REVIEW: Blackpink- The Album

 Since I came back to this blog in 2020, I've really liked writing about kpop. Earlier this year, I wrote a series called Kpop Crash Course where I listened to a bunch of famous kpop songs, and I've also watched a lot of kpop-related videos to discover new songs in the genre. However, before all of this, one of the first kpop groups I got into was the girl group Blackpink.

Debuting in 2016 under YG Entertainment, Blackpink can reasonably be called the biggest girl group in the world. YG Entertainment is one of the "Big 3" companies in kpop along with JYP Entertainment and SM Entertainment. YG already had legendary kpop groups like BIGBANG and 2NE1, as well as PSY when "Gangnam Style" was taking over the world, in their roster, so you can imagine that there would be a lot of hype for their next girl group. Prior to the release of any music, YG featured the four members of the group, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, in advertisements and music videos for other YG acts. On August 8, 2016, Blackpink released their debut project, Square One, with the singles "Boombayah" and "Whistle." 

From there, the popularity of the group has skyrocketed. They are the highest charting Korean female act on both the Billboard Hot 100 (which counts singles) and the Billboard 200 (which counts albums). With 49.7 million subscribers, they are the second most-subscribed artist on YouTube, only behind Justin Bieber, and they were also the first kpop girl group to perform at Coachella. They've also collaborated with Western artists like Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa, as well as collaborating with Selena Gomez and Cardi B on this very album. 

However, despite their immense popularity, Blackpink is only just now releasing their debut album. That's one thing that's frustrated many of their fans, known as Blinks: their discography is surprisingly small. Compared to most other kpop artists, who release multiple comebacks a year, Blackpink typically only releases one a year. I have mixed opinions on this. On one hand, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa are people, not robots. I'd much rather see them have time to breathe rather than being overworked. Kpop is a stressful industry, and I'm glad YG isn't letting them become victims to it. But on the other hand, it just makes sense from a business perspective to release music more frequently. The kpop industry seems to be very fast-paced, and the best way to keep your name in the public consciousness is to release more music. You keep the fans happy that way. Plus, I've heard that the girls themselves have wished they were releasing more music. 

I first started getting into Blackpink in early 2019, around the same time I got into Twice. I first heard their song "Ddu-du Ddh-Du" on one of the Just Dance games and I thought it was really cool and catchy. I listened around to some of their other songs and I do like quite a few of them. Their 2019 song "Kill This Love" was super badass, "As If It's Your Last" has an amazing chorus, and "Playing With Fire" is easily one of my top 5 favorite kpop songs in existence. I'm not terribly invested in the girls as people, but they seem cool. Lisa, the group's main dancer, is my bias because her raps tend to be my favorite parts of the song and she's absolutely incredible at dancing. However, I've been underwhelmed by the lack of new music, and the new music, from what I've heard, has been disappointing. I've only really heard "How You Like That" and snippets of "Ice Cream" with Selena Gomez, and I'm not impressed by either. I've also been getting into other kpop groups, and some girl groups, namely Red Velvet and Mamamoo, just surpass Blackpink for me. But I want to like this group, so hopefully I'll find a few solid b-sides. Now let's cut the rambling and look at Blackpink's very creatively titled debut album...The Album. (Seriously YG, try harder.)

This album cover is really simple, but I dunno, I really like it. 

(Oh, one thing I have to mention: When I write album reviews, I listen to the album track-by-track and give my initial thoughts on each song, scoring each from 1 to 10. At the end, I give some final thoughts. Also one thing I absolutely cannot emphasize enough: this review is based on my opinion and absolutely nothing else. Respect my opinion and I'll respect yours.) 

1. "How You Like That"

Pretty early on in my first listen of this track, something was very apparent very early on: this is basically the exact same song as "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and "Kill This Love." The structure is practically identical between the three songs: 

1. An introductory verse. To be fair, the first verse in "How You Like That" is sung, whereas it's rapped in both "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and "Kill This Love." But with everything else, the structure is pretty much the same. 

2. A nice, melodic buildup featuring good vocals from Jisoo and Rosé. 

3. The members shout the name of the song, or something close to it, i.e. "Hit you with that ddu-du, ddu-du, du!" or "Let's kill this love!"

4. A mostly instrumental beat drop. The beat drop isn't entirely instrumental, as it's intercut with the same "Hit you with that ddu-du, ddu-du, du!," "Let's kill this love!" and "How you like that!" from before. We also get some interjections, usually "yeah" in some form. 

5. A more rap-leaning verse from Jennie and/or Lisa, 

6. Melodic buildup, title drop, and instrumental portion again. 

7. Short melodic bridge from Rosé. 

8. Final beat drop, which is different and more explosive than the previous two.

9. End the song.

There are some differences between the three songs, and to be fair, I didn't notice how similar "Kill This Love" was to "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" until recently. "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" was the song that got me into Blackpink, and "Kill This Love" was even better because the drop sounded like a marching band. But by the third time, it was just stale. "How You Like That" is, in all honesty, pretty obnoxious. I don't like the beat, and some of the vocal inflections are grating. I also don't like the "dumdumdumdumdumdum" parts in the final drop. As somebody who was getting into Blackpink and awaiting their next comeback, "How You Like That" just felt regurgitated, lazy, and ultimately disappointing. 3.5/10

2. "Ice Cream" ft. Selena Gomez

Fun fact, Ariana Grande helped with the composition of this track, and the song also features writing credits from her frequent collaborators Victoria Monét and Tommy Brown, the latter of whom also co-produced the track. I'd ask why Ariana didn't just sing on it herself, but honestly, I don't know if she'd do much to redeem this. I'm not gonna say this is the worst song I've ever heard period, but it's definitely the worst I've heard from Blackpink. The lyrics are just straight-up awful, mostly consisting of a bunch of bad ice cream-related puns. I'm never going to be a fan of songs that try to relate sex to food- remember all the (well-deserved) flak Justin Bieber got for "Yummy" earlier this year? The chorus is the worst kind of earworm, where it's infuriatingly catchy but so annoying. I'm also not sure why they keep giving Lisa all the rap parts when Jennie is supposed to be the main rapper of the group. Her raps are typically my favorite parts of Blackpink songs, but she's underwhelming here. Finally, why on Earth is Selena here other than star power? She's a weak singer who doesn't have a lot of presence on her own tracks, let alone this one. She adds nothing. All in all, I'd give "Ice Cream" a 2/10, and I'll stick to Twice when I want to listen to a kpop song called "Ice Cream." I know I've been harsh on these first two tracks, but it's mostly because I know that Blackpink is capable of so much more. I really hope the rest of these songs are better. 

3. "Pretty Savage"

Ughh, this song started out so strong! The piano line was really good. Then it turned to a synth and it is just...so bad. That synth tone legitimately gives me a headache. The song once again repeats the "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du"/"Kill This Love"/"How You Like That" structure, and honestly, it might be the worst take on the formula. The main drop is grating and the final drop at the end sounds way too much like Jason Derulo's awful "Wiggle" song for my liking. I'm also a little uncomfortable by the way they co-opt AAVE in this song and take a lot of hip hop slang. I know it's (unfortunately) quite common for kpop to steal elements from Black culture, but it still feels icky. There are elements to this that I like, namely the guitar parts in the melodic buildup and the short bridge, but everything else is just irritating. I am a little amused by the usage of the word "bitch" throughout the song. I've only heard a few kpop songs that feature English curse words, so it's always gonna catch me off guard when somebody swears. 3/10
4. "Bet You Wanna" ft. Cardi B

I just have to ask again: why is Cardi here? I don't hate Cardi. I think she can be really fun in a lot of cases and I've been laughing my ass off at the countless "WAP" mashups that have flooded my For You Page on TikTok for a month. But like...Blackpink already has two good rappers in Jennie and Lisa. Cardi really isn't needed here. That being said, this has been easily my favorite song here up to this point. It's not their best song ever or anything, but it's pretty solid. The prominent bass in the song is amazing, and the melodies and vocals are strong. I wasn't huge on the repetitions of "I bet you wanna" but the "Something 'bout ya's taking me higher" chorus is great. Rosé's vocals are also pretty impressive, especially at the end. I've always thought of her as a vocalist who stands out because of her unique tone, not because of any insane high notes or anything, but her higher notes in this song were pretty good. I also liked Jennie and Lisa's bridge, although I didn't care for the "higher higher higher" autotuned parts. As for Cardi, her verse is fine for what it is, and I'm sure it'll help the girls break through in America. I'd much rather have Jennie and/or Lisa rap a verse and give Jisoo the bridge instead. Jisoo seems to get the short end of the stick as far as line distribution goes, and that sucks. Her voice is really distinctive. Overall, I'd give this song a 7.5/10. 
5. "Lovesick Girls"

