The 150 Best Songs of 2024
A ranking and review of the year’s best songs released by Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai artists!
Note: For the sake of variety, each artist was only eligible for up to two spots on this list. However, songs by subunits and soloists counted as songs by separate artists. For example, NAYEON was eligible for up to two spots on this list as a solo act and up to two spots as a member of TWICE.
#150: Little Black Dress, “Flying Chikusho!!”: Amusingly-expressed annoyance with an instrumental befitting a fictional spy’s or detective’s theme song!
#149: yanaginagi, “Ashita no Hanashi”: A peculiar tale told through versatile layers and an intense escalation in the bridge.
#148: CRUCiAL STAR ft. twlv, “Like A Second Life”: One of CRUCiAL STAR’s strongest songs to date that is proof of his sharp musical instincts and natural collaborative skill.
#147: EVNNE, “UGLY”: A great choice for a rookie group’s impressionable focus track, with strong tech-house beats mixed with R&B influences.
#146: RIIZE, “Love 119”: A new take on “Emergency Room” by Izi that speaks to this boy band’s timeless appeal.
#145: xikers, “WITCH”: Spitfire rapping, a hardened industrial edge, and an unexpected end-of-song breakdown ensure that xikers make their mark like never before.
#144: JUD, “Left Alone”: A good pop song that becomes a great one, elevated by JUD’s breathy, distinguishable voice.
#143: go!go!vanillas, “Lai Lai Lai”: It “takes a very unusual approach to expressing the desire for a break from human routines and responsibilities!” Read more here!
#142: UNIS, “Curious”: A cute but commanding pop gem!
#141: Diana Wang, “BAD”: Where the soul of the BAD EP lies; it lays out the main message through beautiful vocals and a lovely piano instrumental.
#140: CHUU, “Strawberry Rush”: A soundtrack fit for a video or computer game that uses cute lyrics and sound effects to depict CHUU as the main character!
#139: A.C.E, “Supernatural”: The kind of classic boy band song that makes those who can’t whistle along wish they could!
#138: ROSÉ, “stay a little longer”: An aching and commendably vulnerable piano ballad.
#137: SEOLA, “Let’s Talk (Loneliness)”: A smart personification of loneliness and a song that contrasts nicely with the corresponding mini-album’s focus track.
#136: EPEX, “Youth2Youth”: A wholesome story of friendship that heightens its uplifting nature with a 20-person choir that joins the crescendo.
#135: Tomonari Sora, “ACTOR”: A wild ride that gains momentum slowly and then all at once!
#134: Ian Chan, “Thank You Postman”: An “acoustic guitar-driven number [with] lyrics reminiscent of an elementary school student’s love poem.” Read more here!
#133: LiSA, “QUEEN”: What the most invigorating anime-rock anthems are made of!
#132: ZICO & JENNIE, “SPOT!”: A carefree and party-ready hit from two charismatic characters.
#131: Timethai, “YOU ALREADY KNOW”: A sexy, R&B and Afrobeats-blending song.
#130: Kimos ft. YongYong, “Stitches”: A smooth, underrated song with cool left-to-right and right-to-left spacial qualities when listening with headphones!
#129: Hikaru Utada, “Naniirodemonai Hana (A Flower of No Color)”: Thought-provoking, poetically-put commentary.
#128: Nollflower, “Come true”: A song with an instrumental arrangement that impresses for both its breadth and structure.
#127: LeeHi, “My Beloved”: LeeHi’s iconic warble gives this ode to a lover the perfect home.
#126: FUMON & Marz23, “I’m Willing”: As guitars and drums warily chug along, these artists sing about feeling trapped in their all-consuming thoughts and strike a chord with those who seek company in a heavy headspace.
#125: JUNHA PARK, “The Fastest Transportation”: A road trip-worthy gem with jaunty guitars and choruses with which it is easy to sing along!
