My Kpop Top 40 for 2021
I know an author blog is probably not the right place to do this, but Twitter simply doesn’t have room for my long-winded musings. So, feel free to ignore, but if you haven’t heard kpop (Korean pop music) before, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s the ultimate fun and escapist music, performed by massively talented artists, perfect for these trying times.
It was an amazing year for kpop and I struggled to whittle down my list, partly because some of my favorite groups put out multiple albums and/or singles this year. So, I’m going to organize this by group. You can find the whole list on YouTube here or on Apple Music here. Onwards!
- Oneus – Luna. My second-favorite boy group delivered my favorite song of the year. Pop-synthy with traditional Korean elements and gorgeous lyrics, this music video is a feast for ears and eyes. Oneus went above and beyond however. They have not one, not two, but THREE more releases in my top 40 this year.
2. Oneus – No diggity. The “noise music” contrast to Luna highlights the incredible versatility of this group.
3. Oneus – Black Mirror. A funky, Michael Jacksonesque sound with super-sharp dance moves.
4. Oneus – Shut Up Crazy Hot. A cinematic-looking send-up of Mad Max: Fury Road, this is so much fun, I must have listened to it a hundred times.
5. Ateez – Fireworks. A hard-hitting banger set in a post-apocalyptic world, Fireworks lives up to its name.
Not only my favorite boy group, but my absolute, ultimate favorite pop group, Ateez is just better than everyone else. They bring it in every category: every single member is a strong dancer, their rappers are among the best in kpop, and their rock-star lead vocalist pretty much crushes everyone else in their cohort, while a genius producing team creates all of their songs in-house. On top of that, they truly PERFORM. Most kpop groups are very good at singing, dancing and rapping, but Ateez brings every song to life in a unique way.
Not only did they release 4 albums and two collaborations, they competed in the kpop show Kingdom against five other groups. You can find all of those legendary performances here. Though their MVs are cool, nothing beats their live performances. Fingers crossed that Omicron doesn’t prevent me from seeing them in LA next month!
6. Ateez – Dreamers. This sweet Japanese soundtrack number is the perfect summer bop. A pleasing contrast to their usual dark concept.
7. Ateez – Deja Vu. Their first truly global hit, Deja Vu is a catchy, sexy song that I never get tired of.
8. Ateez – Turbulence. This gorgeous ballad is a close contender for my favorite song of the year. It tugs at the heartstrings in the best way.
9. Ateez – The Real. Even after all they’d accomplished this year, Ateez wasn’t finished with us yet. They just dropped an album rounding out their Fever series, with a remix of The Real (originally created for Kingdom) and Turbulence as the main tracks. The Real is such fun and the Ateeziest of Ateez videos. Their larger-than-life personalities really come through here.
10. Pixy – Wings. This amazing rookie girl group appeared on the scene earlier this year. I feel like they’re the female counterpart to Ateez, with a unique sound and stellar performance skills. With a creepy fairy concept, their look is sexy-witchy, their choreography contemporary and inventive with some uniquely haunting vocals.
11. Pixy – The Moon. Released for their 100th day since debut, The Moon is smooth and beautiful, a song I could listen to over and over again.
12. Pixy – Bewitched. From their second album, a boppy, yet experimental sound.
13. Yuqi – Bonnie and Clyde. One of (G)Idle’s main vocalists, Yuqi has a deliciously deep and throaty voice. This year she launched her solo career and I can’t wait for more!
14. (G)Idle – Hwaa. The superstar girl group only put out one album this year, but it was glorious. Hwaa in particular is hauntingly beautiful, adorned with many traditional Korean elements.
15. Victon – What I Said. A boy group I’ve been meaning to pay attention to for some time, Victon really delivered a perfectly executed bop. Now I pay attention!
16. Dreamcatcher – BEcause. With a hard-hitting rock sound and powerful vocals, Dreamcatcher is one of my favorite girl groups and this song MIGHT be my favorite of theirs, with its catchy vibe and fairytale concept. It’s not surprising they share producers with ATEEZ.
17. Dreamcatcher – Odd Eye. Rounding out their Dystopia Trilogy, Odd Eye is both dark and oddly (hah!) satisfying.
18. Super Junior – House Party. From the group that first got me into kpop, this is the ultimate pandemic bop, complete with hand sanitizer and social distancing frustrations.
