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
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
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
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … 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
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. Once the Olympics kick off next month, I’m sure Louder … Continue reading
2017 has been the year of Bigbang members’ solo tours, organized as farewell victory laps as military conscription looms in the near future. After G-Dragon visited Seattle back in July, I was happy to see that band mate Taeyang would be coming even closer to my corner of the world — landing in Vancouver, BC … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts August was a weird month. Based on prior releases, if you would have … Continue reading
Back with double title tracks, Taeyang has made a long awaited comeback as mandatory military enlistment looms in the distance. While Darling stripped back on production flourishes to shine a strong spotlight on his powerful vocals, Wake Me Up takes a trendier approach. Bigbang, and its members’ solo work, have such an idiosyncratic sound that … Continue reading
It’s been a long time coming, but 2017 seems to be the year of Bigbang members’ solo comebacks. First we had G-Dragon in June, and now it’s Taeyang‘s turn. The White Night album arrives with great anticipation, especially after the monstrous success of 2014’s Eyes, Nose, Lips. And for the first of two title tracks, … Continue reading
Better late than never, I suppose. Though Love doesn’t get a music video that actually features PSY and Taeyang in it, I’m happy that the song is still garnering some promotion. When PSY’s album was released back in May, it was heralded by a pair of title tracks that stuck to his tried and true … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that, after a year and a half since launching this website, I still haven’t had the opportunity to review any Korean comebacks by solo Bigbang members. For a group approaching military enlistment age, you’d think that YG would want to keep the members as busy as possible. So Good may have been created as … Continue reading
Swan songs have a particular aura around them, and although Last Dance may not be the last thing we ever hear from Bigbang as a group, it certainly feels like the end of something. As their final single released before years of staggered military conscription service, it’s at the very least the last song the … Continue reading
Originally scheduled for release in September of 2015, Bigbang‘s full Made album is finally here — though with only three new songs it feels more like a repackage than a full comeback. Even so, it marks the last we’ll hear from the group as a whole for quite some time, as members begin their mandatory … 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. TEDDY Years … Continue reading
Though his solo work may not be as colorful or boundary-pushing as bandmate G-Dragon, Taeyang has proved to be one of Bigbang’s most successful members. Driven by his inimitable voice, he’s released three albums on his own and keeps getting better and better. With an emphasis on classic R&B over modern YG beats, he’s given … 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
