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
Tag Archives: TRCNG
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2019 (Day Four: 20-11)
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, things kick off with the big one… The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
Top Three K-Pop Songs of August 2019
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 2019 Overall Thoughts I was certain that August was an improvement over July, but after … Continue reading
Song Review: TRCNG – Missing
Boy group TRCNG has been M.I.A since the start of 2018, making them the male rookie with the longest hiatus — at least where groups from notable agencies are concerned. Of course, TS Entertainment has always been a mess. I fear that their mismanagement has sabotaged TRCNG before the guys even had a chance to … Continue reading
The Fifteen Longest K-Pop Hiatuses (post-2016)
As I impatiently wait for some of my favorite acts to make long-overdue comebacks, it made me wonder how long the longest K-pop hiatuses have been. So, I did some research! The following statistics are rounded by month rather than specific days, unless there was a tie between two acts. I’ve kept my focus to … Continue reading
K-Pop Producer Spotlight: BreadBeat
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. BreadBeat Years … Continue reading
Top Three K-Pop Songs of January 2018
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. January 2018 Overall Thoughts It’s a brand new year, which means all possibilities are on the … Continue reading
Song Review: TRCNG – Wolf Baby
Only two days into the new year and one of my k-pop resolutions has been answered. I am firmly within the “keep k-pop weird” camp, even as many of Korea’s idol groups strive for a more internationally-minded sound that incorporates popular Western trends. A song concept like Wolf Baby‘s is something only k-pop could produce, … Continue reading
The Top 40 K-Pop Album Tracks & B-Sides of 2017 (Part One: 40-21)
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. TWICE – 24/7 A … Continue reading
The Top 10 K-Pop Rookies of 2017
For me, the arrival of rookie groups can often be more exciting than the work of their established peers. I love nothing more than discovering a new artist and witnessing their potential unfold as they grow. 2017 was a year without any major agency debuts, making the rookie field much more competitive. Like last year, … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: TRCNG – I’m The One
Most of the time, a kpop 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 kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Many new k-pop albums were released last week, and although … Continue reading
Song Review: TRCNG – Spectrum
TS Entertainment has been a real mixed bag when it comes to idol groups. Their first two, Secret and B.A.P, were huge hits — even if both have suffered from mismanagement and long hiatuses in recent years. But the agency has struggled to get girl group Sonamoo off the ground. And now they’re throwing a … Continue reading