best of FINISHED | RobDeWittBukater's Best of 2018

[RobDeWittBukater]

1 hour ago, TheWayWeWere said:

I used to prefer Focus over NA, but I barely listen Focus now tbh  

NTLTC is so low  

Ooh La La  single material

New Look  a BOP

omg Under the Blue/Take Me in  

Yeah, Focus can easily overstay its welcome tbh, but so far I haven't gotten tired of it quite yet 

Well, to be honest, I haven't used NTLTC as much as I should have, but it's definitely a song that's dear to my heart  Stay tuned for my Top MVs countdown tho, the good sis will make a glorious comeback there 

A fellow Ooh La La lover? Oh wow OH WOW taste detected

Under the Blue is THAT hymn, those melodies 

[collin]

Interesting Tinashe pick. I forget how that one sounds. Heal Me is cute, as is Dose.

God Is A Woman, A No No, TUN, New Look, 1999, NTLTC, GODcus

 

[TayRianaPH]

Hi sweetie!  

Great list so far! ? 

 

My Top 3 on this set:

3. Euphoria

2. Love Shot (should've been WAY higher)

1. SHINE! (#1 contender!)

 

Whut?! The I Love You betrayal is.... a choice, when it deserves Top 50, let alone Top 100 placement!

 

Knowing someone made a list with KPop, I might make a KPop Top List too!  

 

See you on my Best Of too.  

[RobDeWittBukater]

#060-051:

#060 Vixx – Scentist 
Built on sensual pulsations and cascading flourishes of synths, Scentist is located on a stratum that lies somewhere between the entrancing, shadowed electro-house of Fei’s “Fantasy” and the dramatic gloom and despair of Vixx’s own “Fantasy”. Paradise, if there ever was one. The lyrics, which revolve around the boys bathing in their lover’s scent (the allusions to Patrick Süskind’s Perfume are apparent and ever so welcome), provide an additional layer of sickly sweet uneasiness. Should you be in search of a dark trop-pop song, this might be the one for you! (And the music video is worth a watch just for Hongbin’s toxic blue hair alone)

[A WIN for @Seros]

 

#059 Exo - Gravity
I’m gonna be honest here: The highlight of this song are literally the first 20 seconds. Now don’t get it twisted, the rest still KNOCKS, but GOD. THAT. INTRO. It’s an eargasm of electronic crispness, rippling 80s pop synths, vocoder “gravity”s and Baekhyun’d “oh woah oh woah”s. The rest of the track can best be described as a bastardization of “Boomerang” and “Power” from Exo’s 2017 repackage with some “Lucky One” thrown in for good measure. Mind you, each and every one of those songs is absolute, unfiltered, unadulterated pop PERFECTION, so “Gravity” has quite a lot to live up to - and, well, it almost does. I don’t know why but the chorus just doesn’t hit me as hard as it should. Either way, “Gravity” is another pseudo-retro bop safely secured in Exo’s bag (and it’s also the latest installment in SM’s ever-continuing space saga which puts it alongside the stellar masterpieces that are Jonghyun’s “Moon”, Luna’s “Galaxy” and Taemin’s “Mars”).

 

#058 The 1975 - Love It If We Made It
When I first listened to this song I was like “This is what has been missing from my 2018”. When I listened to it for a second time I was like “What is this garbage I- STOP ****ING SCREAMING.” All in all, I can safely say that I’ve come to appreciate this song quite a bit. As grating as the shout-sung verses might feel, they perfectly convey the emotions this song is meant to invoke. And then there’s that absolutely beautiful, melancholic, delicate instrumental riff that the songs starts and ends with (and that serves as the foundation for the bridge) - it’s instant, memorable and moving, and about as essential to this song as the string pattern in “Untouched” by The Veronicas. And last but not least, there are the lyrics - that passionate cry of “And you’re famous!” resonated with me in particular, seeing as this song in its entirety revolves around our current social climate, one that is as much about instant gratification as it is about being famous for 15 minutes.