#124: Solar, “Blues”: A performance during which Solar unleashes her full vocal power in ways that, by comparison, make it seem like she holds back on the mini-album’s other tracks.
#123: Vicky Chen, “Guiding Light”: “With guitars and strings faint enough to not overpower Vicky Chen’s angelic voice and a repeated synth twist that keeps things interesting, ‘Guiding Light’ is as pleasant to listen to as its lyrics are important to hear...” Read more here!
#122: NARIN, “Voice Dance”: An acapella folk-pop marvel.
#121: SUHO, “Wishful Thinking”: Wistful lamenting about a day that seems “tangled beyond repair,” done in a throwback rock style for which SUHO is well-suited.
#120: CNBLUE, “A Sleepless Night”: A mid-tempo rock jam with the apt lyric “It’s stuck in my head”!
#119: OHTORA & maeshima soshi, “182”: A smile-worthy, sing-along-ready gem with bouncy guitars and “You-hoo-hoo”s!
#118: ØZI & 9m88, “BLEU”: A worthwhile duet for both the ways the pair’s vocals stand apart and complement each other’s.
#117: ID:Earth, “Behind the Door”: Instrumental-only periods and ID:Earth’s intentional and inimitable delivery both ensure this song stays a strong scene-setter the whole time.
#116: Younha, “Silvering”: A hopeful and lively embrace of adventure.
#115: Moon Byul, “Attention Seeker”: A pop-rock jam with electronic flourishes and blistering remarks.
#114: MXFRUIT, “so good so bad”: A spunky personal best with attention-grabbing horns and attention-holding voices.
#113: RIIZE, “Boom Boom Bass”: A groovy disco-pop jam with, naturally, a rad bass line, as well as the perfect tempo for a dance routine!
#112: Kimberley Chen, “Love Me More”: A dark scene-setter, complete with eerie echoes and instruments that scream alongside Kimberley!
#111: BABYMONSTER, “LIKE THAT”: A whistle-starring standout B-side that allows this group to show off their vocal talents in previously unheard ways.
#110: ONEWE, “OFF ROAD”: A strong argument that ONEWE’s best songs might actually not be their moodiest and gloomiest ones!
#109: COPTER ft. Punch from 4EVE, “คืนนี้ไปส่ง” (“I’ll Take You Back Tonight”): The definition of “perfect harmony” from start to finish, making its music video even more likable.
#108: TEN, “Nightwalker”: An engaging song for both its fictional storytelling and electrifying instrumental.
#107: TAEMIN, “Sexy In The Air”: Naturally, a sensual song, for which TAEMIN’s alluring voice is perfectly suited!
#106: Stray Kids, “MOUNTAINS”: A rousing album opener with Stray Kids’ signature self-hype and witty ways with words.
#105: SUPER★DRAGON, “Breakdown Anthem”: Epic bass, rap-like singing, and dashes of tambourines make for an adventurous and memorable moment.
#104: PRETZELLE, “Cry More Baby”: “Over a catchy Jersey club beat and while dripping with contempt for their exes, the group stresses their resolve to not waste emotional energy on those who fail to see their worth…” Read more here!
#103: NCT DREAM, “BOX”: A hip-hop/pop song with well-harmonized voices and an empowering message.
#102: Nana Mizuki, “ADRENALIZED”: A bursting-at-the-seams, electronic/pop-rock jam.
#101: CHEEZE, “Flames to dust”: A bossa-nova-inspired song that melodiously tackles the topic of tension.
#100: Little Glee Monster, “Break out of your bubble”: The voices of different vocal powerhouses combine in this harmonious tour de force.
#99: MILLENNIUM PARADE, “GOLDENWEEK”: An intoxicating instrumental and synthesized voice are the perfect soundtrack for this song’s inventive, CGI-movie-style music video.
#98: GOOD BYE APRIL, “Ride on a Dawn Train”: A straightforward “See you soon” message made more exciting with a playful piano and killer saxophone.
