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
Despite its title, I’m quite confident that this list does not represent the “best” J-pop tracks of the year. It’s a much more filtered list than my K-pop countdowns, because I just don’t keep up with J-pop as strongly as I’d like to. So, what you’re getting here is twenty great tracks by artists that … Continue reading
Each year, I try to delve deeper into the vast world of J-pop. 2018, in particular, rewarded that persistence. J-pop may be difficult to find for international listeners, but it provided a wonderful antidote to some of K-pop’s overused trends. This countdown is usually littered with Japanese title tracks by Korean groups, but this year … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts I’ve always seen the month of July as the pinnacle of each … Continue reading
After their reemergence with April’s excellent Ask Yourself, KAT-TUN have released their first full-length album in four years. Its diverse set of songs does a good job encapsulating the group’s twelve-year career — but though they’ve tackled many different genres throughout the years, KAT-TUN have always returned to their distinct blend of anthemic pop rock. … 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. April 2018 Overall Thoughts In my mind, April represents the beginning of k-pop’s peak season. From … Continue reading
For fans of KAT-TUN, it’s been a long wait. The guys have been on a self-imposed hiatus for nearly two years after founding member Taguchi decided to leave the group. Ask Yourself is their first release as a trio, and their first new music we’ve heard since 2016. This return could have gone any number … Continue reading
October is officially here, which means the countdown to Halloween has started. Whether you’re cobbling together a mix for a Halloween party or carnival, or just looking for some seasonal selections to soundtrack your pumpkin carving, K-Pop has a lot to offer. Here are some of the best tracks. If your favorite Halloween K-Pop song … Continue reading
KAT-TUN are a seminal band for me. Along with label mates News, they were the group that got me interested in j-pop, and I think that’s down to their international-minded pop/rock sound and incredible catalog of songs. They’ve been around for a decade, which means there were many, many singles to choose from. I had … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
As part of KAT-TUN’s two-pronged victory lap before hiatus, Greatest Journey acts as both the theme and farewell to their (very funny) variety show Sekaiichi Tame ni Naru Tabi. More importantly, it’s the most upbeat, sunny track the guys have released in awhile, sending them off with a joyful blast of singalong pop. The first time … Continue reading
Unlock is the last official KAT-TUN single before member Taguchi leaves the group and the remaining three go on hiatus. Because of this, it carries with it an aura of sadness, though you wouldn’t know it from the song alone. Unlock is a classic uptempo rock number from the guys. And even if it may not … Continue reading
As a companion to their just-released Tragedy (review here), KAT-TUN also gave us Atsuku Nare, which translates to Be Motivated, and its accompanying music video. I wasn’t that impressed with Tragedy, but luckily Atsuku adheres to the elements of the group’s music that I prefer. The song was written with athletics in mind, though it doesn’t sound like your … Continue reading
KAT-TUN released my favorite song of 2015 with their epic Dead Or Alive. Since then, they delivered the not-so-great Kiss Kiss Kiss and have been on hiatus for nearly a year. Because of this extended wait, my anticipation for Tragedy was high. However, it hurts my fanboy heart to say that I am thoroughly underwhelmed … Continue reading
Okay, okay. When I say kpop, I mean mostly kpop, because there’s going to be some jpop and cpop in this list as well (some of it in very prominent positions), but “Top 50 K-Pop & J-Pop & C-Pop Songs of 2015” just doesn’t have the same ring to it! The only other criteria for … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 