2015 music has been fraught with disappointment and disinterest. However, 2019 reignited some sparks, led by a strong spring mini album and a great fall single in the form of the funky You Calling My Name. It was satisfying to hear the guys tackle something a little more lighthearted in sound, … Continue reading
Though they first debuted as relatively typical girl group MINX, Dreamcatcher’s 2017 reinvention spawned a discography that bucks K-pop’s trends in favor of heavy guitars and thundering percussion. They are unique within their often-soundalike K-pop era, bolstered by an incredibly consistent singles run. As always with these particular countdowns, a song needs to be paired … Continue reading
Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! November … Continue reading
With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
When I first got into K-pop years ago, I was so bothered by criticisms from people who knew nothing about the industry. I can’t even tell you the amount of times I endured comments like “it’s so manufactured” or “it all sounds the same,” as if the basis of any country’s pop music is all … Continue reading
When it comes to boy group releases, 2020 has been lousy so far. In fact, I looked back at my reviews for the year, and it’s been three whole months since I rated a K-pop boy group title track above an 8.25. That’s kind of staggering, and totally unprecedented when it comes to the history … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 