#97: cross-dominance & eill, “All I Want”: Horns, a piano, and a choir all meaningfully contribute to this lively, clap-along-ready number.
#96: KAVE, “You”: Strong proof of Gaho’s vocal range and a great choice for getting new listeners hooked on his band’s music.
#95: RM, “LOST!”: An ambiguous alt-pop ode to aimless wandering, trusting that the journey will always be more fruitful than the destination.
#94: Loossemble, “TTYL”: What classic girl-group favorites are made of, from a beat that’s premium remix material to cutesy “lalala”s that contrast with an assertive tone!
#93: Solar, “But I”: A breakup ballad that quickly converts into a fast-paced, spirited ode to independence.
#92: NAYEON, “ABCD”: A song that compels from start to finish and lets NAYEON reveal a new side of herself.
#91: Rei Yasuda, “Turn the Page”: A stellar vocalist shares wise words about soaking in every precious moment.
#90: Dreamcatcher, “2 Rings”: Big and little details alike, from the guitars to the motorcycle noises, compound the song’s fearless attitude.
#89: SEVENTEEN, “Candy”: Sweet (no pun intended!) commentary on how even the littlest indicators of love deserve to be savored, backed by beautiful piano, strings, and voices.
#88: TAEYEON, “Letter To Myself”: A touching and self-explanatory song with soft verses that lead into loud and proud choruses; a song about gaining self-esteem that walks the walk.
#87: ATEEZ, “NOT OKAY”: A climactic single that is ATEEZ’s best Japanese release to date.
#86: TWICE ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “Strategy”: A fun and flirty song that gets stuck in listeners’ heads extremely easily!
#85: RM ft. Little Simz, “Domodachi”: A jazz-infused, agile number with clever wordplay and rad guitar licks.
#84: Sunnee, “Numb”: An expression of societal disillusionment and disconnection that speaks volumes both literally and metaphorically.
#83: Li Ronghao, “Sea-Land Breeze”: An impactful piano ballad that likens feelings of fragility to bodies of water.
#82: OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM, “Same Blue”: Feelings are tossed and turned over as the instrumental arrangement adds some here and subtracts some there; the train of thought aligns with skillful, subtle instrumental alterations.
#81: IVE, “HEYA”: A personality-packed pop song with periodic pauses for piano notes, beat drops, and sassy interjections!
#80: Kimberley Chen, “Say What”: The rising action that the corresponding album deserves, with powerful drums and Kimberley’s voice amplified by a choir.
#79: LISA, “Rockstar”: A “run-through of LISA’s remarkable resume and range, bringing attention to both the local and global aspects of her popularity…” Read more here!
#78: LIM KIM, “ULT”: “‘ULT’ pairs traditional Korean instruments with a bold bass, the clanking of swords, and electronic additions to leave an impact as strong as LIM KIM’s commanding voice…” Read more here!
#77: TWICE, “ONE SPARK”: A drum ‘n’ bass jam right in TWICE’s classic and globally-beloved wheelhouse.
#76: ONEWE, “Meteor Shower”: A twisty, detailed song about love as a source of light in the darkness.
#75: IU ft. HYEIN, Joe Won Sun, & Patti Kim, “Shh..”: An enigmatic tale told through multiple narrators in a way that makes listeners feel like they’re being let in on a secret!
#74: Epik High, “LATE CHECKOUT”: A clever analogy is used to describe life as neither about the journey nor the destination, but something between the two that a hotel room can represent.
#73: Vicky Chen & W.M.L, “But You Give It Up”: A duet that “excels at depicting the intense yearning for a return to a love story maintained through reciprocal effort...” Read more here!
#72: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, “APT.”: “With an earworm of a chorus, lyrics that are only serious in the context of game competitiveness, and a mix of indie-rock and pop-punk sensibilities, the song’s wide popularity is earned and unsurprising!” Read more here!