 

#057 Key - Forever Yours (feat. Soyou) 
The teasers for this song were very underwhelming (and concerningly tropical-leaning) and when the full thing arrived, I still wasn’t impressed. The song struck me as nothing that could elicit a reaction beyond “cute” and the music video was basically a 3 minute outtake from the “I Want You” mv. But THEN came THAT performance. The date was November 16, 2018, the program Music Core. Key wore a purple suit and glasses (!), Soyou looked like she had just finished her shift as a body double on the set of the photoshoot for Red Velvet’s “Summer Magic”. EXCELLENCE happened. Suddenly it all made sense. That simple, euphoric chorus, an endless sequence of “FOREVER YOOORS” echoing through the ether. Soyou’s sweetly cooed verses. The switch-up in the bridge. That BATTLE CRY of a pre-chorus (“NEOL DALMEUN UJUGA / SSODAJINIKKA!”). When I tell you this song was TRANSFORMED in front of my eyes. Do I still think it’s generic? Yes. Is it among the best Key’s album has to offer? God, no. But have I grown to love it? YOU BET I HAVE.

 

#056 Ariana Grande - breathin
My first listen of ‘Sweetener’ was defined by a taste of disappointment rather than sweetness, and to my surprise, even the two tracks that had been universally hailed as the album’s standouts (namely “breathin” and “everytime”) left little to no impression on me. I guess I came in expecting something slightly um Grande-r-sounding, something that possessed the level of oomph found on previous universally beloved Ari tracks such as “Into You”, “Love Me Harder”, “Touch It” or “Thinking ‘Bout You” which was an error on my part. After all, “no tears” and “God is a woman” had made it very apparent that ‘Sweetener’ would not be our usual Ari pop bop buffet. Instead we’d be in for a more… delicate affair, and “breathin” is just that. Once again, I had HUGE expectations for this song, and I won’t say that I wasn’t underwhelmed. But “breathin” turned out to be a slow burn for me (in the same vein as “God is a woman” actually): It was basically unavoidable for me when I was staying at my boyfriend’s house since he would listen to almost nothing ELSE, and as time went on, I also started to feel the need to listen to the song. I discovered the appeal of the vulnerability that is tangible in this song (which, now that I think about it, is actually comparable to the feel that I got from some of the songs SHINee has delivered this year as well), and I developed an appreciation for that chorus which, yes, is not as much of a hard-hitter as I would like it to be, but is still seismic all the same, in the most simple, subtle way possible (it’s also hands down one of the best melodic moments on ‘Sweetener’). And it goes without saying that the message of this song too is one that resonates deeply with me.

 

#055 BoA - Camo 
No one in K-Pop delivers Janet, military-style calls to the dance floor quite like BoA. There’s much to love about “Camo” - the rippling synth beat that sounds like something beamed in from Britney’s “Blackout” sessions, BoA’s commanding delivery (“UH HUH!”), that electronic cascade of a pre-chorus, the dramatic middle-eight breakdown, the semi-anthemic, semi-robotic chorus. Oh, and THAT VIDEO. Yes, that’s all that needs to be said: THAT VIDEO. WATCH IT. (red has never looked so good)

 

#054 Taeyeon - Baram X 3
Contrary to what for some odd reason (my guess is SMophobia) appears to be the popular opinion, Taeyeon’s most recent Korean comeback is indeed very much worth checking out. The entire EP really is solid, but king in the land of the ‘Something New’ B-sides is the curiously titled “Baram X 3”, a summery, funk-infused feel-good bop that has attitude in spades. Taeyeon’s tone really shines on this one, especially when she takes on that bright, triumphant “nan bara bara barabwa / baram baram baram” chant in the chorus. “Baram X 3” is a whole lot of straight-forward, uncomplicated fun and should NOT be slept on any further.

[A WIN for @Fentydelspears!]

 

#053 Exo-CBX - Blooming Day
“Blooming Day” might be the most Exo-CBX song the Exo subunit has ever released, which is far from a bad thing. It lays the retro-but-electronic shtick on THICK, and to great results, mostly thanks to those vocals (everybody say thank you Chen) and a beat that DEMANDS finger-snapping, 1-2-stepping, SOME type of movement. The production of this song is simple, crisp, upbeat and just gives off an easy, effortless feel - which is reiterated in the accompanying #aesthetic music video, which is about as close as humanity has gotten to capturing the feeling of a fresh spring breeze in visual form.