This song is set to be the next single on the album, and honestly, I liked it just from hearing snippets on the group's Instagram story. I'm not sure how to categorize the song as far as genre or style. I think it would be best described as an electronic dance song with some guitar thrown in there. Famous producer David Guetta worked on the composition of this song, but more interesting to me is the fact that Jennie and Jisoo had a hand in writing the lyrics. The members of Blackpink typically don't write on their tracks, so it's a delight to see that's changing. Another thing that surprised me was Jennie rapping. I don't know why that did, since she's supposed to be a rapper in the group. It's just surprising since a lot of the raps are typically given to Lisa instead of Jennie. Lisa also raps here, and they both do a great job. Jisoo and Rosé's vocals are on point, and I love the chorus. This may end up being one of my ultimate favorites from Blackpink upon repeated listens. 9.5/10
6. "Crazy Over You"

This album features multiple English-only tracks so far. "Bet You Wanna" was entirely in English, and this song, "Crazy Over You," was as well. Honestly, I really hate that I brought up how a bunch of Blackpink songs all have the same structure and formula, because once I pointed that out, it's impossible for me to notice. This song has that same structure so it ultimately feels generic within Blackpink's discography. It's not bad. In fact, I like it a lot more than "How You Like That" and "Pretty Savage." The drop of the song is fine and Jisoo and Rosé sound especially fantastic. But it does feel like more of the same. This song goes in one ear and out the other. Maybe it'll grow on me with repeated listens. Maybe it'll be a "Delicate" by Taylor Swift situation, where I initially thought it was just mediocre and now laugh at how I thought such a great song was so underwhelming. But for now, I'm going to give it a 6.5/10.

7. "Love to Hate Me"

This song is also all in English. This song is one of the best songs here, as it has a more developed chorus. It really bugs me how many of the songs on this project have mostly had instrumental choruses. This song has a little bit of a hip-hop flair to it, but it's primarily dance-pop. I know that hip-hop elements are a hallmark of Blackpink's style, but most of my favorite songs from the group are the more dance-pop ones. "Playing With Fire," for example, does have a rap verse from Lisa (a really good one, I might add), but the production style of the song is electropop. Lisa has a rap on "Love To Hate Me" as well. Although I'm still confused at how the girls' producers keep giving Lisa the raps instead of Jennie, I can't really complain with this song, as her rap verse here is solid. I also think I like Jennie's singing as much, if not more, than her rapping. The melody of this song feels sort of dark and mysterious, and I love the way it peaks on the line "no, no drama in my life." Finally, I love the main line in this song, "you ain't worth my love if you only love to hate me." I really liked this one. 9.5/10
8. "You Never Know"