#71: from20, “Demon”: A pop bop with a catchy post-chorus whistle and subtle details, like a backup vocal layer towards the end, that increase the satisfaction of the listening experience.
#70: (G)I-DLE, “Super Lady”: An unapologetic, empowering song that set an early high bar for the year’s girl group releases.
#69: Sohyang ft. YDG, “BLESSING”: Sohyang’s heavenly voice (pun intended!) conveys deeply-felt feelings and avoids growing tedious thanks to YDG’s rap intermission.
#68: TRiDENT, “Haha!”: Electronic undercurrents bubble beneath a rock foundation and eventually result in a blast of energy via instrumental breakdown!
#67: Dreamcatcher, “JUSTICE”: An alt-rock song that excels at mixing in pop and electronic elements.
#66: JxW, “Last night”: A Moonbahton song with narratively rich context and performances that fully stay in character.
#65: HEIZE, “Broken diary”: A heartfelt look back on a relationship and what made it worthwhile despite its end.
#64: HEIZE, “FALLIN’”: Musical poetry that assesses love in both personal and big-picture ways.
#63: LA POEM, “Mirror”: A song that brings “the needed passion and strength to the topic of love’s irresistible pull…” Read more here!
#62: FUMON, “IT WAS LIKE”: A rollicking pop-rock number sprinkled with sound effects, call-and-response-ready moments, and other finishing touches that amplify the excitement in just the right places.
#61: Yves, “Hashtag”: Yves at her most (deservedly!) confident, in terms of both lyrical sentiments and her vocal control and abilities.
#60: THE FIV5 & Karn The Parkinson & Jorin from 4EVE, “Let’s get it on”: A “humorous, disco-inspired jam” that turns “bleak outlooks on relationship prospects into a groovy good time!” Read more here!
#59: anti-talent, “Love”: Classic synth-pop that becomes much more than that, thanks to an airy and alluring first verse, a pivot to rap for the second verse, and catchy choruses that tie it all together.
#58: PURPLE KISS, “ON MY BIKE”: A song that equally sustains the thrill throughout its verses, chorus, and bridge.
#57: Jess Lee, “Burn (Reborn)”: A song that builds on itself, starting with the sound of a crackling fire, gradually adding more elements into its soundscape, and ramping up the intensity by the time a later chorus commences.
#56: LE SSERAFIM, “CRAZY”: A house-music-inspired earworm with relatable lyrics about the need to get mentally unstuck.
#55: KISS OF LIFE, “Midas Touch”: A throwback to the sound of early-aughts girl groups, personalized with self-referential lyrics.
#54: DPR IAN, “SAINT”: A classic example of how this remarkable artist transports listeners into new worlds with immersive and free-form listening experiences.
#53: milet, “bliss”: milet’s voice rises and falls with perfect timing; the many instruments that accompany her all know and stay in their proper places to make for a rich but uncluttered sound.
#52: Li Ronghao, “Names”: A rock ballad that uses insightful analogies to assess a relationship’s current state.
#51: Bii, “Glacier”: The moving soundtrack to a deeply meaningful music video about true love and longevity.
#50: ONF, “Bye My Monster”: One of ONF’s strongest songs ever, in terms of lyrics, sound, and finishing touches (stick around for a particularly top-tier high note towards the end!).
#49: Yves, “DIORAMA”: Yves tries her hand at electro-R&B and pulls it off with flying colors; she strikes a nuanced tone somewhere between sultriness and moodiness, making her rendition of the song not easy to copy.
#48: ONE OR EIGHT, “Don’t Tell Nobody”: A “fantastic choice for any boy band’s official debut single,” with “all the right ingredients to make an impact on global pop radio and social media, including an earworm of a chorus and a dynamic mix of rapping and singing.” Read more here!
#47: f5ve, “UFO”: More “than just a quirky and catchy pop song… it is a song that uses Japanese pop culture references to cheekily let people know that they are about to ‘find out’ how much this group comes out on top in the global music scene!” Read more here!
