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
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
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
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 want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Ever since 2017’s Move, Taemin’s solo material has largely followed the … 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 2019 Overall Thoughts How do I adequately describe just how much of a crippling disappointment … Continue reading
Since venturing out into solo territory, SHINee’s Taemin has split his discography equally between Korea and Japan, maintaining a consistent level of quality regardless of the language he performs in. This is good news for fans, as it means we get new Taemin music regularly. His effortless charisma draws attention no matter what sound he … 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! Which … Continue reading
Reviews are only a snapshot in time, which means that many of the songs I write about will rise or fall as the months go on. I tend to be pretty moderate in my reviews, so none of these following selections have moved drastically from my original thoughts, but the first half of 2019 definitely … 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. February 2019 Overall Thoughts We’re deep in the winter doldrums, and that’s exactly what February’s K-pop … Continue reading
Many idol group members have gone solo, but few boast a singles run big enough for a top ten countdown. SHINee’s Taemin is one of those few, starting with his solo debut in 2014. His music borrows elements from SHINee’s repertoire, but draws on a different type of artistry. It’s at turns powerful, sexy, smooth … Continue reading
Nowadays, K-pop song descriptions often lead with genre classification. Track A is a “cheerful song of the tropical house genre,” or Track B is a “dance song based on elements of trap and future house.” It’s as if the actual melodic construction and performance are secondary to the buzzword a title track can hitch itself … Continue reading
2018 was a fantastic year when it came to album tracks. In fact, many of them were stronger (and more interesting) than their title track counterparts. This makes for a very competitive top 40 list, as well as a host of honorable mentions. Honestly, I could’ve tripled the amount of honorable mentions and still had … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts November is always packed with comebacks, but rarely have we seen one … Continue reading
When I think of Taemin as a soloist, I often want to give him a “Korean Michael Jackson” sort of label. But, when it comes to title tracks his music has often been more subdued than that comparison warrants. This is especially true in Japan, where both of his previous singles were lyrical, mid-tempo works … Continue reading
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. In one of the week’s best surprises, Taemin’s new Japanese album … Continue reading
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. It’s confounding when the best singles are unleashed upon the world … 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
As important as any other k-pop ingredient, 2017’s choreography deserves spotlight. From catchy point dances to complex formations, this year had plenty of striking performances to offer. Here are the very best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 10. BTS – NOT TODAY The army of back-up dancers … Continue reading
The Bias List‘s end of the year countdowns officially kick off tomorrow, and I’m starting with the big one. The first ten selections of my Top 50 Singles of 2017 will be unveiled on Monday, with ten more each weekday until the number one song is revealed on Friday. After that, I’ll be looking at … Continue reading
I felt very much in the minority when it came to Taemin’s Move album back in October. So many raved about his shifting musical style and the cohesive mood that ran through the material. And I hear that. But too often the songs felt like a study in a trend-focused r&b vibe without a strong … Continue reading