 

#052 Years & Years - All for You 
At the very last minute, this song sneaked into my list and in order to accommodate it, I unfortunately had to sacrifice BoA’s “Everybody Knows” ? #Pray4BoA #YesStreamsYesOllysRent

 

#051 Exo-CBX - Sweet Dreams
In my mind, “Sweet Dreams” is the less exciting brother of “Vroom Vroom” - which of course doesn’t mean that it’s anything less than EXCELLENT. The main event of this song is that blissful, sparkling chorus (“wae naega ireoneunji molla!” which for some reason always sounds like “oh baby MOONLIGHT!” to me - yep, it’s definitely time to book that otologist appointment), but those oh-so-80s verses and that final send-off from Baekhyun (“uri naeil manna!”) should also not be ignored.

[madonnas]

Gaga is serving Ariana grande in that pic of heal me lol

[Harranger]

I hope you’re putting Something God somewhere in the Top 2 sis  thanks for the tag xx

[RobDeWittBukater]

#050-041:

#050 SHINee - Electric
“Electric” was, after “Who Waits for Love?”, the song that captured my attention the most on ‘The Story of Light: Ep. 2’. And for good reason. For one, there’s that absolutely, well, electric, meaty, somewhat complex beat that serves as the foundation for the verses. Then there are those #masc “yeah”s uttered by Minho throughout the song (LORD have mercy). Then there’s that CHANT of a pre-chorus followed by what can only be transcribed as “brrrrzzzz”. YES, THE SOUND OF AN ACTUAL ELECTRIC DISCHARGE. GET IT? Then more chanting. And then, to finish everything off so I can officially claim “death by electricity” as my official cause of death, there are those ad-libs: “HEY! ELECTRI-I-IC!” “OH!” “WITH THIS ELECTRIC FEELING!” “OH NO OOHJÜ=OIPÜJH!” “ELECTRIC!” Listen and FEEL the power. Did I mention that this song is called “Electric”?

 

#049 Years & Years – Hallelujah 
You can seldomly go wrong with songs named “Hallelujah”. Crafted with the same magic formula that made Communion’s standouts so damn good, this is easily one of Palo Santo’s holiest moments.

 

#048 Sunmi – Heroine 
The best “Fight for This Love” remake you’ll hear this year (and also one of my favorite music videos, had to limit myself to ten for this countdown though, sorry queen). On a related note: poor Cheryl.

 

#047 Jonghyun - Just for a Day
As with much of ‘Poet | Artist’, there’s an airy, floaty, breezy, strangely melancholic quality about “Just for a Day” that makes for an easy, instantly gratifying surface listen, but also makes one curious about uncovering the deeper layers of meaning buried within the lyrics. But one doesn’t have to go as far as to turn to the lyrics for meaning. The melody itself, which samples a song called “Don’t Fear the Reaper” - a fact that makes this song infinitely harder to listen to - really lays it all bare for the listener. I’ll leave it at that because nothing I could write could ever begin to do justice to what Jonghyun was feeling and to all he was trying to communicate - not just with this song, but with his entire final album. The only thing I have to say about this song is that it’s really, truly beautiful and reflective of the poet and artist that Jonghyun was and always will be.

 

#046 Kylie Minogue - Sincerely Yours 
This is the kind of song “Raining Glitter” tries to be. When strings and synths collide, it is almost always an indication that pop music is SAVED. Everybody say thank you Kylie.

 

#045 Twice – Sunset 
I usually follow a strict anti-Twice agenda (whilst also acknowledging the occasional bop, hello “Likey”!) but “Sunset” is just too GOOD to deny for anyone who loves catchy, sugary pop music. Glittering with the same synthy sheen that can be found all over on canonized pop classics such as “1989” or “Emotion”, “Sunset” is slightly throwback-ish and filled with “Oh, boy!”s and “BABAY!”s. What more could you ask for? This track is a definite YES (or Yes).

[and a big fat WIN for @FBF]

 

#044 Jonghyun - Shinin’ 
Jonghyun was, no, is my favorite member of my favorite group of artists ever - and the fact that I managed to develop this strong and great of an emotional connection to him and to his music even though I had only discovered him after his passing speaks volumes to his artistry, his personality, his legacy, and just everything around him. Considerate, sensitive, giving, caring, fragile, strong, sensual, charming, passionate, melancholic, soft-spoken, playful, prone to hyperbole and desperation, endearingly aloof and so-so talented (not to mention dashingly handsome), Jonghyun cast a light and warmth on everyone around him and this song - which ultimately became his posthumous title track from ‘Poet | Artist’ - encapsulates just that. Shinin’ feels airy, weightless and groovy, like a distant echo of “View”, “Déjà-Boo” and “She Is” all at once. It’s fuzzy, bright and flashy, but also weirdly foreign and tranquilized; the happy feelings that a song like Shinin’ is seemingly engineered to invoke never arrive, there’s always a disconnect. It’s a strange kind of glow that this song casts on the listener, an odd sense of comfort that this song provides, but in it there’s also a lingering remnant of the light and joy and energy that Jonghyun brought to K-Pop and beyond. May we cherish it forever.

