The 150 Best Songs of 2023 So Far
A ranking and review of the best music released this year from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, T-pop, and P-pop artists!
A couple of things to note:
This list started being prepared in July, so songs released in August were not a part of the selection process - with one or two last-minute exceptions!
For the sake of variety, each artist was only eligible for up to two spots on this list. However, subunits and solo work were considered separately. For example, TAEYONG was eligible for two slots on the list as a solo artist AND two slots as part of NCT 127.
Revisit the Top 150 List from 2022 here!
#150: Shawn, “TIKTOK NO REASON”: A peculiar track with a distorted filter and hard-to-describe attitude; one of Shawn’s most memorable tracks to date.
#149: Da-iCE, “Scene”: An electronic thrill that starts the party that is SCENE with a bang!
#148: XG, “TGIF”: A crystallization of this up-and-coming girl group’s image as unapologetic believers in their worth; this acronym for them actually stands for “Thank God I’m Fly”!
#147: UVERworld ft. ANARCHY, “FINALIST”: A song that packs in a head-spinning amount of instruments but keeps the most attention on its strange but exciting saxophone/guitar combination!
#146: JUJU, “Bet On Me”: A jovial song that invites all kinds of instruments to the party!
#145: Cherry Bullet, “Whistle Like That”: A song that builds on the foundation of “Love In Space” and makes it even catchier!
#144: ONEUS, “ERASE ME”: A versatile amalgamation of emo-pop, orchestral, and EDM influences.
#143: CRAXY, “Lucid Dream”: Vocally, the hands-down standout on CRAXY’s XX album, and a great playlist addition for fans of fromis_9’s “Escape Room.”
#142: NiziU, “JUMP”: A Kep1er-esque, concert-ready mood boost.
#141: luz, “Ruthless”: A frenetic romp that is the perfect match for its campy music video!
#140: Novel Core, “iCoN”: A declarative, noisy, guitar-filled personal theme song!
#139: SKY-HI ft. Taku Takahashi, “D.U.N.K.”: An intentionally discombobulating listening experience with a sputtering yet jump-along-worthy instrumental!
#138: XY, “Crazy Love”: Two tracks in one; an impressive, back-and-forth musical embodiment of “crazy” and of “love”!
#137: CRAVITY, “A to Z”: A chameleonic song that starts out sounding more low-key and builds up enthusiasm as it goes.
#136: Mandark ft. Gummy Bear Man, “Sushi”: A hyper-pop intro that throws listeners for a loop before entering feedback-heavy, laid-back yet pop-punk territory.
#135: OnlyOneOf, “candy bOmb”: Raps and alluring vocals that keep OnlyOneOf’s personality top of mind.
#134: from20, “Beat It”: A speedy synth-pop jam that is right in from20’s musical sweet spot.
#133: NAQT VANE, “CHRONIC”: What classic pop bops about crushes are made of, both sonically and lyrically!
#132: Bryn, “Fill Me Up”: A delightfully strange industrial/hip-hop/hyper-pop combination.
#131: meme tokyo., “TWEED”: Proof that members MEW and SAE make for an attention-grabbing electro-pop duo.
#130: BOYNEXTDOOR, “Serenade”: An endearing and peppy song with, given the group’s name, self-explanatory appeal!
#129: JOSH CULLEN, “WILD TONIGHT”: A great way to stand out when starting a solo career, fully diving into the role of a fictional villain!
#128: JEON SOMI, “Fast Forward”: A pop gem that seems to have been made with dance breaks in mind!
#127: LEE CHAE YEON, “KNOCK”: A bouncy and very catchy song with cute, crush-themed lyrics.
#126: Jay Park, “Yesterday”: A refreshing detour from his typical sound; a relatively stripped-back display of his vulnerable side and raw vocal talent.
#125: BUGVEL, “Summer Party”: Smile-worthy, youthful pop-punk for fans of &TEAM.
#124: HELLO GLOOM, “Dancing In The Dark”: The perfect encapsulation of this artist’s image: someone who pairs lyrics about fear and loneliness with upbeat instrumentals.
#123: Jung Kook ft. Latto, “Seven”: “While there is much to be said about intricate soundscapes, there remains a timeless appeal to relatively simple, crowd-pleasing hits!... ‘Seven’ is a malleable summer jam.” Read more here!