After seven uptempo songs, it's definitely a good choice to end the album with a more emotional track. The lyrics for most of this album haven't been too noteworthy, but this song has a more personal message. It's about how you can never know what somebody is going through, and how the girls, despite their fame, are going through struggles with self-worth. At least, that's how I interpret it. The very first line in the song, sung by Jisoo, translates to "On the days I force myself to smile brightly." I think of this song as being similar to "fake smile" by Ariana Grande and "Girls Like Us" by Twice, both of which are songs with the same theme that I also really love. The girls' vocals are also really strong throughout this entire song. They didn't write it, but you can tell it is personal to them. Lastly, I really love the bridge of this song, especially with Rosé gradually ascending up the scale in the melody. This is a great song to end the project on. 9.5/10

~~~ 

So how was Blackpink's The Album as a whole? Well, it certainly ended a lot better than it started. There are some really solid songs here, but a lot of middle-of-the-road or terrible songs here. Most fans consider Blackpink, Twice, and Red Velvet to be the "Big Three girl groups" because they are from the three most prominent kpop labels (YG, JYP, and SM, respectively) and they're the three most successful. With Twice in particular (and probably Red Velvet too, but I have yet to listen to a full album from them), the b-sides are different from the title track, but still feel cohesive with it. Twice songs like "Get Loud" and "Love Foolish" fit with the title track, "Feel Special," but still feel unique enough. I wish Blackpink was more like that. I think the album would be a lot better if it had more variety, less songs that use the "How You Like That" formula. 

I'm happy that the girls are able to release an album that feels distinctive to them. The girls do a great job with what they're given, and they're the most consistently good thing about the project. I have problems with the music, but none of them are due to anything Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, or Lisa do. I also think that most diehard Blinks are going to love this album, and that's great! When I write reviews, I never want to make people feel bad for liking something. If you liked the album, I'm happy for you. However, as far as I'm concerned, it was a little disappointing. Like I said before, I prefer the dance-pop style on Blackpink, so this album doesn't appeal to me as much. I will return to some of the tracks, but overall, I'm gonna give it a 6/10 and hope that I like their next project more!

Favorites: "Lovesick Girls," "Love To Hate Me," "You Never Know"

Least Favorites: "Ice Cream," "Pretty Savage," "How You Like That"

Stellar

Top 20 Twice Songs

First of all, I'm very sorry that I didn't post last week. The thing was, I had my post for last week 95% done on Saturday and was all ready to post it, but my Internet went out Saturday morning and wasn't fixed until Tuesday night. I will post what I wrote for last week at some point, but I have a schedule planned for the rest of this summer and I'd like to stick to it, thank you very much. I'll save that post for when I don't have any better ideas. That being said, today is my best friend's birthday! She's written stuff for my blog a few times; most recently, she wrote the segment on Inception for my "MOVIE TALK: Why 2010 is Such a Fascinating Year for Movies (Part One)" a few weeks ago. We have a lot of the same interests and beliefs, and we've texted each other pretty much every day this quarantine period. Our topics of conversation range from admiring the TV shows we like to airing our grievances about people who have done us wrong to expressing horror at the state of the world in 2020. One of our favored topics is the kpop girl group Twice.

Top row, left to right: Jeongyeon, Sana, Tzuyu, Dahyun, Mina
Bottom row, left to right: Nayeon, Chaeyoung, Momo, Jihyo

I've already talked about Twice more than a few times on my blog. For those who are unfamiliar, Twice are a South Korean girl group who were created on the survival show Sixteen by JYP Entertainment. There are nine members of the group, all of whom I love for various reasons, named Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. Twice has been called “The Nation’s Girl Group” in South Korea due to their incredible success. They have sold nine million albums in South Korea and Japan, won the Mnet Asian Music Award (or MAMA, basically the Asian version of the Grammys) for Song of the Year in 2016, 2017, and 2018 (for “Cheer Up,” “Signal,” and “What is Love?” respectively), were honored as a Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism in South Korea, and have inspired a passionate fanbase, known as Once. 

The thing about Twice is that I didn’t love them right away. I knew my best friend was a fan and I had heard songs like “Dance the Night Away” and “TT” and liked them, but their cutesy style was cloying to listen to for multiple songs in a row. However, once they matured up their sound in 2019, I became a full-fledged Once. I loved the edgier style they had, and the songs they were coming out with were incredibly appealing to me. I went back and listened to some of their old songs and watched some videos, and I really liked those too. I also learned a lot more about the members’ personalities and I fell in love with their dynamic as a group. Although I like other kpop acts like Blackpink, Red Velvet, Mamamoo, and BTS, Twice are by far my favorite group. With the other groups, I love a lot of their music, but I really don’t know much about their personalities. However, it’s different with Twice. I’ve never met them in person, I probably never will, and I haven’t even seen every single video they’ve ever released. It's a testament to Twice's bond as a group and bond with their fans that I still feel like I know all nine of them like they're my friends.

I’m not gonna say that everyone in the world will like Twice. Bubblegum pop music like this has its fans, but I understand why someone would think it’s annoyingly chipper. But it works for me. And to pay tribute to a group I love so much, as well as to celebrate the friend who got me into them, I’m going to count down my top twenty favorite songs from them. I cannot emphasize the “favorite” enough: this is not based on any sort of objective criteria, like sales, YouTube views, or awards. Frankly, I think judging music objectively is stupid. Life’s too short for us to live in bubbles and act like there’s a metric of objectivity to the things we consume. This is based on the songs I like most, and there’s nothing you can do about it! And with that, I just want to state that when I talk about stuff I love or hate, I am never trying to change anyone’s opinion. This blog is just a way for me to talk about the things I like, and I like Twice. 

One last thing before we begin: I love self-promotion, so here are my two reviews of Twice's Feel Special and More & More mini-albums. A few of the songs from those two albums will be appearing on this list!

REVIEW: Feel Special EP by Twice
REVIEW: More & More by Twice

Now let's get started!

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20. “Touchdown” (Page Two)
I didn't realize it until recently, but this song is sort of like Twice's version of a High School Musical song. It reminds me of "Get'cha Head in the Game" and "I Don't Dance," specifically. I love High School Musical and literally made a list of my favorite songs from it last month (link here!), so the fact that "Touchdown" reminds me of those childhood favorites definitely makes it stand out. The song is fun and flirty lyrically, but is still a powerful dance number. The band geek in me absolutely loves the brass sections. The bridge is also really great, with Nayeon and Jihyo sounding fierce and confident. 

19. “Say You Love Me” (Yes or Yes)

With most of these songs, I can explain why I like them, but with this one, I really can't. It just has that je ne sais quoi for me. It's cute and upbeat like many of Twice's signature hits, but not tooth-rottingly sweet like some of their singles tend to be. Honestly, the song it most reminds me of is "Domino" by Jessie J, as they both have a similar-sounding guitar part. This song has a very catchy chorus, with the "you got something I want, I got something you need" part being a major earworm. In kpop, groups typically release a single (known as the title track), then release an album or EP/mini-album along with the single, and the songs that aren't the title track are called b-sides. In this case, "Yes or Yes" was the title track, and while it is more upbeat and feels more like a title track, I think "Say You Love Me" could also be a solid title track.

18. “Feel Special” (Feel Special)

The "Feel Special" era was the first I really experienced as a Once, so it's always going to have a special place in my heart. Despite the fact that Mina was missing from much of the promotional events due to her anxiety, it was still a great era for the group. The b-sides on the Feel Special album were amazing (we'll look at a few of them throughout this list) and the aesthetic of the era was so high-fashion and luxurious. But in kpop, a good era wouldn't be a good era without a killer title track, and "Feel Special" is one of their best. For most kpop girl groups, there are two kinds of concepts or themes that groups generally follow; a cute concept, like most of Twice's singles up until 2019, or a girl crush concept, which is edgier and more badass, like most of Blackpink's work. But the thing I like about "Feel Special" is that it doesn't try to do either. The song is about that special person who makes the girls feel like a million dollars, and I really like how the song can either be about a lover or a close friend. I also like how, despite the fact that none of the girls wrote on it, the lyrics still feel personal to Twice and their experiences. Mina's verse ("I just wanted to hide, didn't wanna face the world") in particular really resonates, considering that she left Twice's 2019 world tour due to extreme anxiety. Also, if you will, I'd just like to obsess over how perfect the outfits in the "Feel Special" video and promotional photos are. 

That dress Sana is wearing (third one from the right) is what I wear in my dreams. I know it's not a white, traditional dress, but if I had the opportunity, I would get married in that. 

17. “The Best Thing I Ever Did” (The Year of "Yes")

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas music. I mean, I love Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" as much as the next person, but most Christmas songs just bore me. However, I love Twice's "The Best Thing I Ever Did." Other than a few references to December in the lyrics and some jingle bells in the production, there really isn't much that makes this feel like a Christmas song, which is only a good thing. It's not an uptempo track, but it's not quite a ballad either. It's a very sweet song, with the "best thing I ever did" being that they met the one they love. Just like with "Feel Special," the lyrics can be about a guy or about their relationship as a group. The music video definitely supports the latter interpretation, as it sees the members of Twice reflecting on their past adventures as a group and playing in the snow together- while wearing some adorable preppy outfits. 

I'm very much a fan of the preppy vintage Chanel style. 

16. “Girls Like Us” (Fancy You)

It's not too terribly common for the members of kpop groups to write their own music, but the members of Twice actually write the lyrics for some of the b-sides. The group's leader and main vocalist, Jihyo, wrote the lyrics for "Girls Like Us," although British singer Charli XCX had a hand in writing the music for it. The message of this song is about how as girls, we all face our own insecurities, but we need to remember that we're beautiful, smart, and strong. I really love the rap breakdown, in which Chaeyoung reassures us that we're not alone in feeling insecure, but we'll find happiness soon enough. The production of the track features a very catchy and bouncy piano, and the "whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh" in the chorus is addictive. It has a retro style to it with the piano and some whistling in the background, but it still feels modern and fits in with the other b-sides from Fancy You.

15. "Likey" (Twicetagram)

Do you ever have a song where you can totally understand why somebody would hate it, but you still love it? That's me with "Likey." I know that if I played it for certain people in my life, they'd hate it and think it was the most annoying song ever recorded. However, it's always been one of my favorite title tracks from Twice. It's bright, bubbly, and really cute. Sana in particular sounds really cute on the chorus. The song is about trying to get noticed by your crush on Instagram as well as trying to keep a glamorous image on the site. One of the most memorable and catchy parts is when Momo sings about BB cream and lipstick. I also love the rap breakdown. The "Likey" video is one of my personal favorites they've ever done, due to a combination of their outfits being really cute, Dahyun dabbing, and Momo's amazing dance break. The thing I like about "Likey" is that it knows what it is. It’s cute, catchy bubblegum, and it doesn't need to be anything else. Also, allow me to to obsess over Twice's music video fashion once again:

All of these are perfect casual summer looks. I specifically like Jeongyeon's outfit, (second from left), as her outfit has a very "San Francisco in the 1970s" vibe to it. 

14. “Oxygen” (More & More)

Twice's most recent single, "More & More," was fine, but definitely one of their lesser title tracks for me. However, I loved a lot of the b-sides on the mini-album, including "Oxygen." When I first reviewed the mini-album, I gave this song a 9/10. I really liked it, a 9/10 is nothing to sneeze at, but when there were a few 10/10s on the album, it wasn't an absolute favorite. However, it definitely grew on me with repeated listens. While I like a few songs from the album more, "Oxygen" is definitely the one I've replayed the most. For whatever reason, the beat to this song reminds me of the music from Coconut Mall in MarioKart. It strikes a balance of being upbeat yet relaxing. I've always loved the chorus on this song, with the members singing "I really really really really want" in a rapid-fire style. Chaeyoung's bridge is the highlight of the song for me, though. I love how effortlessly she transitions from rapping to singing in her part. 

13. “Sweet Summer Day” (More & More)

Is it safe to say that I knew this song would be on my list within the first ten seconds I heard it? Due to it being the final song on the More & More mini-album, I expected this song to be a more chilled-out, slower song to end the album. But when I heard those drum hits, I was surprised in the best way possible. "Sweet Summer Day" is Twice's attempt at a new jack swing song, a style of R&B hip hop that was most popular from the mid-80s to the mid-90s. Although I haven't really heard many of the original new jack swing songs and artists (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and Madonna all released music in the style in the 80s and 90s), I love songs like "Call Me Baby" by EXO and "Finesse" by Bruno Mars and Cardi B, which try to recreate the style for a modern audience. I don't think I ever expected Twice to dip into new jack swing, but the style fits them like a glove and I would love for their next comeback to sound like this. The song was written by Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung and it sounds like a perfect summer day at the beach, complete with seagull sounds. It sucks that I couldn't go to the beach this summer, but this song is a good substitute for that. 