 

#043 Kim Petras - Turn Off the Light (feat. Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)
With verses that could have easily been part of a Lady Gaga song circa 2009 and a chorus as undeniable as we’ve come to expect from Miss Petras, “Turn Off the Light” is probably the closest thing the latter half of the 2010s decade has produced to that “dark pop!11!” fantasy the gays keep reminiscing about. It’s good, good stuff, complete with a Thriller-style spoken word middle eight intermission because why the **** not.

 

#042 BTS – Anpanman 
Ah, BTS. What kind of image comes to your mind when you read those three letters? Is it one of hordes of female post-1D Twitter stans composing 27-tweet-threads on why BTS’ music should be called “BTSPop” instead of K-Pop? Is it one of well-meaning Buzzfeed ~journalists~ and US radio DJs going through their notifications only to find some dozen death threats meant to reprimand them for not yet having sung praises to a song called “Idol”? Is it a flashing blur of shirts that commemorate atomic bombings and the phrase “Love Yourself” repeated in various variations, including ones with different verbs or pronouns or both? Or is it all of the above? Well, I can tell you what comes to my mind when I think of BTS: I think of myself pressing play on “Anpanman” on Spotify and discovering a concerning amount of delight in getting engulfed by “I’M A NEW SUPERHERO UMPUHMEH” barks courtesy of RM and his co-barkers. Let’s call it a guilty pleasure (same thing goes for the other 40 BTS songs I regularly listen to… shhh!).

 

#041 Janelle Monae - Pynk (feat. Grimes)
If dictionary entries gave you song titles instead of definitions, you’d almost be 100% guaranteed to find “Pynk” in the entry for the word “quirky”. “Pynk” is the EPITOME of quirk. It’s absolutely fabulous (and boy does it have the cis-het-patriarchs FUMING - just check the music video’s comment section on YouTube). Janelle didn’t just THINK she did something with this one - she really did do SOMETHING. Btw, my *Janelle voice* “fa-vo-rite parts” of that something would be the the second pre-chorus (those background harmonies! MELODIES, DARLING! MELODIES!) and of course that celebratory, ****-it chant of a chorus. Long live the pynk!

[RobDeWittBukater]

17 hours ago, collin said:

Interesting Tinashe pick. I forget how that one sounds. Heal Me is cute, as is Dose.

God Is A Woman, A No No, TUN, New Look, 1999, NTLTC, GODcus

 

nnnnnn poor Tini, Joyride was underwhelming ngl but some of the album tracks are REALLY cute  Taste, taste, taste  Thanks for coming in!

11 hours ago, TayRianaPH said:

Hi sweetie!  

Great list so far! ? 

 

My Top 3 on this set:

3. Euphoria

2. Love Shot (should've been WAY higher)

1. SHINE! (#1 contender!)

 

Whut?! The I Love You betrayal is.... a choice, when it deserves Top 50, let alone Top 100 placement!

 

Knowing someone made a list with KPop, I might make a KPop Top List too!  

 

See you on my Best Of too.  

vhbjb honest to God, it was so hard trying to narrow down my list to 100 songs. CLOCK my ability of sound judgement a BIT, sis.

Omg you definitely should honey, I'll be sure to check it out!  

19 minutes ago, madonnas said:

Gaga is serving Ariana grande in that pic of heal me lol

How skinny!

7 minutes ago, Fentydelspears said:

I hope you’re putting Something God somewhere in the Top 2 sis  thanks for the tag xx

Let's say she's somewhere around that area

[potent]

Yeah Love It If We Made It is definitely polarizing, I learned to appreciate it eventually though.

Pynk is good though very overrated among the album imo.

