After leaving boy group B.A.P, Bang Yongguk released a few digital singles and produced two tracks for rookie group Just B. His blend of rock and hip-hop is always a welcome addition to the K-pop conversation, so I was happy to hear that new single Race would bring plenty of guitar. And while this may … Continue reading
Tag Archives: bap
Battle of the B-Sides: Laboum, SHINee, B.A.P, U-KISS, BoA
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
The Bias List’s Top-Rated K-pop Artist Countdown
I think it’s obvious that I love a good statistic. In addition to my core rating system, I’ve got my top three songs of each month, my yearly countdowns and more data breakdowns than anyone could ask for. None of these are perfect ways to categorize or quantify something as subjective as music, but they … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of February 2014
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! February … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of February 2013
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! February … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of October 2012
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! October … Continue reading
2020 in K-POP so far: Risers & Fallers
Looking back at this feature from 2019, it seems like I identified quite a few risers and few fallers last year. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for 2020. Most title tracks — even the ones I loved — just haven’t enjoyed the same staying power. I’m not quite sure why this is. Maybe it … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of July 2012
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! July … Continue reading
Top Three K-Pop Songs of May 2020
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. May 2020 Overall Thoughts Well… I’m officially worried. We’re almost halfway through the year, and at … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of April 2012
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! April … Continue reading
Song Review: Moon Jongup (B.A.P) – Headache (ft. Yunhway)
Now that every member of B.A.P has escaped TS Entertainment, solo careers abound. We’ve already heard from most of the guys, with Youngjae’s Forever Love being a particular highlight last year. But member Moon Jongup had yet to release solo material until yesterday’s Headache. He’s set his sights at a relatively laid-back level, delivering a fun … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of January 2012
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! January … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of December 2011
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
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of August 2011
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! August … Continue reading
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2013 (Day Three: 30-21)
2013 was a high-concept, musically diverse year in K-pop. Hip-hop hadn’t yet taken over, and melody was still king. Instrumentals aimed for the rafters of stadiums, bringing in explosive guitar, sledgehammer beats and bombastic electro riffs. Songs played around with structure in artful, unexpected ways, often polarizing opinion before unveiling themselves as future classics. Here … Continue reading
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2019 (Day Three: 30-21)
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, things 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, … Continue reading
Top Three K-Pop Songs of October 2019
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. October 2019 Overall Thoughts Well, friends, we have finally climbed out of the murk! October was … Continue reading
Song Review: Youngjae (B.A.P) – Forever Love
Back in 2012, K-pop found itself lodged within an EDM trend. But, it didn’t sound like today’s EDM, where stop/start structures and instrumental drops abound. This particular trend tethered huge choruses to the euphoric beats of club music, resulting in many classic comebacks. Some of you are probably going to call me basic or stuck … Continue reading
Song Review: Jung Daehyun (B.A.P) – Aight
After the remaining B.A.P members left the hellhole that is TS Entertainment earlier this year, it seemed as if the group had essentially disbanded. We could certainly get a reunion in the future, but for now the guys are focusing on solo projects. For Jung Daehyun, that meant a mini album of ballads earlier this … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of November 2015
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! Which … Continue reading