12. “Get Loud” (Feel Special)

Like "Girls Like Us," Jihyo wrote the lyrics to "Get Loud." When I first saw the title to this song, I thought it was going to be a shallow club song, but that's not really the case. This song is actually about overcoming struggles and being fierce. The thing that most stands out to me about "Get Loud" is the powerful percussion. It reminds me of the drums you'd hear at a Brazilian carnival. I've always thought that the songs from Feel Special have a nighttime atmosphere. I'm not really sure how to explain it. This song in particular just feels like the perfect song to listen to when hopping from party to party in a big city. Since Jihyo wrote this song, I guess it makes sense that she stood out to me most in this track, since her repetition of "it might get loud" is the catchiest part of the song for me. 

11. “One in a Million” (Twicecoaster: Lane 1)

As of March 2020, "One in a Million" is Twice's most streamed b-side, garnering over ten million streams. It's a huge fan favorite, as well as a favorite for the group, as their signature catchphrase is "One in a million! We are Twice!" This song is a dedication to their fans and a reminder to love yourself because you're beautiful and perfect just the way you are! The themes of this song could be sappy in the wrong hands, but when Twice does it, it comes off as very heartfelt and sincere. It's easily my favorite Twice ballad for its excellent blend of acoustic guitars and synthesizer production, but mostly because of the girls' vocals. Jeongyeon's high note at the end of the bridge blew me away. 

10. “Trick It” (Feel Special)

My favorite thing about the Feel Special album, other than its cohesion, is how all of the b-sides were written by the girls. This song, "Trick It," was written by Dahyun. Since Dahyun's one of the group's rappers, it makes sense that the song is more hip hop-influenced than the rest of the tracks, but it's still mostly electropop. The production on this song is some of the best I've ever heard on a Twice track. I didn't notice the triangle in the beat until very recently, but I love that. This song feels like a rollercoaster, with the epic, pounding chorus feeling like a giant drop every time. I also loved Dahyun and Chaeyoung's catchy rap flow ("I can tell you all about it!"), the "uh huh, uh huh, uh huh" hook, and Mina's soft, pretty vocals before the chorus. 

9. “Sunset” (Yes or Yes) 

I love "Girls Like Us" and "Get Loud," but as far as I'm concerned, "Sunset" is my favorite song Jihyo's written for Twice. It has a laid-back, 80s feeling to it. The synthesizers are very retro and the melody is classic. I can imagine listening to this song on a cool summer night. While a lot of these songs have an unexplainable "night drive" quality to them, this is more for cruising by the beach in a vintage Chevy Impala- with a sunset in the background, obviously. The girls' vocals are also in top form here. I especially liked Jeongyeon's voice here. Her parts were short, but she sounded amazing on this song. Barring "One in a Million" and "The Best Thing I Ever Did," most of these songs are are uptempo bops, but "Sunset" is a laid-back, relaxed song. It's a nice change of pace. 

8. “Hot” (Fancy You)

One aspect of kpop fandom that can't be overlooked is the concept of biases. Your "bias" in a group is just a fancy way of referring to your favorite member, and although a good fan of any group should love all the members to some extent, it's okay to have a bias. Oftentimes, one of the first questions kpop fans ask each other is "Who's your bias?" For Twice, my bias is the group's main dancer, Momo. Momo is my bias mainly because of her incredible dance skills (the "Crazy in Love" toxic relationship dance with Mina always gives me chills), and her cute, food-obsessed personality, but she's written some great songs to boot. She co-wrote the lyrics to "Hot," a b-side on the Fancy You album. This song is perfect for when you want to feel sexy and confident, with Tzuyu singing "Everything from my head to toes is already perfect" at one point in the song. Sonically, this song feels like driving at 80 miles an hour on a Las Vegas highway. The production in the chorus is impeccable. I also love the intro, which sounds like an acapella-style bass voice, as well as the bridge, where Mina sings "catch me if you can" and just sounds so sensual and alluring. 

7. “Chillax” (Summer Nights)

When Twice released "Dance the Night Away," JYP Entertainment chose to reissue the band's previous album, What is Love?, with a few new songs instead of releasing a new album, with the new reissue being called Summer Nights. One of the three new songs was "Chillax," and although I love "Dance the Night Away" for its summery vibes, I think "Chillax" is even better. I'm normally not a fan of artists using modern slang in their lyrics, but, despite the fact that the song uses the slang in its title, "Chillax" is cute and charming. The tropical production of this song is very youthful and the chorus is irresistible. I love a lot of the little quirky moments throughout this song, such as Chaeyoung going "yeah, boy!" before her verse and the crowd cheering in the second verse. Nayeon really dominates this song, and as much as I'd like to complain about the line distribution being unfair, she does a great job, with her high notes sounding very strong. 

6. “Make Me Go” (More & More) 

Similarly to "Sweet Summer Day," I knew "Make Me Go" would appear on my favorites list as soon as the chorus started. Nayeon wrote the lyrics to this one, and even though I really liked "Rainbow" from Feel Special, which she also wrote, I never imagined that Twice would ever make anything like this. When I reviewed More & More, I said that "Make Me Go" reminded me of Dua Lipa's recent output, specifically the song "Break My Heart." That could not be more of a compliment, as I've been obsessed with every song I've heard from Dua's recent album Future Nostalgia. The chorus is so unexpected for Twice. Most of their choruses are high- the members sing in higher ranges and the production is very treble-heavy. But "Make Me Go" sees the members rap-singing in their lowest registers with that incredible bassline anchoring the song. "Make Me Go" is the most mature, seductive, and funky song the group has ever released, and I'd kill for them to make more songs like it. 

5. “Knock Knock” (Twicecoaster: Lane 2)

In July, I made a list of songs I love by non-American artists because I was (and still am) salty at my country for...everything, pretty much. On that list, I had a whole section of kpop songs, and "Knock Knock" was the Twice song I picked. I said that I didn't really love "Knock Knock" until I watched the Avatar: The Last Airbender finale at the end of June, which is insane, I know. The entire time I watched Aang and his friends fight for the fate of the world and experience some dark, emotional events, my head was just looping "Knock Knock" over and over again for some unknown reason. From there, I realized that I loved the song. It's like I was saying with "Likey": It doesn't try to do anything weird or daring, it's just a cute, almost retro pop song. While I love songs where the artist takes risks and tries something new, there’s something I have to commend about a song that doesn’t do anything crazy and just focuses on being the best it can be. The guitar on this song is really addictive for me, and the chorus is so cute. I think Sana definitely shined the most in this song, as my favorite parts of the song are all her little quirks and moments. Her voice definitely fits Twice’s cuter concepts, and the way she says "someone else!" and the title of the song both make me smile every time. 

4. “Breakthrough” (&Twice)

It's common for kpop groups to release Japanese-language singles in order to break into the Japanese market. Sometimes, they switch the language of a previous song (for example, Twice released Japanese versions of songs like "Cheer Up" and "TT"), and sometimes they'll release a new song entirely. Most of Twice's Japanese originals are forgettable to me, but I loved "Breakthrough" after my first listen. Twice released two Japanese songs on June 12, 2019, representing a dual concept. "Happy Happy" was cute, but it was more in line with what you'd expect from Twice. "Breakthrough," on the other hand, was a fiercer, more mature side of Twice that was a natural progression from their previous Korean single "Fancy." It has razor-sharp synthesizers, a pulsing chorus, and a fierce, smooth atmosphere. The music video is a perfect accompaniment to the song, as it features bright neon lights and the girls in power suits. It's a song I play when I want to feel like a boss. 

3. “Heart Shaker” (Merry & Happy)

One of Twice’s most iconic title tracks is 2018’s “What is Love?” The song won the prestigious Song of the Year award at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards and its music video, which saw the members paying homage to famous movies like La La Land and Pulp Fiction, has 415 million views. While the song is iconic, it did feel like a rehash of their previous single “Heart Shaker,” which I’ve always preferred. This is my favorite “cutesy” Twice song ever. There are just so many parts to it that I love. The introduction lets you know exactly what you’re in for: a completely adorable sugar rush. I love Tzuyu’s pre-chorus, with Dahyun and Chaeyoung providing cute interjections (“Love is timing!”). I love how Jihyo’s powerful high note transitions into Momo, Tzuyu, and Chaeyoung singing with the stomp-clap breakdown. I love how every single Once has agreed that Nayeon is singing “Is Sana gay?” in the first line. (She’s actually singing “isanghage,” which is Korean for “wonderfully,” but I’m still going to sing “Is Sana gay?” every time I hear the song.) The instrumental is really good. I specifically like the electric guitar parts towards the end, which make the song stand out from Twice’s other title tracks. The chorus is similar to the one in “What is Love?” but it feels a lot more fleshed out while still being catchy. “Heart Shaker” was actually the song that got my best friend into Twice, and it’s a great first impression, as it tells you what the girls are all about. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how absolutely adorable the fashion is in this video! While videos like “Feel Special” and “Fancy” feature more extravagant fashion, the outfits in “Heart Shaker” can be recreated by anyone for a cute, casual look. 

Seriously, anyone can pull these off or put their own spin on it. White sweater, denim bottoms, sneakers, you're good to go!

2. “Fancy” (Fancy You)

Although I love all of Twice's title tracks in some way, "Fancy" is without a doubt my favorite. There's just so much about this song that I love that I don't know where to start. This song was very significant to Twice's career, as it signified a new sound for the group. Twice had their signature cutesy bubblegum songs, but many felt it was starting to get old and the songs were blending together. "Fancy" showed a more mature side of them with a darker and sexier production style, while still maintaining the catchy hooks that made Twice so famous. It's still Twice, just a more sophisticated version of them. "Fancy" is packed with so many little moments that delight me every time. I particularly love the way Sana sweetly sings about chocolate ice cream in the prechorus, the way Chaeyoung says "bang bang" in her verse, Jihyo's epic high note before the final chorus, and especially the way Chaeyoung goes "fancy, ooh" at the end of the chorus. (I think that more than any other era, Chaeyoung really got a chance to shine in "Fancy.") The beat is infectious, bright electropop, and the music video is another personal favorite from the group. Let’s geek out over Twice’s music video fashion one last time:

Sorry this isn't a great picture, but it's the best I could find of all of them together. I think Jeongyeon's outfit (farthest right) would probably be the one I'd most want to wear, but Chaeyoung's outfit (fourth from left) was probably my favorite. That green houndstooth set would look terrible on most everyone else, but I couldn't take my eyes off of her in the video. 

The choreography, especially with the signature hand-gesture, is something I often attempt when I'm home alone. They actually put this song on Just Dance, and I (and many other Onces, just read the comments on this video of the dance) were horrified to see that they completely changed the choreography. Anyways, "Fancy" has been the first song on my playlist for a year, so I've heard it hundreds of times, but I still haven't gotten sick of it. What could be better? 

1. “Love Foolish” (Feel Special)

I just need to preface this by saying that I texted my best friend the following in June: "I'm at a grad party for some cousins in (town I will not share). One of my relatives doesn't seem to know what 'Six Feet Apart' means so if I die, just know that I want 'Love Foolish' to be played as they bury my body in the ground." I was joking, obviously, but the fact that I said that at all should really say something about how much I love this damn song. When I read the track listing for Feel Special, I had the highest expectations for "Love Foolish," since it was written by my bias, Momo. I heard part of it in the car when driving with my friend, and it kind of blew my mind. Then I heard the whole song and it blew my mind even more. Production-wise, "Love Foolish" is so experimental and different for Twice. It does use chipmunk vocals, which I normally don't care for, but the way the beat warps the chipmunk vocals is inventive and fun. The song just feels like you could either vogue or strut down the runway while listening to it. Outside of the production, this song is like "Fancy" in how it has so many irresistible moments. Momo's rap is a highlight, especially when she says "naega mani ani," which actually means "Do I know a lot?" but I always sing it as "they got money, unnie." I love the chorus, which is actually kind of similar to the one in "Make Me Go" due to the way they're sung. The way Chaeyoung says "I hate you" especially makes me smile- never have I been so delighted to hear somebody say they hated me. Nayeon’s high note before the final chorus is awesome too. Really, as much as I’m tempted to say “oh, this girl did the best job here,” I can’t. All nine girls sound fantastic on this track. I have eighteen hours and forty-nine minutes of music on my current Spotify playlist, which is a lot of songs, and naturally, I’ve skipped most of them at one point or another, because sometimes, I’m just not in the mood for a certain song. But I’ve had “Love Foolish” on my playlist for close to a year, and I have never skipped it. My favorite pieces of any media are always the ones I can experience over and over again. My favorite movie is Tangled because I’ve seen it hundreds of times and it still holds up. My favorite book is The Outsiders because I enjoy it every time I read it. And my favorite Twice song is “Love Foolish” because it’s the one I am always in the mood to listen to. With a lot of these songs, like “Sweet Summer Day” and “Make Me Go,” I say that I want Twice to make more songs in those styles. However, I don’t want them to make another song like “Love Foolish.” That sounds like a bad thing, I couldn’t mean that as more of a compliment. No matter how hard they could try to recreate the magic, they would never be able to top the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of “Love Foolish” for me.