#122: &TEAM, “Road Not Taken”: A “No time to be afraid” message effectively conveyed through a gradual rise in volume and intensity.
#121: CHANMINA, “Heard You’re Trash Now”: A pop-punk delight with a fittingly cavalier delivery.
#120: MOONBIN&SANHA, “Madness”: An EDM pop song personalized thanks to MOONBIN’s writing credit and SANHA making his mark through first-time rapping.
#119: Nene, “All About That Day”: A sweet and straightforward ode to a past - and, ideally, returning - love.
#118: Defying Decay and Violette Wautier, “Clouds”: A surprisingly seamless collaboration between an alt-metal group and a sweet-voiced soloist.
#117: KUN, “PHENOMENON”: A sonic whirlwind of EDM, trap, and orchestral influences that continuously accelerates before major beat drops.
#116: ØZI, “Avant-Garde”: A hip-hop song that details the pressure to succeed in music through a thoughtful, big-picture lens.
#115: LIL LEAGUE from EXILE TRIBE, “Monster”: A fun, spooky adventure for fans of Xdinary Heroes.
#114: KINGDOM, “Song of the Wind”: Swelling strings and piano that give this B-side a sense of rising action.
#113: IVE, “I AM”: A rejuvenating anthem about limitless dreaming.
#112: PassCode, “GROUNDSWELL”: A head-turning combination of hyper-pop and rock with an important message about trusting oneself.
#111: Yoshida Rinne, “narabe”: A colorful song that seems to pile on even more strange sound effects as it goes, to inexplicably pleasing results!
#110: So!YoON! ft. RM, “Smoke Sprite”: An alternative song in terms of both sound and story; a novel way to describe the innate desires to be seen and to leave a lasting impact.
#109: LEE CHAE YEON, “I Don’t Wanna Know”: A great “What will be will be” ethos set to an intoxicating electronic instrumental.
#108: THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE, “Love Will Find A Way”: Wavy synths, bouncy guitars, a fun chorus, and enviable high notes that make this B-side an album standout.
#107: from20, “Bad Revenge”: A breezy synth-pop song with a timeless, catch-phrase-worthy lyric: “Cried, but I made a banger”!
#106: SUPER★DRAGON, “Tap tap tap!”: A song that’s chock-full of instrumental layers and next-level rapping.
#105: INI, “FANFARE”: A xikers-esque, chant-filled, pop-rock treat that lives up to its title.
#104: xikers, “TRICKY HOUSE”: A Bollywood-inspired and Moonbahton dance song that sets the scene for the group’s narratively elaborate, fictional story.
#103: Han Seungwoo, “Runnin’ High”: A rejuvenating song with amazing riffs and the ability to set the scene during a TV show’s or movie’s rising action!
#102: 同理 Zunya, “Vanished”: All the strong suits of other songs on the album (interchangeable rapping and singing finesse, high-quality, guitar-and-percussion-focused production…) put into one standout track!
#101: Park Rossi ft. Yumewanaii, “GOSSIP”: A whistle- and snapping-filled song with an interactive nature and welcome rock pivots in the choruses.
#100: THE BOYZ, “ROAR”: An R&B/pop/dance mix that combines many trendy components of 2023 K-pop songs and mixes them in a new way.
#99: TAEYANG ft. Beenzino, “Inspiration”: A funky, seventies-inspired tribute to a lover.
#98: YongYong ft. Gist, “Knockin’”: Both a classic YongYong song and something new from her; a smoother-than-usual use of autotune that highlights, rather than distracts from, her unique tone.
#97: HUH YUNJIN, “love you twice”: A well-put description of imposter syndrome and unrealistic expectations placed on women in relationships.
#96: TAEYONG, “404 File Not Found”: A vulnerable confession about feeling lost and hopeless that helps complicate the album’s thematic throughlines.
#95: HANDAM, “Maze”: A stunning, high-pitched voice and orchestral arrangement work with a down-the-middle pop template to win over all kinds of listeners.
#94: iKON, “U”: A delightful party playlist addition that proves classic iKON remains alive and well!
