K-pop groups, including NewJeans, received recognition from America’s most authoritative music media outlet Rolling Stone, being prominently featured as “Best Songs of 2023”
Notably, NewJeans stands out as the sole K-pop group to be included in both the “Best Albums of 2023” and “Best Songs of 2023” categories according to Rolling Stone.
On December 1st (hereafter local time), Rolling Stone unveiled “The 100 Best Songs of 2023” with 9 songs categorized as K-pop.
Particularly, “Super Shy”, the pre-released track and title song from NewJeans’ 2nd mini-album “Get Up”, secured the 6th position, making it the highest-ranking K-pop song. Rolling Stone praised, “NewJeans have been enjoying viral hits for awhile, but ‘Super Shy’ was a breakthrough for the Korean girl group, reaching No.2 on the Billboard Global chart. The song is one the purest pop thrills of the year, with a dreamy melody; a bright drum-and-bass beat; and Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein sharing crushed-out lyrics you can’t help but sing along with. In true K-pop fashion, the accompanying music video is just as captivating, with synchronized choreography that experiments with the Seventies disco style waacking.”
Previously, “Get Up” secured the 33rd position in Rolling Stone’s “The 100 Best Albums of 2023”, which was announced on November 30th.
The title track “Super” from Seventeen’s 10th mini-album “FML” ranked 47th, marking the second-highest position among K-pop songs. About “Super”, Rolling Stone commented, “For their victory-lap single ‘Super’, Seventeen found inspiration in the supernatural tales of Chinese mythological figure Sun Wukong. Finding his journey a fitting metaphor for the group’s persevering eight-year career, members Woozi, Vernon, and S.Coups (alongside Pledis hitmaker Bumzu and Filipino-Canadian producer August Rigo) embedded images of flying clouds and magical staffs into a drum-heavy EDM anthem that evokes militarism through Jersey club rhythms. As the boys chant ‘I love my team/I love my crew’, it’s a proud affirmation of how Seventeen reached their current success: There’s strength in the collective.“
The pre-released English single “Moonlight Sunrise” from TWICE’s 12th mini-album “Ready to Be” claimed the 55th spot.
V, a member of the global supergroup BTS, secured the 58th position with the pre-released track “Rainy Days” from his first solo album “Layover”. The producer of NewJeans, Min Hee-jin, who is also the CEO of ADOR, is the only Korean producer to have 2 songs included in this chart, showcasing her producing sense and influence.
BLACKPINK Jisoo’s solo song “Flower” ranked 67th, while FIFTY FIFTY’s “Cupid” claimed the 75th spot. The title track “Left Right” from the third single “Shooting Star” by XG, a Japanese girl group based on the K-pop system, secured the 77th position.
The title track “Spicy” from aespa’s 3rd mini-album “My World”, which provided strength to SM Entertainment during a period of confusion, ranked 95th. BTS Jungkook achieved the 99th position with his first official solo song “Seven (feat. Latto)”, which topped Billboard’s main single chart “Hot 100”.
The chart’s top spot was claimed by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola”. The song “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2”, a collaboration between PinkPantheress and Ice Spice, secured the 2nd position, while Lana Del Rey’s “A&W” claimed the 3rd position.
Source: Daum, Rolling Stone