~~~

That's all I have for this week! Next Sunday, August 23, is the three-year anniversary of when I made this blog, so I will be posting something to celebrate either Saturday or Sunday. See you then!

Stellar

Songs I Love by Non-American Artists

So...it's the Fourth of July. Today is the day when I should be decked in red, white, and blue, screaming "Party in the USA" at the top of my lungs, and celebrating America and everything it stands for. But truth be told, I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in my country. Of course, the biggest factor in this disappointment is due to the police brutality and racism flooding through America, but there's also the stupidity of many Americans regarding the pandemic we're in. Idiots have made wearing a mask into a political debate and refused to wear them, meaning that the number of COVID cases has skyrocketed. The number of new COVID cases is going down in just about every other country, but not in the US because people are stupid and careless. Frankly, with everything that's going on, I'm infuriated with my country and I'm really not in the mood to celebrate its "greatness." Instead, I've compiled a playlist of songs by artists I love who aren't from America. No limitations regarding genre or anything, although I kept it at one song per artist for diversity's sake. I do kind of feel bad that most of these artists are from the same few countries, but the point is that they're not from the US. 

THE AMERICAS/OCEANIA

Exactly what it sounds like: these artists are from North, Central, or South America. Just not the USA. However, I did have a few songs by artists from Australia and New Zealand that I wanted to highlight, but they didn't really fit into the other two sections. So here they are!

1. "Estoy Aquí" by Shakira

Colombian singer Shakira is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and Jennifer Lopez performed the halftime show at the Super Bowl this year, and according to the Los Angeles Times' Agustin Gurza, she was "the first artist of the rock en español generation to become a star in the U.S." I specifically chose "Estoy Aquí" (meaning "I'm Here" in English) because I had to listen to it a lot in my sophomore year Spanish class. We translated the lyrics and were amused to learn that despite the fact that it sounds very upbeat and happy, the lyrics are actually quite sad. In this song, Shakira's not over her ex and it's driving her crazy. I love songs where the musical tone contrasts with the lyrics. I also really like the "fotos y cuadernos" part where she sings really fast. 

2. "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee (and not Justin Bieber)

I'm kind of disappointed that I only have two Latin songs here, considering how much Latin music has taken over. I should probably listen to more Latin music. Oh well. At this rate, "Despacito" is one of the most famous songs of all time, with the music video coming close to 7 billion views. Both Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee are from Puerto Rico, and "Despacito" musically reflects that heritage, featuring the Puerto Rican national instrument, the cuatro, in its intro. The song broke barriers, becoming inescapable the world over and allowing for other Spanish-language songs to become world-famous. I mostly like it because of how catchy and summery it is, and also because the "This Is So Sad Alexa Play Despacito" meme will forever make me laugh. Also, I guess I could put the Justin Bieber remix here, since he is Canadian, but I don't like his parts of it. 

3. "In Your Eyes" by The Weeknd

I've been a casual fan of the Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd, but even with that, the songs from his latest album After Hours have blown me away. "Blinding Lights" is probably my favorite song of the year so far, and "In Your Eyes" is on par with it. It has more of the 80s disco elements that made "Blinding Lights" so irresistible for me, but it differs itself from "Blinding Lights" by having a saxophone solo in the outro. More songs need sax solos. Guitar solos are cool, but sax solos are more unique, so I prefer them. I would love this song on its own, but the sax solo puts it over the top.

4. "Want You in My Room" by Carly Rae Jepsen

Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen is best known for the world-conquering "Call Me Maybe." While she hasn't had anything as popular as that song since, she's only gotten stronger as an artist. Carly doesn't try to do anything crazy or experimental, she's just committed to making pop music, and making it right. "Want You in My Room" is pretty sexual lyrically, but sonically, it's a euphoric, 80s-influenced piece of bubblegum pop. Carly sounds adorable, especially when she says "baby, don't you want me too?" and her enthusiasm is contagious. The song was co-written and produced by Jack Antonoff, formerly of the band fun. The song features some fun little vocoder interjections from him, as well as a great sax solo at the end. 

5. "Find Your Love" by Drake

Drake is probably the single most successful artist of the past decade, for better or for worse. Drake's biggest problem is that he favors quantity over quality. He frequently releases overlong albums/mixtapes/playlists/whatever he calls them, and they're very mediocre. He knows that whatever he releases will rocket to the top of the charts, so he cares more about charting records than actually making good music. However, when he actually feels like trying, he can make a really great song. My two favorite Drake songs are "Hold On, We're Going Home" and "Nice For What," but I've already talked about those a lot, so I chose "Find Your Love" instead. My favorite Drake songs are usually the ones when he sings and focuses less on trying to be a tough, macho badass, because I think those songs tend to fit him more. (He is, after all, a Jewish kid from the suburbs of Toronto who first got famous on Degrassi. Not the first thing I think of when I hear the word "intimidating." "Find Your Love" is sort of the precursor to "Hold On, We're Going Home," and although I prefer the latter due to its more polished production, I still enjoy "Find Your Love." Drake sounds really smooth and it's just a nice song to listen to. 

6. "In My Blood" by Shawn Mendes

I feel like at first, Shawn Mendes was supposed to be, like, the new Justin Bieber. They're both Canadian and they both got discovered on social media at a young age. However, Shawn has definitely broken out from that mold. "In My Blood," the lead single for his 2018 self-titled album, is a pop-rock song that is reminiscent of the band Kings of Leon. This song means a lot to me since it's specifically about Shawn's struggles with anxiety. In 2018, right around the time this song came out, I was having really bad anxiety, so I related to it. I really connected to the lyrics and to the desperation in Shawn's voice, especially when he sings "I need somebody now." I don't love every Shawn Mendes song, but this one will always have a place in my heart. 