[Vilppu]

SM sheep AND a twice anti... girl pick a struggle

 

maybe i said it before but love reading your descriptions, they're cute and excited but also well-worded even if our tastes barely align  my faves of the batch are just for a day and sweet dreams (by no reasonable metric is vroom vroom better than it) and ofc i have a sweet spot for shinin though tbf it's not that special in the grand scheme of things and i feel like without the situation surrounding it, it would be among my least favourite jonghyun songs ever

[RobDeWittBukater]

41 minutes ago, potent said:

Yeah Love It If We Made It is definitely polarizing, I learned to appreciate it eventually though.

Pynk is good though very overrated among the album imo.

Same, and I'm glad I did, I just love the mood it puts you in, it's very anthemic but also bittersweet in a way.

Oh I definitely agree, Pynk is not my absolute favorite from DC but it rounds off the top 5 imo 

37 minutes ago, Vilppu said:

SM sheep AND a twice anti... girl pick a struggle

 

maybe i said it before but love reading your descriptions, they're cute and excited but also well-worded even if our tastes barely align  my faves of the batch are just for a day and sweet dreams (by no reasonable metric is vroom vroom better than it) and ofc i have a sweet spot for shinin though tbf it's not that special in the grand scheme of things and i feel like without the situation surrounding it, it would be among my least favourite jonghyun songs ever

chbvnmb,n to be fair, I've only started my K-Pop journey this year so I still have time to grow and shed some of the SM sheep wool 

Awwww thank you so much darling, this means a great deal coming from you, and I'm flattered that you've taken the time to read my paragraphs (the limit does NOT exist)!  

I shall elaborate on Vroom Vroom's supremacy in detail once we get to it  Sweet Dreams is the bridesmaid, but she is NOT the bride, not in MY household!!!

I agree with you on how the context of his passing makes Shinin' feel more special than it otherwise would, but I do appreciate the song itself, it really feels like a more polished, muted, electronic take on songs like Déjà-Boo to me which I don't mind at all. I do wonder how Only One You Need would have worked out as the title though (would have been my personal pick) 

[TayRianaPH]

Girl, need advice?

Drop SM and be a YG sheep now!

It's a lot of fun.

[TheWayWeWere]

Pynk is flawless  especially with video :alexz:

SY  it's nice 'thank you' to her fans  

[Jet]

Pynk, Heroine and Breathin  

[Ghibli]

Oh I have some catching up to do, but some quick thoughts:

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#078 Chanyeol & Sehun - We Young

 

This was a bit of a mess, but at least they look cute! (Chanyeol has been looking so good recently tho, his arms )

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#075 Red Velvet - Butterflies 

Easily in their top 10 for their discography, possibly top 5?

 

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#074 Jonghyun - Rewind

Without a doubt one of his best song, if not his best tbh. 

 

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#071 SHINee - All Day All Night 

TSOL was such a mixed bag for me....I'm so disappointed they followed one of the worst trends out their for the titles instead of creating them like they usually do......luckily ADAN was one of the excellent songs from it and easily one of the 2/3 standouts.

 

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#067 Pentagon - Shine

Get the pitchforks ready because......I think this is their worst title, it doesn't do anything for me.  Naughty Boy was thankfully SO much better.

 

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#063 Charli XCX – Focus 

Her first good song since 2013.

 

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#059 Exo - Gravity

I usually love LDN songs but this....didn't really do it for me? This year hasn't been that great for LDN productions though tbh.

 

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#057 Key - Forever Yours (feat. Soyou) 

This song was a mistake and kinda one of my least fave songs from this year, n. I hate trop so much at this point and there's something about Soyou that I really dislike, plus she has such a punchable face tbh. this should not be above Imagine (one of his best songs!)

 

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#051 Exo-CBX - Sweet Dreams

The best from their mini!

 

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#050 SHINee - Electric

One of the only other TSOL standouts.

 

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#048 Sunmi – Heroine 

This was so basic.  The fact it ripped off one of the most recognisable British classics too.....Teddy's production is beyond boring and predictable now, he's such a bad producer. Thankfully Sunmi got her act together and stopped working with him.

 

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#045 Twice – Sunset 

One of two of the only listenable songs they released this year (the other being DTNA btw!). Possibly their best album track.

 

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#042 BTS – Anpanman

Well, at least Tae looks cute in that pic!

[madonnas]

I'm glad SOMEONE liked Heroine, lol.  It's secretly better than Gashina but low bar.

I never got around to the Shinee mini's this year.   