#46: Forestella, “Apocalypse”: A tremendous showcase of vocal strength, stamina, synergy, and strong intuition for when to channel a sense of rising versus falling action.
#45: Cha Eun-Woo, “STAY”: A song with a lasting emotional impact and a great arrangement, starting and ending with just guitars and incorporating drums later, so the song has movement and balance.
#44: Epik High, “ANTIHERO”: A subversive take on haters and self-made myths.
#43: JAEHYUN, “Smoke”: A suave, stylish, and seamless style of jazzy pop that allows JAEHYUN to show off huskier and lighter tones to his voice at different times.
#42: tripleS, “Girls Never Die”: “Lalala”s and a pop instrumental make for a clever, deceptive delivery of a meaningful message.
#41: Ayumu Imazu, “Where Do We Go!”: It “addresses an existential crisis in the most fun way possible… With a catchy, upbeat tune and ‘We’re all in this together’ sentiment, Ayumu Imazu humbly and humorously conveys relatable confusion.” Read more here!
#40: Kenshi Yonezu, “Mainichi - Every Day”: Lots of fun, with a “rollicking piano and bouncy beat [that] are worthy of the dancers’ relentless exuberance.” Read more here!
#39: NewJeans, “How Sweet”: Classic pop appeal mixed with NewJeans’s trademarks, like a relatively shy delivery and lots of stick-in-your-head details.
#38: SAAY, “DOMINO”: “Flexing her natural ability to suddenly change pitches, she describes herself as in the path of falling dominos, while those who wish her the worst take pleasure in watching them fall…” Read more here!
#37: ILLIT, “Magnetic”: Connective tissue for ILLIT’s debut EP that also feels complete on its own, with every second sounding smooth yet carefully curated.
#36: KAVE, “Stone”: A great song to let loose and rock out to; an eccentric and absolute blast!
#35: WENDY, “His Car Isn’t Yours”: A beautiful ballad with clever dual interpretations of its title.
#34: Jeff Satur, “Ghost”: A devastating ballad sung by an always-compelling artist.
#33: BOYNEXTDOOR, “Earth, Wind & Fire”: A fittingly frenetic approach to singing about crush-related nerves, complete with the perfect sound effects!
#32: MIRROR, “Culture Vulture”: A “searing indictment of a public that prefers to live in idealized realities over the real one…” Read more here!
#31: milet, “Wings”: A varied ballad with spectacular high notes and helpful words of wisdom.
#30: Hui, “Hmm BOP”: A song that has talent and frivolity in equal measures, with Hui showing off his multi-octave range while singing nonsensical lyrics!
#29: MIYAVI, “Mirror Mirror”: An intense identity crisis is given the appropriate musical treatment, with an unstable mood that ranges from aggressive to subdued.
#28: Jimin, “Be Mine”: A remarkably smooth merging of Latin, Afrobeats, folksy, sultry, pop, and nostalgic R&B influences!
#27: Reol, “RE RESCUE”: Breathless hyper-pop perfection!
#26: Xdinary Heroes, “LOVE and FEAR”: A song that has the multitudes, regarding both instrumental and vocal choices, warranted for a song about such charged and opposite emotions.
#25: COME, “LOSE”: One of those perfect pop songs for both its finished product and its individual components.
#24: G-DRAGON ft. TAEYANG & DAESUNG, “HOME SWEET HOME”: An A-plus return to form that has all the elements of a classic BigBang song, including boastful self-references and unexpected production choices.
#23: Stray Kids, “Chk Chk Boom”: A hip-hop and Latin-inspired song on which no member holds back from adding their own personal touches.
#22: PURPLE KISS, “Sweet Nightmare”: PURPLE KISS’s biggest strengths all put into one song: smooth instrumental layering, synergistic vocal volleying amongst each other, and a mix of sweet and sinister comments!
#21: Jeff Satur, “Almost over you”: An easy-to-love and impossible-to-grow-tired-of acoustic ballad!
