Multi-song rollouts are becoming increasingly common for HYBE artists, and BTS’s V is certainly taking advantage of the strategy. His solo album isn’t out until next month, but we’ve already heard two of its tracks. Rainy Days follows yesterday’s understated, jazzy Love Me Again, ever so slightly upping the energy to a soft shuffle. Time … Continue reading
The BTS solo roll-out continues in earnest with member V scheduled to release multiple songs ahead of his debut album in September. V’s unique, husky voice has always been one of the group’s secret weapons — a very appealing tone that adds character and texture to anything it touches. The challenge, then, is to find … Continue reading
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. July 2023 Overall Thoughts This July was characterized by several things, but on this blog it … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
The annual Bias List Legendary Songs Inauguration Ceremony has returned! Yes, I’m a few months late on this, but it’s been a busy year of new releases and I was waiting for an empty day to compose this feature. It’s exceedingly rare for me to award any song a 10-out-of-10 rating on release day. Instead, … Continue reading
Somehow, early-00’s Craig David has emerged as the biggest influence on this week’s K-pop (and K-pop adjacent) releases. We’re hearing a ton of garage-inspired tracks, but none have managed to pair those addictive beats with songs compelling enough to transcend the homage. To call Seven a much-anticipated release would be putting it lightly. Many of … Continue reading
If I had a time machine, I’d go back to 2016 and tell myself that – in seven years – I’d be writing the words “& Jonas Brothers” in the title of a blog post on The Bias List. It’s been quite a journey, my friends. Who would have ever thought we’d end up here? … Continue reading
I already wrote about Agust D’s Haegeum in detail, so this review for follow-up Amygdala will be brief. It’s an interesting choice for promotion via music video, delving the depths of his past traumas to create a kind of tone poem. Someone in the sociology/psychology field needs to do a study on vocal effects/vocal processing … Continue reading
I enjoyed Suga’s pre-release track People Pt.2 more than expected, but much of that was thanks to its lovely IU-sung chorus. As anticipated, the new album’s lead track boasts a harder edge. Haegeum is tailor-made for fans of BTS’s rap-focused side. First off, I love the stylized music video. I’m a sucker for cinematic mvs … Continue reading
The BTS solos continue to arrive at an ever-increasing pace. Mere weeks after Jimin dropped his debut solo album, groupmate Suga has returned with a pre-release for his latest work under the Agust D moniker. People Pt.2 (사람 Pt.2) pairs him with IU for a sonic sequel to his 2020 track People. This song is … Continue reading
In this feature, I zoom into some of K-pop’s most legendary weeks — short periods of time that delivered multiple classics. K-pop is usually a Monday through Friday affair (at least in my time zone), with some weeks stuffed to the brim with releases. But, not all include multiple 9+ rated songs. Here, I’ll through … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
Shocking no one, my write-up of Jimin’s Set Me Free Pt.2 (and its accompanying comments section) brought all sorts of drama to the blog. I write about a ton of K-pop and my opinions aren’t always flowery. But, one thing has remained consistent throughout the years: Army are the only fanbase who flock en masse … Continue reading
The era of BTS solos continues with Jimin taking the baton as the next member to make his debut. He’s got a pretty good track record of his own, with 2016’s Lie a particular standout. His first mini album is scheduled for release later this month, but he’s dropped pre-release track Set Me Free Pt.2 to … Continue reading
We’ve entered the era of BTS enlistments, with Jin leaving late last year and J-Hope scheduled to depart soon. Before he does, he’s teamed with another “J” — American rapper J. Cole — for On The Street. This pairing transforms the song into more than a typical “farewell for now” stopgap before hiatus. And though … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
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. January 2023 Overall Thoughts For the second month in a row, I couldn’t really find any … Continue reading
Despite climbing to some of the highest highs in recent years, TXT’s title tracks tend to be hit or miss with me. They’ll release something utterly brilliant like Crown or Run Away or 0X1=LOVESONG, only to follow it with a single that hits many of my musical pet peeves (I’m side-eying you, Can’t You See … Continue reading
Some songs arrive with fanfare even before a single preview has dropped. Vibe represents not only the long-awaited return of Bigbang’s Taeyang, but a colossal meeting of two K-pop generations. During the early 2010’s, Bigbang helped construct the international crossroads that made K-pop such a global success. Years later, BTS paved those roads in platinum, … Continue reading
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 // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 