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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Even though it ranked as one of my top three singles 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. August 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, if July was disappointing, August was downright anemic. For the first … Continue reading
2017 set the bar incredibly high for NCT’s youngest unit with the February release of Dream’s buoyant My First and Last. In fact, I’d argue that SM Entertainment hasn’t delivered a stronger single since. And as NCT begins to paint all of its units with a similar hip-hop brush, it makes me wonder whether we’ll … Continue reading
Modern K-pop has always felt the need to position its male groups as edgy and badass, but the moodiness has seemed to kick into overdrive this year. Call it the BTS-effect, or the mirroring of current trends in Western pop, but for a lover of upbeat production and colorful melodies, this trend has resulted in … Continue reading
Now that I’ve had a chance to spotlight the year’s best singles, it’s time to look at the standout albums of 2018’s first six months. As usual, I split the categories between full and mini, with three strong contenders from each. What are your picks? FULL LENGTH ALBUMS Infinite – Top Seed While their first comeback … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Coach & … 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. March 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, March certainly didn’t pan out the way I had expected. If … Continue reading