#20: SEVENTEEN, “MAESTRO”: An astounding incorporation of seven older SEVENTEEN songs into a new and nimble anthem.
#19: P1Harmony, “SAD SONG”: An “effective soundtrack for the feeling that P1Harmony breathlessly rap and sing about: being stuck in an emotional loop while choosing to dance through it!” Read more here!
#18: TXT, “Deja Vu”: A classic example of what TXT do best: find the perfect sonic equivalent of a complex emotional state.
#17: Younha, “East wind”: A full soundscape, soaring vocals, and wise words beautifully bring home a big-picture moral of Younha’s story.
#16: Jimin, “Who”: A song that is heavy on early-aughts inspiration but avoids sounding derivative, thanks to Jimin’s irreplicable voice and production that is subtly more intricate than it sounds on the surface.
#15: NCT DREAM, “i hate fruits”: A classic NCT DREAM song: endearing, earnest, emotional expressions made in a childlike and unusual way!
#14: Sakurazaka46, “I want tomorrow to come”: “This song is full, genre-averse, and disarming in ways that suit its dark theme… ‘I want tomorrow to come’ addresses a deep fear of the unknown in unforgettable ways.” Read more here!
#13: TAEMIN, “Deja Vu”: A confluence of TAEMIN’s best musical instincts: to allude to the era’s broader themes through his lyrics, to top a genre hybrid off with orchestral flourishes, and to captivatingly layer voices in ways that highlight the power in his own and the richness that backup echoes can offer.
#12: Sakurazaka46, “Jigoujitoku”: A romp through an industrial-rock/electro-pop playground that suits the intense emotional wounds about which they sing.
#11: aespa, “Supernova”: Explosive electro-pop that mixes modern and nostalgic elements in personalized ways.
#10: IU, “Love wins all”: A gorgeous, romantic ballad that fits IU’s voice like a glove.
#9: D.O., “About Time”: A stunning piano ballad that ties together themes and phrases from the songs that precede it on the album; a thoughtful song in both words and sound.
#8: Tokyo Girls’ Style, “Falling love na toki”: With an intro, instrumental interlude, and outro, “Falling love na toki” feels full and unrushed, yet it stays energetic. The sound is polished with sweet harmonies that suit the topic: cherishing today’s time together so that tomorrow can be “wrapped in smiles.” One couldn’t ask for a more pleasant delivery of the classic advice that it is better to love and lose than to never love at all!
#7: Ian Chan, “Sculp”: “The ultimate theme of ‘Sculp’ is the agony of letting go, and Ian Chan covers this theme with an incisive sculpture analogy… The first verse sounds more fragile and emptier than the rest of the song. The drama ramps up over time and leads up to a crescendo of strings, cymbals, and anguished cries. ‘Sculp’ does an excellent job offering musical, lyrical, and visual equivalents to the desperation and ultimate futility of a lovestruck person’s attempts to freeze a moment in time…” Read more here!
#6: MIYAVI, “Real Monsters”: This song has it all, from singing alone with a roughness in his voice to singing along with a melodramatic choir; from instrumental moments that begrudgingly chug forward to a period of accelerated guitar-playing; from a relatively stripped, raw opening to a digital-filter-focused finale; and from channeling the sounds of the album’s other songs to moments of complete originality. As MIYAVI sings about the “real monster inside of [his] head,” that monster takes sonic shapes that form entertaining chaos! If any one song sums up the essence of the album LOST IN LOVE, FOUND IN PAIN, it is “Real Monsters;” a satisfying spectacle is made out of his serious thoughts and feelings! Read more here!