7. "Desperado" by Rihanna

Honestly, what is there to say about Rihanna that hasn't already been said? Originally hailing from Barbados, this multi-hyphenate has 14 number one singles, nine Grammys, and an estimated net worth of $600 million to her name. Since she's been busy with non-musical endeavors (most notably her hugely successful Fenty Beauty cosmetics line), she hasn't released new music since 2016. However, her 2016 album Anti featured some of her best work to date. "Desperado" has a brooding, almost old Western vibe to it that is unlike anything Rihanna's ever done. It's smoky, dark, and all-around satisfying for me. 

8. "No Shame" by 5 Seconds of Summer

Now we get to the Australian side of things with 5 Seconds of Summer. I've really loved what 5 Seconds of Summer have been doing lately. I used to hate them since I thought they tried too hard to be "punk," but lately it seems like they've embraced their pop sides. I know selling out is usually looked down upon, but I actually think the poppier songs work really well for the band. "No Shame" isn't total bubblegum, but it's really catchy. My favorite part is the prechorus, the "go on and light me like a cigarette" section. 

9. "Ribs" by Lorde

Lorde's 2013 breakout single, "Royals" was a shock to the system of pop music, as suddenly this teenager from New Zealand was the biggest, most influential name in music. After this song, we saw a lot more minimal, moodier songs topping the charts. The thing about Lorde is that when "Royals" first came out, my mom hated it and would always complain about how much she hated it. As a result, I sort of felt like I had to hate it too, and I had always harbored a weird bias against Lorde that I never really got over. It was stupid and petty and wrong. But then I heard "Ribs" in a random TikTok, liked what I had heard, decided to check out the whole song, and I can now say that I'm completely, 100% over my stupid bias. This is probably the most relatable song I've ever heard, and also one of the best. Considering that it's about Lorde's fear of getting older, it's definitely a song I need in my life at this point in time. I've just graduated high school and am getting ready to go to college, so Lorde's lyrics, specifically "I've never felt more alone, it feels so scary, getting old" really resonate with me. "Ribs" is poignant, nostalgic, and extremely relatable. I can tell it will resonate with me for a long time. 

10. "Riptide" by Vance Joy

This song, by Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy, is one of those songs that will never get old for me. I don't listen to it every day, but whenever I hear it, it's a treat. I've always wanted to learn to play the ukulele (it's like a guitar, but smaller and cuter!) and this song is almost entirely the reason why. It's just so laid-back and has always screamed "lazy summer day" to me. I also really love the lyrics. They're kind of a random mishmash of words, but it works for me, especially the opening lyrics of "I was scared of dentists and the dark/I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations." It's such an interesting way to start the song. 

EUROPE:

Most of these songs are from British artists, which I knew would be the case. We cannot possibly overstate the invaluable contributions to music given to us by the Brits. Some of the most iconic bands of all time, such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, and the goddamn Beatles all hailed from the UK. However, my selections are all going to be pretty modern. There's nothing wrong with those classic rock bands, I'm just not as familiar with them as I should be. 

11. "Touch" by Little Mix

Little Mix haven't really broken through into the US, but they're still the biggest girl group in the world (excluding kpop). They formed on the UK's version of The X Factor and were the first group to win. Although their songs can be hit or miss, I do really like these girls. All four of them are amazing singers and they harmonize so well. "Touch" is one of my favorite songs by them because it's just a really solid pop track. It has a great chorus and the girls' vocals and harmonies are spot-on. It doesn't try to be anything more than an excellent pop song, and sometimes, that's all I need. 

12. "Love Again" by Dua Lipa

British pop star Dua Lipa has had a great year so far. Her song "Don't Start Now" was released at the tail end of 2019 and became her biggest hit in early 2020. She also released her second album Future Nostalgia this March, which was a commercial and critical success. Just like the title implies, the songs from the album are a great blend of older disco elements with more modern pop. The album's three singles, "Don't Start Now," "Physical," and "Break My Heart" were all great, but I'd love to see the album track "Love Again" become a single at some point. The song is built around a trumpet motif from the song "Your Woman" by White Town, which is a really catchy hook. I also adore the disco-style strings and the theme of how a new significant other can make you believe in love again. 

13. "Ride It" by Regard

"Ride It" was originally a song by the British singer Jay Sean, best known for the 2009 song "Down." It was originally released in 2008, but then the Kosovan DJ Regard remixed it in 2019. The remix then blew up on TikTok. The original song is very of-its-time 2000s R&B, but the remix turns it into a house song. I definitely prefer the remix, as it's faster and more upbeat. It's another one of those songs that I can just imagine listening to as I drive through a big city at night. I also think it's interesting how instead of pitching the vocals up, they're lowered. I almost always hate chipmunk vocals, but funnily enough, I don't mind deepened vocals at all. I actually think TikTok has been really beneficial for popular music, as it's made songs like "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, "The Box" by Roddy Ricch, and "Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion become number one hits, and it's helped me discover songs like "Ride It" and the aforementioned "Ribs." 

14. "Desire" by Years & Years ft. Tove Lo

This one's another remix. The original song is just by the English synthpop band Years & Years, but the remix features the Swedish singer Tove Lo. Years & Years are known for mixing R&B with 90s house music, and this song is a great example of that. It sounds like something you'd hear in a dark, underground club in some indie movie. I really like the remix featuring Tove Lo. I think she has a really underrated, unique voice, and she elevates the track to the next level. Her interplay with the band's singer Olly Alexander is fantastic. 

15. "Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles

I don't really avidly listen to any male solo artists, but if I were to pick a favorite, it would probably be Harry Styles. I've only heard a handful of songs from him, but every single one of them has been fantastic. "Watermelon Sugar" is his current single, and it's probably my personal song of the summer, even though it came out last November. His music is more influenced by classic rock than many of his peers, which is great, since his naturally raspy voice is perfect for rock. This song also has some great horns that add to its vibrance. The only thing I have to say is, geez, what is it with Harry Styles and fruit? "Watermelon Sugar" mentions both watermelons (obviously) and strawberries, "Adore You" mentions strawberries and lemons, his self-titled album had a song called "Kiwi," and his most recent album, Fine Line, had a song called "Cherry." Does this man have some kind of fruit fetish?

16. "Robbers" by The 1975

The British band The 1975 is one of my favorite bands, even if I've only heard their first two albums. Their 80s-esque, groovy synth-pop-rock style just works for me. "Robbers" from their self-titled debut album has always been my favorite song of theirs, and it always will be an all-time favorite. The song tells a Bonnie and Clyde-esque story, criminals who are also lovers. The thing that makes this song stand out is the emotion in singer Matty Healy's voice. My favorite part is when he sings "Now everybody's dead, and they're driving past my old school." He more-or-less screams it and the imperfections in his voice make the song feel raw and personal. The lyrics also add to the beautifully tragic nature of the song. I love many other songs by this band, especially "Somebody Else," "Chocolate," and "The Sound," but "Robbers" has always been my favorite. 

17. "Magic" by Coldplay

Coldplay are probably the closest thing I have to a "favorite band." While I won't claim to be an obsessive fan, I will say that I like pretty much everything I've heard from them. I'd easily consider songs like "Viva la Vida," "Clocks," and especially "Fix You" to be some of my favorite songs of all time. "Magic" came out in 2014, but I'm just now starting to get into it. The thing I really like about Coldplay is how ethereal their music sounds, and that's certainly the case for "Magic." I'm not the biggest fan of the verses, mainly because I think the way Chris Martin sings "you" in this song is weird and I can't explain why. I mostly like this song for the way it sounds. It's more spare and minimalist than a lot of Coldplay's most famous songs, but it's still pretty, and the way the song flourishes at the bridge is stunning. 

18. "Castle On The Hill" by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is one of the biggest musicians in the world, especially at home in the UK. He's had some of the biggest hits of the decade, like "Shape of You," "Thinking Out Loud," and "Perfect." "Castle on the Hill" is probably my favorite song by him to date. This song is about Ed reminiscing about his youth and it has some fantastic storytelling lyrics. I listen to it and I'm transported to the places Ed talks about, singing off-key with my friends as we race down the country roads. The song reminds me of U2 sonically, especially "Where The Streets Have No Name," a song that I've grown up listening to. This more pop rock style is a great fit for Ed's soaring vocals, and I'd love if he made more songs like it in the future. 

19. "Do I Wanna Know" by Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys were one of the first bands to come to prominence via the Internet, and they're one of the most successful British bands of the 21st century. I always known of this song, but I never really listened to it until about a month ago. To me, it's one of those songs that wasn't a chart-topping hit, but still lingers in the public consciousness. I think the entire reason for that is because of the guitar riff, which is just awesome. The song has a very psychedelic style to it that isn't like anything I normally listen to, but I like it. It makes me feel more edgy and alternative than I actually am.

