On Loop with Lauren

Rules 1 song per artist per list No set rankings (order is generally good to best) ---------------------------------------- "Young Boy" - NINE.i co-composed by VAHN, Joohyoung co-written by VAHN, Joohyoung               Music video (English subs available) Performance (English subs available)             Full cam view of music show performance      I talked about NINE.i and this mini album quite a bit already, so I'll just dive right into the this title track. This song is another 80s inspired pop song with some rock influence. I think "Young Boy" flows well, has well-written lyrics, and really good choreo (made by Auspicious crew )! The pre-chorus, chorus, and bridge are my favorite parts — mainly for the vocals. Speaking of vocals, I loved how Joohyoung harmonized with his vocals in the MR (music recording) during the final chorus when they performed this song live.           I feel like this is another one of those songs that just really appeals to me person

Rules 1 song per artist per list No set rankings (order is generally good to best) ----------------------------------------  "DON'T MESS WITH ME" - BVNDIT             Live performance (with live band)      Prior to the Re-Original mini album, I wasn't really into BVNDIT. However, I enjoyed several songs off this mini album, and this b-side, which closes the album, really shocked me. Right from the intro, I think this dance pop b-side is insanely catchy. The chorus, while repetitive, is such an earworm. The rap in the second verse is relatively subtle but is delivered well and perfectly fits into the song. The bridge slows things down a bit, before we get a beat drop following the third pre-chorus. We then get an increase in tempo shortly after, and I just find the flow of this song so addicting! The vocals are really nice throughout this track as well! I've linked both the studio version of the song and the it's Live performance with the live band.     Sadly

Rules 1 song per artist per list No set rankings (order is generally good to best) ----------------------------------------   "Run BTS" - BTS co-written by RM, j-hope, Jungkook, SUGA             Live performance             Full cam view of live performance      For those that know me, this choice has to be the least surprising. I raved about this song like crazy when it was released, loudly lamented the fact that it wasn't the title track, and was ecstatic when they finally performed it at their free concert in Busan. If you're wondering why it's not higher on the list — and yes, I did think about putting it in the "top 5" — it's because this was an obvious pick for me. But you better believe I'm still passionate about "Run BTS"!     For the first year and a half of their career, BTS were known for their hip-hop sound and concept. A number of times they fused that hip-hop sound with rock, and it was always excellent, though it wasn'

  Rules 1 song per artist per list No set rankings (order is generally good to best) ---------------------------------------- "Swan Song" - PIXY      Well, there are 3 groups in this part that were on my 2021 top 20 lists, and PIXY should be the least surprising, considering they were on both my title tracks and b-sides lists. I'm so happy PIXY didn't lose the momentum they built up as rookies in 2021, though they're still very underrated. I was caught between 2 PIXY b-sides, but I had to choose "Swan Song" because they finally took on the rock trend and executed it well in their own style!     PIXY continued their dark electronic sound in 2022, but with a more sophisticated and mature edge. This sound was combined with some fantastic electric guitar riffs to create an addicting and powerful song. The vocals are great throughout, and I love the rap part in the second verse! I was particularly impressed with Sua and Dajeong's vocals on this song.