19. Yesung – Corazon Perdido. From Super Junior’s vocal powerhouuse trio K.R.Y., Yesung has my favorite voice in kpop and this song is perfect for it.
20. Super Junior D & E – Zero. Another Super Junior sub-unit, the D & E duo always brings great pop songs, performed oh-so-smoothly.
21. Everglow – Pirate. Lovely to look at, shockingly talented, and so much fun, Everglow is another of my favorite girl groups and Pirate might be my favorite song. Or maybe it’s just that I love anything Pirate-y.
22. Everglow – First. Another banger with strong boy-group dance energy.
23. Tri.Be – Would You Run. This is a monster rookie girl group and I had a very hard time choosing my favorite songs. With strong Latin vibes, every song is sunny and catchy. This is their most recent.
24. Tri.Be- Loro. Another catchy tune I played over and over again. Plus, the choreo with all of the fringes looks amazing.
25. Omega X – Vamos. It was a great year for rookies and I sadly wasn’t able to include songs from Just B, Ghost9 and Kingdom, among others. Maybe sometime, I’ll do an all-Rookie list. But this group really stood out for me and again, I struggled to choose my favorites. Billed as Latin-hip-hop-kpop, this is great, noisy fun.
26. Omega X – What’s Goin’ On. Their most recent release, but honestly, all their songs are great, especially if you need to stay awake.
27. 777 (Triple Seven) – Presente. I absolutely love co-ed groups, but they are scarce in kpop (and generally, it seems). Kard is currently on hiatus so I’ve felt the lack. Made up of the guys from B.I.G. and the girls from 3YE, 777 is alas, a project group. So far, they’ve only done this song, but I hope there will be more. Presente is beautiful, sweet, and soothing, evoking dances on the beach at night in Mexico.
28. 3YE – Stalker. A three-girl group, I discovered 3YE because of Presente. They’ve got an addictive sound, and such a small group means these ladies overdeliver on talent. Stalker is their only 2021 release, but if you like it, there’s more where that came from.
29. MCND – Movin’. A lively, hip-hop-based group, the MCND boys might be the bounciest I’ve ever seen. All of their stuff is great.
30. BTOB – Outsider. I’d never heard of this group until I saw Kingdom and was super impressed. They’re a second-generation group, so they’ve been around for a while and it shows. Love the jazzy vibe of this song.
31. Secret Number – Fire Saturday. Another great rookie group. I’m especially impressed with their main rapper. Super fun and danceable vibes.
32. BTS – Butter. If you’ve only heard one kpop song this year, it’s probably this one. BTS has been taking the world by storm for a few years now, but they really achieved dominance this year, and with Butter in particular. I’m not crazy about their current lighter, all-English direction, though I get why they’re doing it. But I do love Butter, especially the remix with Megan Thee Stallion.
33. Purple Kiss – Zombie. Another fantastic rookie group from the same label that houses other faves like Oneus (above) and Mamamoo (below). Purple Kiss follows the concept of these groups by showing off their ability to perform any genre. Zombie is creepy and funny, with an addictive beat.
34. Purple Kiss – Twinkle. In stark contrast to Zombie, Twinkle is a sweet dance tune which makes me feel like I’m in 2008, hitting the floor again.
35. Mamamoo Solar x Moonbyul – Promise U. My favorite girl group was pretty quiet this year, but this special release featuring their powerhouse vocalist and rapper was very special and sweet. I must have listened to it a hundred times.
36. Monsta X – Rush Hour. With a hard-hitting sound featuring their spectacular rappers and lead vocalist, I love everything this group does.
37. ONF – Goosebumps. I’ve enjoyed this group for awhile, but Goosebumps is hands down the most delightful thing they’ve ever done. Love the funky beat over the synth undertones and the dancing is impeccable. Alas, they all enlisted in the army the other day, so it’ll be a wait for the next release.
38. AleXa – Xtra. If her English sounds great, it’s because she’s from Oklahoma. This lady is an amazing performer with charisma in spades. Bonus: a dance-off with BM of Kard, another American.
39. Stray Kids – Thunderous. Another of my favorite groups, I didn’t connect with as many of their releases this year, but this one was great.
40. Enhypen – Drunk-Dazed. Another new-ish group that is absolutely crushing it. I loved every track they put out so I picked the first one that really caught my ear. Such a cool sound!
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