#93: YUGYEOM ft. Sik-K, “Ponytail”: A nineties/early-aughts-inspired, R&B, brassy number that plays to YUGYEOM’s strengths and started the year off on a fun, nostalgic note.
#92: BamBam, “Sour & Sweet”: Easy-listening city pop that sums up the album’s overall themes in a concise and catchy way.
#91: TAEYONG, “RUBY”: A sweet, earnest tribute to not just a loved one who is no longer in one’s life, but to the concept of deep connection itself.
#90: Vanillare, “Alive”: A short but effective, rightly angst-ridden rock song.
#89: SUPER★DRAGON, “Are U Ready?”: A rollicking cornucopia of sounds that kicks off the album preparing listeners to expect the unexpected!
#88: ITZY, “Kill Shot”: A level up from its sonic predecessor, “24HOURS,” which also deserves to be considered a personal “walking into a room” song choice!
#87: JISOO, “FLOWER”: A defiant farewell to an ex that uses a flower metaphor to describe oneself as both fragile and growing stronger.
#86: SCANDAL, “Vision”: A smart assessment of the nature of memories and the conscious, complicated, ongoing feelings around and efforts to preserve them.
#85: STAYC, “Teddy Bear”: An adorable pop song about pushing worries to the side for a moment to just focus on fun!
#84: (G)I-DLE, “Paradise”: A clever callback to 2021’s “DAHLIA,” revisiting past metaphors in a new light. Read more here!
#83: 8TURN, “EXCEL”: A confident anthem that shows the upsides of singing as a team; members’ voices volley back and forth ways that further the song’s triumphant feel and palpable excitement.
#82: KARD, “ICKY”: An unapologetically sensual, personality-packed Moonbahton song.
#81: SHINee, “Sweet Misery”: Lyrics about loving the pain of wading through an endless sea of memories from a past relationship, brought to life with dreamy harmonies stuck in a synth haze.
#80: NCT DOJAEJUNG, “Perfume”: A polished title track filled with lovely harmonies and charming, romantic lyrics.
#79: IVE, “Hypnosis”: A flirty, entrancing song with a sly reference to a Greek goddess of magic, Hecate.
#78: Vash Hsu, “Flowers Growing From My Eyes”: A serious song that repeatedly interrupts its own solemnity with “woo-hoo”s and other bursts of energy!
#77: Melody & Christine, “Halcyon”: Dreamy delivery that conveys an earnest “Love is all you need” message.
#76: NCT 127, “Ay-Yo”: A classic NCT song in the ways it takes what should sound annoying (alarm-type sounds) and spins it into musical gold!
#75: SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, “Love Me A Little”: A layered song in terms of both instruments and messages; a smart delivery of an “I’ll be fine with just a little love” message undercut by breaking glass and other details that expose the depths of their desire.
#74: Xdinary Heroes, “Man in the Box”: A hodgepodge of instruments and sound effects paired well with dramatic vocals and next-level confidence.
#73: TWICE, “CRAZY STUPID LOVE”: A mood-boosting post-breakup song with a fun, bluesy riff at the beginning.
#72: Epik High, “God’s Latte”: A multifaceted rumination on the concepts of karma and a higher power; it ends the album leaving listeners deep in thought and better off for it.
#71: KARDI, “Skybound”: A percussion-heavy rock ballad with a fascinating metaphor that compares the literal sea to seas of people.
#70: KAI, “Say You Love Me”: A hip-hop/R&B jam with 808s bass and the perfect home with KAI’s voice.
#69: BOL4, “FRIEND THE END”: A mellifluous, compulsively sing-along song for fans of IU’s “Blueming.”
#68: Stray Kids ft. Tiger JK, “TOPLINE”: A boisterous anthem filled with witty remarks and unapologetic ego.
#67: MAMAMOO+, “GGBB”: A cheeky number with theatrical flair and back-handed compliments.
#66: KISS OF LIFE, “Shhh”: A strong group debut song that introduces a new catchy component in each part of it.
#65: MIRANI ft. BIG Naughty, “BAD BOY”: A Billie Eilish-esque, snarky takedown of an ex that makes claims in a humorously matter-of-fact, cavalier way!