20. "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

"Chasing Cars" is the most famous song by the Scottish-Northern Irish alternative band Snow Patrol. According to the music licensing body PPL in 2019, the song was the most played song on UK radios in the 21st century. Here in the US, it's mostly famous for appearing in the show Grey's Anatomy. I've never watched Grey's, but it's one of my mom's favorite shows, so I know a lot of the music from it, and "Chasing Cars" is my favorite. It's magical. The production of this song is so serene and transcendent, and the lyrics are very sweet. This is the couple in the story I've been writing's "song." It just makes me want to fall in love. 

ASIA:

All of my songs from Asian artists are going to be kpop, and there's nothing you can do about it! What can I say, I'm on a major kpop kick. However, for the sake of variety, I'm not allowing myself to choose any song I have already talked about. That means I won't talk about any songs from Kpop Crash Course or my Twice album reviews, all of which can be found under the "kpop" tag! 

21. "Knock Knock" by Twice

Twice are my favorite kpop group, and it's not a contest. These nine girls are adorable and their songs are like a sugar rush. I've said before that I definitely prefer their later, more mature singles over their cutesy early work, but I still like a lot of their cutesy songs. "Knock Knock" is one of my favorites in this category. The funny thing is that I didn't necessarily love this song until really recently, when, oddly enough, I had it in my head the entire time I was watching the Avatar: The Last Airbender finale. I'm not sure why I had a cutesy bubblegum kpop song in my head as I watched something so intense, but I've grown to appreciate it because of that. "Knock Knock" is really cute and catchy, and the way Sana says the title of the song is adorable. 

22. "Playing With Fire" by Blackpink

This is my favorite Blackpink song, and it has been since I first heard it. It just has a different feeling from their other songs. It has the confidence and attitude of Blackpink's other songs, like "Ddu-du Ddu-du" and "Kill This Love," but it's not as hip-hop inspired as those two. It's more electropop-leaning, but it's not straight bubblegum either. The production is great (gotta love the piano in the intro!) and I feel like this sound works really well for the girls. Rosé sounds particularly good here, as this song makes an excellent use of her unique vocal tone. I also really love Lisa's rap verse. Her raps always seem to be my favorite part of every Blackpink song. 

23. "Not Today" by BTS

"Blood Sweat & Tears" is still my favorite BTS song, but "Not Today" is a very, very close second. Many of BTS's songs have a larger-than-life, explosive feeling to them, and that's absolutely the case for "Not Today." I can't even describe it, this song just feels massive. The lyrics are about persevering through whatever life throws at you. Combined with the larger-than-life production, I see this song as a call to arms for all the underdogs to rise up against hardships. When I hear this song, I envision them riding in on military tanks, ready to destroy everything in their path. I was a little disappointed that the music video didn't feature any tanks, but it was still a really good video. Even if you don't like their music, you have to admit that BTS videos always have exquisite cinematography and production values. 

24. "Shoot Me" by Day6

I first listened to Day6 for my Kpop Crash Course series. I loved their song "I Wait," and since they seemed like the Korean version of Fall Out Boy to me (that is not a dig at them, I love Fall Out Boy), I decided to check out some of their other work. I also really like "Days Gone By" for its The 1975-esque guitars, but "Shoot Me" is the one I've come back to the most. "Shoot Me" has a bombastic pop punk energy that I love, and the hooks are the best I've heard from the band. The "bang bang" in the chorus is so memorable and gets stuck in my head all the time. Day6 are great and I can't wait to listen to more of their work. 

25. "Automatic" by Red Velvet

Red Velvet continue to impress me with every song I hear from them, and this might be my favorite I've heard. It's a tough call, I really like all of the songs I've listened to from them. Red Velvet is known for their dual concept, with the "Red" half of their name representing more upbeat pop and the "Velvet" half representing more sophisticated R&B-influenced songs. This song is clearly part of the "Velvet" concept, being very sophisticated and sensual. Their vocals are very tightly harmonized, and the production is very minimal, yet does a good job at setting a seductive tone. 

26. "View" by SHINee

My favorite boy group I discovered from Kpop Crash Course was definitely SHINee. I only heard three songs from them, but I liked all of them, so I decided to listen to more of their songs. "View" was released in 2015, making it one of their more recent songs. The song was produced by LDN Noise, who also produced "4 Walls" by f(x), as well as the group's late vocalist Jonghyun. The production of this song is definitely similar to that of "4 Walls." They both have an upbeat deep house vibe and are great summer jams. 

27. "Move" by Taemin

It's pretty common for kpop group members to release music on their own. This doesn't mean they've permanently left the group. Sometimes, they just like to explore new sounds on their own. One example of this is with SHINee's Taemin, who started releasing solo music in 2016. I actually first heard his song "Move" when I saw Momo, Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung from Twice cover it. Despite the fact that Twice are known for the whole cutesy thing, I think they pull off this dark, sensual concept really well, and I'd love to hear more songs like this from Twice, even if it's just a b-side. "Move" is a really slinky dance jam that I love no matter who's performing it. Taemin has also said that with this single, he wanted to break gender norms and find a middle ground between masculine and feminine choreography for the song. I think that's awesome. 

28. "Power" by EXO

When I counted down my favorite songs from Kpop Crash Course, EXO took the top spot with their song "Call Me Baby." While I don't think I'll ever hear a song from them I like more than that, I still really enjoy much of what I've heard from them. "Power" is one of my favorites. The song is an EDM banger, with some of the synthesizers reminding me of video games. All the other EXO songs I've heard have been very smooth and mature, but "Power" shows off a playful, bombastic side to them. I also like the lyrical theme of how the power of music brings us all together. This song has a contagious energy and it's a fun track for EXO. 

29. "Black Pearl" by Sunmi

I like watching a bunch of random kpop-related videos on YouTube, mainly as a way to find new kpop songs. One of them was "Kpop B-Sides That Are Better Than the Title Track" (I can't find the specific video, though). Sunmi's "Siren" was the title track in question, and it's fine. The chorus is nice, but I didn't like the rap breakdown at all, and I'm not huge on some of the synths either. "Black Pearl" is much better. It really reminds me of the Calvin Harris remix of SZA's "The Weekend," a song I've been in love with for the past few months. It has a great groove and some fun instrumental sections, specifically a saxophone! I also like the jazzy guitar part towards the end of the track. Sunmi was formerly a member of the kpop group The Wonder Girls, and funnily enough, I think I like "Black Pearl" more than any song I've heard from her old group. 

30. "Décalcomanie" by Mamamoo

As is the case for many of these groups, I discovered Mamamoo when I listened to them for my Kpop Crash Course. I liked "You're The Best," but nearly every other song I've heard from them has been even better. I also love their song "HIP" for its attitude and confidence, but in the end, I chose "Décalcomanie" because I think it's the best portrait of who these girls are. It has the retro elements that define Mamamoo's sound and the girls' vocals are really powerful and strong. I love the contrast between the seductive, sultry verses and the more explosive chorus. I think my favorite part of the song is the jazzy breakdown, featuring a rap by the group's Moonbyul. I haven't heard that many songs from them, but Mamamoo are quickly becoming one of my favorite girl groups, and they're a great note to end this playlist on. 

Next week, I'm planning to count down my favorite High School Musical songs because I saw High School Musical 2 the other day and thought it would be a fun thing to write about. See you next week. 

Stellar

REVIEW: More & More by Twice

Once upon a time, about a few years ago, I was afraid of getting into kpop for one reason only: I was intimidated by the diehard fans, colloquially known as "stans." I recognized that kpop was full of talented performers (known as idols) who released catchy songs with amazing visuals, but I was also aware of how utterly insane the stan culture was. Kpop stans have a reputation for shoving their favorite groups and idols down your throat. If you don't like those groups or idols, they will send you death threats, and if their idol is accused of doing something wrong, they will act like this person they have never met is a god and incapable of any wrongdoing. However, after the events of the past few weeks, I am never talking smack about kpop stans ever again. 