#5: ONE OK ROCK, “Delusion:All”: “‘Delusion:All’ is a galvanizing anthem. As ONE OK ROCK lament feeling like youths’ concerns are unheard, their naturally growing frustration is matched by a quickening instrumental and lyrics that grow closer to the core of the problem: being ‘exhausted’ and feeling ‘delusional’ for responding to a chaotic world with ignored outrage. After all, it is normal to feel ‘crazy’ if the popular response to a tumultuous world is a shrug! The group refuses to let nonchalance be normalized and expresses determination to be the change they want to see… The group’s ‘There’s not a moment to waste’ mentality clashes with the pace of social change, a tension also exemplified through the post-chorus glitching and final guitar wails. ‘Delusion:All’ is a soundtrack for the process of turning frustration into fuel for a collective fire.” Read more here!
#4: IVE, “Accendio”: With alluring and in-control vocals, a well-done blend of drums and synths, and an original title choice, “Accendio” perfectly captures IVE’s essence and appeal. Inspired by “accendium,” a term that refers to lighting a flame, IVE have coined a new term that sounds like a magical, spark-generating spell. The spell-casting theme is literal in the corresponding music video and metaphorical in terms of the song’s mystical aura and the group’s charm. “Accendio” is a classically IVE song that sums up their fictional story at the same time as it accurately frames their real image.
#3: YUTA, “PRISONER”: “‘PRISONER’ is the most emblematic B-side of what makes Depth such a strong album. First of all, the instrumentation has extra details (most distinguishably, a squishy synth) that could easily sound out-of-place but somehow do not; the details add to the song’s stickiness. Second of all, the lyrics parallel those of the previous songs, offering a recap of the album’s themes so far: seeking freedom (‘Gonna touch the blue sky’), forgiving his past self (‘Even if I’m innocent / I’m bound by a chain / But never gonna give it up / So just be myself’), and putting blame on a toxic lover (‘You love to watch me bleed / A terribly twisted prison of love’). Third of all, everything from the vocal filter choices to the instrumental ones work together to generate ebbs and flows that align with the turbulent and calm waves of life about which YUTA sings. Both the times when sounds are pulled back (especially in the pre-choruses) and the times when sounds are added are timed perfectly to make busy and quiet moments share the emotional heft. The perfect finishing touch is the outro: ‘Believe in myself,’ he repeats a handful of times, sounding distant as drums lead him out.” Read more here!
#2: YUTA, “Butterfly - Depth Ver.”: “‘Butterfly - Depth Ver.’ is an all-too-brief but otherwise outstanding song. It captures the thematic layers of the tracks that precede it and reinforces Depth’s overarching message. YUTA shows both vulnerability (‘Wandering in a dream just while crying’) and inner strength (‘We gotta fight now… No matter what anyone says’). He shows stamina and determination, both through his words and his delivery, which grows more solid yet more strained as the song unfolds. Most meaningfully, he captures the nuances of butterfly symbolism. He sings about finding tremendous inner strength after taking a leap of faith and spreading his wings, and he describes himself as a fragile creature…” Read more here!
#1: TXT, “Miracle”: This song is about a miraculous tomorrow that “can only be seen with closed eyes,” an indirect reference to a key quote from the era’s inspiration, The Little Prince. TXT sing about finding happiness through appreciating intangibles, like curiosity and friendship, and they do so in ways replete with callbacks to their other songs. They simultaneously tackle topics like keeping the faith and directly facing difficulties, coexisting themes throughout TXT’s discography that speak to their “The courage to face ‘TOMORROW’ comes from being ‘TOGETHER’” ethos. The song has simultaneous airs of apprehension and appreciation; it refers to the past, is about cherishing the present, and envisions a brighter tomorrow, making its hopefulness more genuinely felt than it would without such nuance. “Miracle” is both a definitive song for TXT as a group and a profound, resonant song outside of their specific story. Like “Deja Vu,” TXT’s other song on this list, “Miracle” excels at the difficult task of finding a lyrical and sonic equivalent of a specific and strong emotional state.
For even more music recommendations, revisit 2023’s Top 150 List here, and bookmark this page to keep track of 2024’s “Best Of” reveals!