#64: BELLE from KISS OF LIFE, “Countdown”: A pop-punk, relatable song about struggling with perfectionistic expectations.
#63: Jimin, “Alone”: A voice that is as beautiful as the song is despairing; an intimate cry for consolation and understanding.
#62: DeVita ft. DAWN, “Ride For Me”: The right call for the album’s pre-release single; a too-short showcase of DeVita’s flawless voice that leaves listeners eager for more.
#61: ENHYPEN, “Bite Me”: All the right ingredients for a successful title track, from its brevity to its repetitive but catchy components, with a unique narrative twist that makes it deserving of more than average pop song appeal.
#60: LIM KIM, “Damn Cold”: A pop song with crashing synths, relatable lyrics, and a sinister undercurrent.
#59: P1Harmony, “More Than Words”: “‘More Than Words’ lives up to its title: random sounds and ad libs are constantly thrown at the listener! These could easily distract from the member’s raw talent but do not, and KEEHO particularly impresses with his ability to tune out the business while moving into different pitches. The bridge is brief but still packs in energetic rapping and admirable singing.” Read more here!
#58: MONSTA X, “LONE RANGER”: A song that aces its thematic assignment and has a smart arrangement; it knows just how to place the instrumental layers so that they overlap enough to keep the song engaging but not enough to overwhelm listeners.
#57: KANGDANIEL, “SOS”: An alt-rock/trap hero’s tale of which the vocal tone and guitar-heavy production rise to the occasion.
#56: BSS ft. Lee Young Ji, “Fighting”: A pep talk in song form that is particularly effective because the message is not “Cheer up” so much as “We’re right there with you! Hang in there! We’ve got this!”
#55: MIREI, “Lonely In Tokyo”: A layered pop song with fun autotuned twists, a gradual addition of more synths, and an escalating feel to its percussion.
#54: Marz23, “God”: In-your-face percussion and guitars amplify Marz23’s angst, while an echo-channeling filter tempers it; the final product is a sense of feeling trapped and makes for one of his album’s most affecting periods.
#53: P1Harmony, “JUMP”: A song that sounds like it was made for performing live in concert, filled with contagious enthusiasm.
#52: JOOHONEY, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”: A feel-good song with a meaningful choice to feature a choir of adult voices; in a previous JOOHONEY song, there was a choir of children’s voices, singing about hoping to find the strength to start anew and keep on growing.
#51: WOODZ, “Ready to Fight”: The perfect pop-rock sound for WOODZ’s voice and devil-may-care attitude!
#50: Nana Ou-Yang, “Mama Said’: “A murmuring bass provides the right background for her cavalier attitude, and she wards off monotony by adding percussion and unexpected volume changes… Nana Ou-Yang channels the angst warranted by punk-infused pop and the catchy repetition warranted by pop-infused punk!” Read more here!
#49: Anonymouz, “Waterfall”: The vocal delivery of a stirring ballad paired with the synth instrumental of a pop gem.
#48: NOILION and MIYAVI, “RAYS”: A thunderous blitz of electronic, rock, and orchestral sounds.
#47: JUN, “PSYCHO”: A thought-provoking song that covers the theme of overturning social norms in new ways but maintains the “dream world” concept of a previous single, “LIMBO;” a fitting and insightful sequel.
#46: LUN8, “Wild Heart”: A pop-rock, whistle-filled earworm that’s one of the best debut songs of 2023 so far.
#45: Meng Jia, aka Jia, “KNOCKOUT”: A fiery EDM number that seamlessly weaves in traditional instruments and rap verses.
#44: OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM, “White Noise”: “‘White Noise’ zigs when it seems ready to zag, seeming to settle into a certain rhythm but then escalating without warning. After guitar riffs kick things off, strings are ushered in, and this is just the first in a series of surprising instrumental switch-ups.” Read more here!
#43: Ayumi Hamasaki, “23rd Monster”: An electronic/rock jam with cool surround-sound qualities when listening with good headphones!
#42: BiSH, “innocent arrogance”: A powerful rock song about the need to redefine one’s own world and embrace oneself fully.
#41: JIHYO, “Nightmare”: The kind of fierce, vengeful song that is next-level when performed live; the perfect way to prove JIHYO can hold her own both in the recording studio and on stage!