Due to the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests it inspired, police departments all over the country have set up apps for people to submit videos of people protesting. Supposedly, the police would use the apps to find protestors to arrest. That's not what happened, though, as kpop stans downloaded the apps, spammed them with fancams (video closeups of their favorite idols during a performance), and temporarily shut down the apps. They also hijacked racist hashtags, like #WhiteLivesMatter and #BlueLivesMatter, spamming their fancams. Both of these instances are examples of grade-A trolling, made even better by the fact that they are trolling racist assholes who 100% deserve to be trolled. But for my money, the best thing kpop stans have done for the Black Lives Matter movement has to do with BTS. BTS are the bestselling Korean act of all time and their fanbase, known as the ARMY, is widespread. When BTS and their label, BigHit Entertainment, donated a million dollars to Black Lives Matter, their ARMY started trending the hashtag #MatchAMillion to encourage the fanbase to donate to an important cause. Collectively, BTS stans "matched the million" donated by their idols in less than 24 hours. I never thought I would be saying this, but I mean this without a shred of irony: kpop stans have done more for Black Lives Matter than the President of the United States. Yet another one of the countless bizarre twists 2020 has thrown at us, but it's certainly a pleasant surprise to see the ever-present, ever-vocal kpop stans use their ubiquity to support such an important issue. 

Due to my newfound appreciation for kpop fans, as well as the fact that my favorite kpop group recently released an EP/mini-album, I thought it would be fitting to review said mini-album. I've already talked a lot about Twice on this blog, with the first thing I posted after a year-long break being a review of their last mini-album, Feel Special. (Link here!) I also took it upon myself to review 100 iconic kpop songs in my Kpop Crash Course series, and in that series, I mentioned Twice no less than 60 times. (I specifically talked about their songs in Part Three and Part Four.) Typically when I review an album, I go in-depth giving background information on the artist and my opinions on them, but I honestly feel like I have covered them so thoroughly that you can just look back at the linked posts for information about them. Long story short: Twice consists of nine girls (five are Korean, three are Japanese, one is Taiwanese) who started out making cutesy songs, but have been gradually shifting towards making more mature (and for my money, better) music. Now with all that stalling out of the way, let's look at their More & More mini-album/EP/I'm using these two terms interchangeably FYI.

I think this picture of the cover art seems blurry and it makes me sad but I couldn't find a higher-res picture. Anyways, I really love their different hair colors! I especially like Jihyo's rosy pink, Tzuyu's crimson-red, and Sana's bright orange-red. 

1. "More & More"

The title track is the only one of these songs I've listened to prior to writing this, as I watched the video the day it premiered. It's fine enough, but if I were to rank every Twice single, it would probably go towards the bottom. Compared to their singles from last year, "Fancy" and "Feel Special," it seems a lot more generic. In fact, whenever I think of it, it ends up turning into "La Vie en Rose" by IZ*ONE, which I like more. The repetition of "more" in the chorus is also a little too reminiscent of Fifth Harmony's "Work From Home" for my tastes. However, "More & More" does have a nice, relaxed summer vibe, making it feel like an updated version of their 2018 single "Dance The Night Away." I really like the instrumental section (especially in the video, where Momo, my bias of the group, leads the girls in a dance break), followed by Dahyun and Chaeyoung's rap. I liked the video a lot more than the song, as I loved the bright, summery colors and jungle animals, like the jaguars during Tzuyu's section and the colorful tarantulas during Chaeyoung's section. I also really loved their boho dresses and rainbow hair! 7.5/10

2. "Oxygen"

My best friend who got me into Twice (I refer to her as Nike because she wrote this post with me and used that pseudonym) agrees with me that "More & More" isn't one of Twice's more impressive singles, but she's told me that the b-sides are all fantastic. "Oxygen" is the first b-side, and honestly, I think this was the song that most intrigued me just from looking at the tracklist. I wasn't sure what to expect, but listening to it, I really like this! The production is uptempo and danceable, but it's not aggressive. It has a lot of twists and turns to make it enjoyable. The synth-bassline in the chorus is very bouncy, and I especially liked the guitar that comes in during Chaeyoung's rap verse. I also thought the members sounded really good. In the second verse, Mina uses the same light, gentle singing style she did on the bridge of "Fancy," which I loved. I think my favorite part of the song is the way they sing "I really really really really want" so quickly in the chorus. I always love when songs feature rapidly sung, almost tongue-twister lyrics. This is a low-key bop. 9/10

3. "Firework"

This is not a Katy Perry cover, for better or for worse. Eh, I definitely think it's for the better, as this is easily my favorite of the three songs so far. The Latin guitars are new for Twice, and I definitely like this experimentation in their sound. The chorus on this song is pretty killer, with Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Jihyo (the band's three lead vocalists) delivering knockout vocals. Jihyo in particular absolutely nails it on the bridge. Speaking of the bridge, I love the way the chords shifted during that section. I also love the way Sana says "so let me hear it" before the second chorus. I love when singers do weird vocal inflections like that. I really appreciate how, much like the Feel Special mini-album, this project has been very cohesive. All of the songs sound similar, but not the point where it's boring. Granted, I'm only three songs in, but it's still worth praising. 10/10

4. "Make Me Go"

Five of the seven tracks from Feel Special had writing credits from the members of the group, which was great, since all of those songs were amazing. Which is why I was disappointed that only two of the seven songs from More & More saw the girls writing. "Make Me Go" is the first of the two, as Nayeon wrote the lyrics for it. And what can I say, this song slaps. The production of this song reminds me a lot of Dua Lipa's recent output, specifically "Break My Heart." That bassline is simply incredible, unlike anything I've heard from Twice. I also love the sax and the cowbell. The chorus is weird, but also really addictive. It's not sung, I guess I would say it's rapped, and I can see why somebody would hate it, I personally think it's really quirky and catchy. This song's throwback energy is different from the other three songs, but it still manages to fit in nicely here. It also would fit in among the b-sides from Fancy You and Feel Special. This song is a delight, one that I'll have on repeat over and over again. 10/10

5. "Shadow"

After that quick 70s detour, we're back to the modern tropical stylings of the other three songs. I could definitely see this song fitting in with modern Western pop songs. It's another low-key banger. However, it doesn't really seem as special as the others to me. I think I'm just burnt out from how much I loved "Make Me Go" that everything after it just seems disappointing. Maybe it'll grow on me. The only thing that really stands out to me on this song is how effortlessly high Nayeon and Jihyo sing in the chorus. Their higher notes sound really good. 7/10

6. "Don't Call Me Again"

Brass, hell yeah...or so I thought. This song is just disappointing to me. The melody the horns are playing is really catchy, but the horns themselves sound really muffled and fake. It also feels like there's too much going on in the production, with the girls singing and the horns playing at the same volume. The marching band percussion is also really overbearing. In fact, my favorite parts of the song are the quieter sections without the horns. This song had so much potential to be a great, sassy kiss-off anthem, but the production is really bad. If the producers were to replace the fake horns with real, actual trumpets, raise the volume of the girls and lower the volume of the instrumentals, and get rid of that weird theremin-sounding synth in the chorus, the song would be much better. 4/10

7. "Sweet Summer Day"

The final track, "Sweet Summer Day," sees Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung writing lyrics. I was honestly expecting a more laid-back, tropical style, maybe something slower than the other songs. So imagine my sheer delight when, about ten seconds in, I realized Twice were doing a new jack swing song. New jack swing is a fusion genre of hip-hop, R&B, and dance-pop that was popular in the late 80s and early 90s, spearheaded by artists like Boyz II Men and Michael and Janet Jackson. For a more recent example, think of "Finesse" by Bruno Mars. Considering that one of my favorite kpop songs is "Call Me Baby" by EXO, another new jack swing-influenced kpop song, I was thrilled to hear Twice taking inspiration from the same source. "Sweet Summer Day" has such a fantastic, bouncy energy that put a giant smile on my face. And just when I thought the song couldn't get any better, Momo started rapping! Momo is my favorite member of the group mostly because I like her dancing and personality, but I also think her sort of wonky, nasally voice works really well for rapping. She doesn't usually get to rap in Twice songs, as they usually give the rap verses to Dahyun and Chaeyoung (who are also great, don't get me wrong), but I know I'm not the only Once who wishes Momo would rap more. I love her rapping here. The fact that Twice were basically doing their own version of "Call Me Baby" basically guaranteed that this song would get a 10/10, but it just kept getting more and more enjoyable as I got into it. I would love for Twice's next comeback to sound like this. 

Well, after listening to Twice's More & More, I'm even firmer in my stance that JYP needs to let the girls write (excuse my pun) more & more. My two favorite songs on here are the only two with writing credits from the girls. Feel Special had five songs written by the girls, and all of them were fantastic. The members of Twice are much better writers than you might expect, and it would be a shame if JYP just ignored the potential they have as writers. 

Favorite: I think "Make Me Go" is ultimately my favorite. I know I wrote a lot more for "Sweet Summer Day," but I've had Mina and Chaeyoung rapping  "love me love me now, love me love me good" in my head nonstop since I first heard the song on Thursday. 

Least Favorite: "Don't Call Me Again"

Next week, I think I'll do another "current favorite songs" thing. I might change my mind, but that's my plan for now. I'll see you then.

Stellar