Rules
- 1 song per artist per list
- No set rankings (order is generally good to best)
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"Song of Songs" - W24
I discovered this band in 2021 and I immediately fell in love with Jung Howon's vocal tone. However, Aaron, W24's keyboardist, is the one who composed and wrote all the lyrics for this b-side. I love how this b-side starts out quietly, with just the piano and Howon's beautiful lower register. But this isn't just a slow ballad; this is a power ballad. The other instruments trickle in during the pre-chorus and chorus. Howon's higher register kicks in at the start of the chorus, and it's one of my favorite moments in the song. After the first chorus, there is a wonderful crescendo of an instrumental break instead of a second verse. Before you know it, the song ends as quietly as it started. All I can say is, this song gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.
Other nominee(s): "Because of You", "Missing You J"
"Colorless" - LUCY
I just briefly mentioned this album when it released, but I really do love this entire album from LUCY. This was one of the hardest choices to make while making my lists. I REALLY wanted to choose a b-side that involved the entire band and that wasn't a solo song (especially a Sangyeop solo song), but this live performance made my decision for me. The first time I watched this video, I felt like I shouldn't even breathe, fearing I would ruin the magical experience of the performance, despite knowing very well that I was watching a Youtube video.
At its core, this is essentially a ballad with just the piano/keyboard and Sangyeop's emotive vocals. I know I'm very biased when it comes to him, but I think his vocals are so moving on this b-side. The lyrics are also heart-wrenchingly beautiful. Sangyeop composed, arranged, and wrote all the lyrics himself for this track. The studio version is also lovely and has a little more warmth to it, which makes it feel a little less sad, in my opinion. But there's something about the way Sangyeop performed this live that really left an impression on me.
Other nominee(s): "Opening", "Prequel", "Foul", "Don't forget our night", "You & Me"
"Dead Man Runnin'" - Seulgi
Seulgi put so much hard work into her solo debut, and it really paid off! The entire album is strong, but I selected "Dead Man Runnin'" for my list. Part of me really wanted to pick "Los Angeles" because that song is so cool, but every time I listen to this b-side, I'm blown away by Seulgi's vocals. I especially love her vocals in the bridge. The lyrics of both verses are really good, and Seulgi participated in writing the lyrics for this b-side. "Dead Man Runnin'" has an R&B backbone, and I admit I'm a sucker for a good R&B track. Red Velvet members really do shine when they do R&B, not many people can beat their R&B tracks (e.g. "Bad Boy", "Psycho").
"Dead Man Runnin'" English Translation
Other nominee(s): "Los Angeles", "Crown"
"Fever" - MAX CHANGMIN
English subtitles available
So, I don't really know much about TVXQ beyond a few of their hit songs and that they were pretty influential in the k-pop scene. And, like pretty much every SM Entertainment group, they have some incredible vocalists (see TVXQ's "Love In The Ice" for proof). This was my first time listening to one of Max's solo albums, and I was so impressed with his vocals and the different genres he tried out.
"Fever" combines a number of genres, but mainly jazz, pop, and rock. Despite all the different turns the song takes, the song never sounds disjointed. I particularly love the instrumental break at the 3:05 mark. Max's clear, powerful vocals complete the song perfectly, and the choreography is good as well! The performance video I linked above is a great watch too!
"Some Nights" - Taeyeon
Yep, here we have another R&B song from an SM artist, though this one is a ballad. I enjoyed the entire INVU album, but I felt like I had to pick "Some Nights" because of Taeyeon's amazing vocals. The entire song is lovely, but her vocals really take off after the 2:00 mark. The
live clip has additional orchestral elements from the bridge on
that I think are lovely. The studio version's bridge and final chorus
instrumentals are simpler, which makes it easier to focus on Taeyeon's
incredible vocals. Both versions are great, so I decided to link both.
The lyrics are also very touching, and she delivers them well. It's a little vague as to exactly what the song is about, but it definitely is about thinking about and missing someone. Certain lyrics really remind me of the thoughts I have when I miss my mom. So, once again, my sentimental attachment to the song probably swayed my decision at least somewhat.
"Some Nights" English Translation
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Well, somehow I put the 2 bands next to each other and the 3 SM Entertainment artists next to each other 😅 I wanted to note that while I do think SM made some odd/not so great choices for their groups at times, I was overall very happy with their solo material in 2022. I mean, 4 of their solo releases made it onto this list (BoA, from part 1, is also under SM)! Anyways, the next part will be the final songs from this list!
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