#40: ATEEZ, “BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)”: An explosively energetic number; if the phrase “let loose” had a sound to it!
#39: (G)I-DLE, “Queencard”: A fantastic follow-up to “TOMBOY” in terms of both sound and attitude.
#38: ATEEZ, “Dune”: A surprise-filled B-side with humorously deep-voiced rapping and one of the most fun bridges of 2023 so far!
#37: Jeff Satur, “Dum Dum”: “While the choruses are minimal, the verses are tragic poems… With gorgeous and powerful vocals, the verses rise like tidal waves and come crashing down as he drains himself of these emotions and turns apathetic… the evil glint in his eyes and smirk on his face are easy to imagine whenever he resumes the muttered, ominous chorus. Jeff Satur entraps the audience in a tragic story, an impressive feat for a release that at first appears surface-level.” Read more here!
#36: YOASOBI, “Idol”: A compulsively dance-along track that rightly took the internet by storm this year!
#35: [Alexandros] ft. WurtS, “VANILLA SKY”: A layered rock song with so many moving parts that all work together in inexplicable ways.
#34: Dreamcatcher, “DEMIAN”: A strong argument for Dreamcatcher to lean harder in the future into the “rock” side of their pop-rock image; a distortion-filled, dynamic delight.
#33: FIFTY FIFTY, “Cupid”: A song that sounds sweet but speaks to universal unlucky-in-love feelings in an ironically cheerful way.
#32: DAWN, “Dear My Light”: An aching ballad about the bittersweet experience of seeing someone one is in love with free and thriving post-split.
#31: BABYMETAL, “METAL KINGDOM”: Instant BABYMETAL canon, emblematic of the group’s expansive, enveloping soundscapes.
#30: MONSTA X, “Beautiful Liar”: A loop-worthy number that plays to all of the group’s biggest strengths, from KIHYUN’s high notes to JOOHONEY and I.M’s ping-ponging raps.
#29: Agust D, “Polar Night”: A well-said argument against black-and-white framing of something as complex as human feelings. Read more here!
#28: MARK, “Golden Hour”: “It is hard to imagine a greater clapback… MARK is emboldened and gets ahead of future mockery by accepting an oddball, amateur image in advance! He makes people laugh with him instead of at him, treating his lack of cooking skills as just part of his identity.” Read more here!
#27: Aimer, “SKYLIGHT”: A sweeping, cinematic soundscape that brings to life the feeling of seeing light at the end of a tunnel.
#26: G.E.M., “Gloria”: A stunning power ballad that is the emotional core of the album of the same name.
#25: Epik High ft. Hwa Sa, “Catch”: A nuanced take on being the bigger person while maintaining and validating natural, negative impulses.
#24: NewJeans, “Super Shy”: A song in which the appeal lies in NewJeans’s signature softness, simplicity, and smoothness.
#23: iKON, “Tantara”: Old-school hip-hop delivered with a devil-may-care attitude and a sudden ending that makes putting the song on loop feel essential!
#22: Marz23 ft. ØZI, “Gaslight”: “This earworm combines the catchiness of a pop song with the bite of a punk song… [T]hey cannot have a peaceful afterlife, since they hold onto unresolved pain at the realization they spent ‘emotional debt’ on those undeserving of it… an unconventional reminder that hurt people hurt people…” Read more here!
#21: Forestella, “White Night”: A breathtaking choral performance by a team whose members have an electrifying synergy.
#20: KANGDANIEL, “Wasteland”: A song with exceptional high notes woven into the background and a vivid sense of betrayal mixed with resolve.
#19: Stray Kids, “S-Class”: The kind of quirky, unrepeatable track for which Stray Kids have become rightfully known, with the space for a dance break adding an extra thrill!
#18: NCT DREAM, “ISTJ”: A subversive message about getting to know someone without relying on a four-letter label, with a chaotic-in-the-best-ways mix of instruments and sound effects!
#17: ENHYPEN, “Chaconne”: An exceptionally meaningful song that enriches the album’s lore in crucial ways. Read more here!
#16: Janice Yan ft. Xiao Bing Chih, “Get Over Yourself”: Rugged rapping and top-tier singing that make for a clear and compelling contrast.
