25 Days Of Christmas Countdown: Top K-Pop 2016

Oh my gosh this is so difficult. Last year K-pop was just starting to become interesting again so it was easier, but this year, K-pop was actually really great and I had a hard time coming up with this list. I'm glad that groups moved away from that awful "I'm sexy!" concept that kept going on. Very few K-pop groups can actually pull off the ultra sexy concept without seeming try-hard. This new synthpop/electro route this year was absolutely awesome. Especially the stuff coming from SM. SM used to be the super generic company with box MVs what the heck happened? I'm looking forward to next year's music scene, although I'm a little worried at the same time. I have a feeling that with Twice's success that other groups will try to emulate them like with the sexy concept overflow after Sistar's success. I adore Twice. I love them to bits, but their concept is another of those concepts like Sistar's that is difficult to replicate without looking try-hard or over the top. Even TT (which I loved) seemed over the top for Twice. I can't even imagine how awful it would've looked for a different group. Because it was so difficult, I did my top 10, but also included some "runners up" that were so close to making it.

Special Mention Runners Up:

EXO - Lucky One

Rainbow - Whoo

#10

Cosmic Girls - Secret

#9

4Minute - Hate

#8

Wonder Girls - Why So Lonely

#7

Blackpink - Whistle

#6

BTS - Save Me

#5

Oh My Girl - Liar Liar

#4

Twice - Touchdown

#3

Dal Shabet - Someone Like You

#2

Luna - Free Somebody

#1

Blackpink - Playing With Fire

25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #17: Top K-pop 2015

So unlike my earlier lists which were all time lists, now we're on to the year specific lists. The first of these is K-pop 2015. For the past couple of years, I felt like K-pop was on a decline. In 2014, I felt like K-pop had taken a nosedive into that decline like it had never before. There's really only a handful of songs I can name from 2012-2014 that I would still call today "pretty good", unlike 2009-2011 where K-pop was at it's peak. This year, however, the releases have actually been pretty good. I'd say that 2015 is a great turnaround for K-pop and I'm hoping that it continues into 2016. As I don't listen to boy groups much anymore, this list is all from the ladies lol.

#10: Twice - Like Ooh-Aah

#9: EXID - Ah Yeah

#8: Girl's Day - Ring My Bell

#7: 4Minute - Crazy

#6: AOA - Heart Attack

#5: Nine Muses - Hurt Locker

#4: Red Velvet - Dumb Dumb

#3: Brown Eyed Girls - Brave New World

#2: Wonder Girls - I Feel You

#1: Oh My Girl - Closer

Enjoy! What are your thoughts on K-pop this year?

New Music Thursdays (September 3, 2015)

I'd like to preface this post by saying that I have no idea what happened to K-pop this summer. The past 2 & 1/2 years for K-pop was just dire (except for a couple releases), but all of a sudden this summer, BOOM. The K-pop industry is on fire again & the music is great. It's mind boggling to me. Of course there's still a lot of clunkers, but the amount of good songs this summer far outweigh the bad. I'm curious to see if this will continue through the rest of the year.

Track #1: Tiger JK - Blazing (ft. Yoon Mirae & Bizzy)

Okay. So I wouldn't call MFBTY K-pop necessarily, but this song fits in my whole "wow this summer!" theme for this post. This song is a song for a freaking BASEBALL TEAM. It's essentially a cheer song/advertisement but holy crap is it insanely good or what! Easily one of the best songs of the summer. Even if you're not into K-pop I suggest checking this song out. You won't regret it. Blazing was released on August 12th.

Track #2: Hyuna - Because I'm The Best (Roll Deep) (ft. Ilhoon)

I have a very love/hate relationship with Hyuna. I'm not a big fan of her videos but every lead song she releases is SO good. Every single time she releases a new single, I listen to it once & think that it isn't good, but then I can't stop going back to them. This song was like that. I listened to it at first and didn't care for it at all, but the next time I played it, it hit me. She's one of the very few K-pop stars that I think can actually pull off the whole "sexy" theme. Her new mini album, A+, released on August 21st.

Track #3: Kobushi Factory - Dosukoi! Kenkyo ni Daitan

I'm still iffy on my feelings about this song, but I think they deserve a little release week promo! Kobushi Factory is Hello! Project's newest major debuted group & have just released their first single. If you're more into the pop rock type of J-pop, this is right up your alley. Their first single, Dosukoi! Kenkyo ni Daitan/Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta/Nen ni wa Nen released on September 2nd.

Enjoy!

Music Discovery Mondays (August 3, 2015 Edition)

On time this week! Barely lol. I recently got Dragon Age: Inquisition and was playing that all day. While wandering around in the game, the fact I hadn't done this yet popped into my head....but I made it before Monday's end! Today's post is going to be more focused on "lesser known" (i.e. album songs/B-sides) songs from more popular groups. A little change of pace from the last two.

Track #1: 4Minute - Say My Name

4Minute of course isn't an unknown group by any means, but as this song was only an album track it fits here nicely. This song was released on 4Minute's Volume Up mini album in 2012 and remains one of their best songs. The song is a lot like their earlier Huh days but has the more mature feel that Volume Up has.

Track #2: Morning Musume - Watashi wa Watashi Nanda

This song is an album track from their 12th album, released last year. I wanted to put this one on one of these MDMs because I personally think it's their best EDM style song. I heard so much fawning over Kirari to Hikaru Hoshi and, while good, it can't hold a candle to this song. Should have been a single.

Track #3: Team Syachihoko - Otome Juken Sensou

Team Syachihoko comes from the same company as Momoiro Clover Z, and you can really tell that with this song. Found on their first album, Himatsubushi, released in 2014, the song really reminds me of MCZ's Mugen no Ai. The above video is a live performance. There was no video of the studio version on YouTube.

Enjoy!

Song Recommendations (February 8, 2015 Edition)

Hi everyone! I was not thinking of doing another song recommendation post for a while....but then 4Minute just released the best K-pop song since 2NE1's Come Back Home so yeah. Here we go!.

4Minute - Crazy

I haven't liked a 4Minute song since the release of Volume Up back in 2012. This is INCREDIBLE. Pretty sure I've played it 10 times by now and it's only been out for an hour and a half.

Yoko Oginome - Dancing Hero

So I've been slowly trying to get into some J-pop songs that are older. This one is from the 80s. Catchy stuff.

Doll Elements - Kimi ni Sakura Hirari to Mau

I hate myself for getting into more girl groups. It's too expensive of a hobby. Haven't heard anything else from this group, but I like traditional sounds in the song.

Ayami Muto - Parallel World

This was supposed to be in the first recommendation post, but I forgot to put it in before I published it. She kinda reminds me of a solo Perfume (cause the song reminds me a lot of Polyrhythm).

W - Samishii Nettaigyo

Just shoving this in here for good measure. I don't care if this is a cover. It's probably one of my absolute favorite J-pop/H!P songs ever. It might even be one of my favorite songs ever. Putting this here cause I finally bought the album it's on so I'm so excited to get that in the mail. The real version is by Wink and was released in 1989. I like the original too, but I heard W's version first so in my head I like it better.

Enjoy!