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
This week, we’re journeying back half a decade to look at K-pop’s best releases of 2015! 2015 was a prime year for K-pop. It saw the return of industry royalty, as Bigbang blitzed the market with no less than seven singles. It acted as the launchpad for many of today’s top acts (Twice, Seventeen, GFriend, … Continue reading
Yugyeom pre-released a track last week as his first work since signing with hip-hop label AOMG. Now, he’s taking full advantage of the agency’s roster and employing Gray as guest producer/artist on All Your Fault (네 잘못이야). I’ve been a longtime fan of Gray’s beats, as they often feel timeless in execution. And even if … Continue reading
I’ve written way more about GOT7 this year than I’d anticipated. And, this only includes one review of a full-group song. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen releases from Jackson, Jay B, Yugyeom and now BamBam. Apart from Jackson, all members have stuck to a similar trap pop style, with varying degrees of success. … Continue reading
The members of GOT7 are revealing their solo projects at a rapid rate. Jackson’s already developed a longstanding solo career. And, his excellent LMLY was followed by Jay B’s debut single. Now we’ve got Yugyeom and next week we’ll hear from BamBam. Apart from LMLY, all members seem to be targeting a similar blend of … 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. May 2021 Overall Thoughts 2021’s momentum stalled a bit this month. But, it wasn’t for a … Continue reading
As GOT7 members embark on their own solo careers, I’ll probably pick and choose which songs to write about. After all, The Bias List’s focus has always been idol groups, and labels like H1GHR Music begin to veer into different territory. But, it’s interesting to hear what idols are capable of when signing with a … Continue reading
With so many idols (and former idols) branching into international markets, it’s becoming harder to decide which songs to write about on this blog. I mean, Jackson’s LMLY can hardly even be considered K-pop. It’s performed entirely in English by an artist who now works mainly in China. But, we can’t overlook Jackson’s history with … Continue reading
Last month, GOT7 announced their departure from JYP Entertainment. And as the members started signing with other agencies, a reunion or continuation of group activities seemed more and more unlikely. Yet, out of the blue a new GOT7 youtube channel appeared this week, with leader JB (now coined “Jay B”) promising that the group isn’t … Continue reading
A couple weeks after the MAMA Awards showed the potential of an audience-less, pre-recorded stage show, KBS went far less ambitious. Now, it could be argued whether this broadcast should have happened at all given K-pop’s surging Covid cases, but the producers opted to cobble together what they could. I’m curious why this year’s Gayo … Continue reading
The theme of this year’s MAMA Awards was “New-topia,” which sounds a bit chilling in a weird way. But, things were definitely new here. This was unlike any MAMA yet, lacking a live audience. But even though everything was accomplished on soundstages, I think the producers did a great job making this still feel like … Continue reading
After taking a deep dive into both SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment, it’s time to move onto another of K-Pop’s bog four agencies: JYP Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like profits and stock value. The purpose of these articles … 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. November 2020 Overall Thoughts November was absolutely packed with releases, and though only one title track … Continue reading
A week after unveiling pre-release song Breath, GOT7 have made their official comeback with Last Piece, the title track to their fourth full-length album. Breath didn’t exactly fill me with anticipation, but the teasers for Last Piece hinted at a grittier instrumental that felt fresh and exciting. The entire song doesn’t quite live up to … Continue reading
GOT7 will return next week with their fourth Korean full-length album, but prior to that they’re sharing pre-release track Breath (넌 날 숨 쉬게 해). Like most of the album, this song is self-penned – in this case by member Youngjae. I think it’s great for idol groups to move into self-production, but that alone … 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! January … Continue reading
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … 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! May … 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
Honestly, I came into tonight’s festival feeling pretty pessimistic. KBS’s Gayo was largely forgettable, and tonight’s line-up was missing some of my favorite acts. But, MBC ended up balking expectations and being the most enjoyable of the three gayos overall. When I think about it, this isn’t too surprising. I’ve always loved MBC’s more intimate … Continue reading