#15: AB6IX, “LOSER”: An unexpected combination of a sunny sound and despairing lyrics; a summation of the group’s organic maturity and balancing of the old with the new in their music.
#14: JOOHONEY, “FREEDOM”: Fittingly, a song that proves JOOHONEY is feeling free to experiment sonically; an intriguing combination of ballad-like and rap segments.
#13: TXT, “Sugar Rush Ride”: An excellent expansion of the group’s Neverland-themed album that also has plenty of broader-audience appeal.
#12: LE SSERAFIM ft. Nile Rodgers, “UNFORGIVEN”: A reinterpretation of a classic (from 1966’s The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly) into a brand new theme song, which oozes girl power and has cute choreography to boot!
#11: The Rose, “Alive”: One of the band’s finest vocal performances to date that proves their rock sound is where they are right at home - although the electronic breakdown mid-song is a well-done curveball!
#10: LE SSERAFIM, “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s wife”: A standout B-side for which “unique” is an understatement; a song that ought to be considered a definitive part of this group’s one-of-a-kind role in the K-pop universe.
#9: Jimin, “Like Crazy”: A high-quality pop song with surprising depth, thanks to its inclusion of hushed voices and other components in the background; it is like listening to an audiotape of Jimin’s inner thoughts.
#8: Jeff Satur, “Lucid”: “Jeff Satur’s luscious voice can sweep anybody into a tranquil state, like the permanent state of lucid dreaming about which he so heavenly sings… The lyrics form a sort of rhythmic poetry that prevents the… premise from seeming like mere mimicry.” Read more here!
#7: PURPLE KISS, “Sweet Juice”: A song that could not be performed as perfectly by any other group, both because of its tie-ins to a fictional video narrative and PURPLE KISS’s rich rainbow of vocal colors.
#6: WOODZ, “Journey”: ‘“Journey’ tells a profound tale of finding worth from within… he sings about the ‘blue sky and wide oceans’ that are buried deep inside. Stopping to process feelings instead of running away from them pains him, but he withstands waves of pain by knowing he can mentally escape to his ‘little island’... self-reliance enables his journey.” Read more here!
#5: Kwon Jin Ah, “Raise Up The Flag”: A good song turned into a great one with Kwon Jin Ah’s stunning performance of it; her voice wobbles throughout, as if she is choking out the words, making both her despair and perseverance contagious. Listeners are carried through her journey auditorily, hearing her deal with pain and growing into a more confident person as the song progresses; the gradual build complements her emotions’ evolution.
#4: TWICE, “SET ME FREE”: An excellent pop bop that is commendable for its secretly multifaceted message; a song that is both about feeling free post-relationship and freeing oneself to start anew when it comes to giving love a chance; a message not of “I don’t need love,” but of “I deserve better love than this.”
#3: Agust D, “Haegeum”: A song featuring one of 2023’s best verses so far, which covers everything from the age of information overload to the ways the internet caters to humanity’s worst impulses. Read more here!
#2: SEVENTEEN, “I Don’t Understand But I Luv U”: “The harmonies… enter and exit at unexpected times, the members’ pained voices backed by electric guitar riffs make for quite a juxtaposition, and the percussion goes from sounding like it has all day to leaving with a quick rattle. The song strays from past SEVENTEEN formulas sonically, but its lyrics have strong parallels to previous eras… they now understand that all they truly need to feel a connection is authentic love, hence the song title.” Read more here!
#1: TXT, “Farewell, Neverland”: The moving finale in an excellent concept album; the embodiment of what their tales of Neverland’s highs and lows are all about and the conflicted feelings that linger post-adventure…: “they remind themselves that Neverland is a ‘paradise full of lies.’ They now know the only way out of their struggles is through them; they will never see rainbows if they do not endure rain first. After all, this false paradise bears ‘A kiss from the sun that never sleeps,’ so ‘No one can see the stars.’” Read more here!
For more on the best of 2023 so far…
Read about the 50 best K-pop music videos!
Read about the 100 best albums!
Check out this podcast episode about the best songs!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Check out this podcast episode about the best K-pop music videos!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Check out this podcast episode about the best albums!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
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