[RobDeWittBukater]

Honorable mentions:
Ariana Grande - thank u, next | BTS - Fake Love | EXID - I Love You | Red Velvet - Bad Boy | Sunmi - Heroine

 

#10 Park Jimin - April Fools

It’s a universally known fact that murder always, ALWAYS makes for a good pop music video concept - ESPECIALLY in K-Pop. And another thing that makes this video one of my favorites of 2018: Jimin being over absolutely EVERYTHING. She couldn’t care less for her boyfriend’s efforts to make nice (or his [temporary] death), she’s totally unbothered by the movers in her apartment, and she’s easily the most bored attendant at her own birthday party. Apart from that, the entire video is just one twisted, weird, morbid boyfriend disposal fantasy with the highlights being Jimin dining with her ~dead~ boyfriend and even going as far as recording a post-mortem Instagram story on his behalf (#couplegoals). This video perfectly compliments its accompanying song and proves that simple videos can sometimes be just as effective as grander productions.

 

#09 Onew - Blue

There’s just something truly captivating about this video which pays homage to the Japanese animated film ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’. It’s epic and dramatic, not least thanks to the accompanying song which could easily be mistaken for a Bond theme with its dark, stripped back orchestral production and Onew’s infinitely pleasant, caramel-laced and at times soul-shattering vocal tone. While the video’s plot is certainly a point of intrigue in its own right, I find myself fascinated most by the video’s setting. It appears like a fantasy realm with that purple sky across which a foreboding comet zips at regular intervals (the moments in which the comet appears are easily the most tantalizing and unnerving of the video). The other charms of this video can be found in its cinematic, fairytale-like quality as well as its gorgeous, metaphorical imagery (the blindfolded couple with the bullet holes in their chests is worth a mention in particular), not to mention in the fact that it represents yet another puzzle piece in the visual journey of the SHINee members dealing with their loss and finding ways to preserve the memories they hold dear. 

 

#08 Zico & IU - SoulMate

The video for “SoulMate” (which by the way features some of the most GORGEOUS lyrics I’ve come across all year - seriously, read the translation!) is as endearing, playful and romantic as it is strange, melancholic and wistfully humorous. The plot is pretty straightforward: Two, well, “soulmates” (those being IU and Zico) are trying to meet up but a wicked elevator stands in their way. In the end, they finally unite only to be trapped in the very elevator that had separated them before. This video is what I would describe as “indie” in the sense that it is random, #aesthetic and (somewhat) minimalist yet at the same time sophisticated and pristine (and in this case, also seriously precious and heartwarming). My favorite moments would have to be Crush’s surprise appearance (complete with fairy wings and a mischievous little wink), Zico cracking into a smile at IU’s bewildered reaction to his rather unconventional handshake mannerisms, and IU walking up to the elevator on that grassy, flowery path with a smile of true happiness on her face as ski-masked trumpet players shower her with confetti. It’s all so pure and so satisfying to watch. What a lovely collab!

 

#07 SHINee - Good Evening

From the moment I watched that first teaser and saw the boys gazing down into that well where what seemed to be a fifth shadow appeared, I knew what this video was truly about - and the full version only further solidified me in my thinking: This video depicts (much like the song itself I would argue) the SHINee members journeying into the afterlife in hopes of exchanging one final greeting with their and our little angel. It’s transcendent, fantastical, mesmerizing, sad, uplifting, heartbreaking and cathartic all at once. While there is much that stands out about this video - the aforementioned well scene, the references to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s ‘The Little Prince’ (one of Jonghyun’s favorite books), the boys running through the forest, the boys suspended mid-air while falling through the blue ether and reaching heavenward, the scenes taking place that strange camera/surveillance room, that powerful dance sequence during the finale - its most emotionally captivating moment arrives at the 2:20 mark when Key delivers that intimate, goosebump-inducing spoken-word breakdown (“I can feel we’re looking at each other through this door…”): The four boys, sat next to each other in separate chairs and covered with plastic foil, move as one entity before green screen paint starts appearing on the plastic foil. The full choreography (which is not featured in the video but can be seen in their live performances) also sees them rise as one from their chairs, a visual metaphor for how they are giving each other strength and facing the healing process as one. Whether in a live setting or in video form, it’s a truly beautiful, awe-inspiring moment that epitomizes everything that ‘The Story of Light’ era is to SHINee and to us Shawols. And even if one were to strip all those emotional components away from the video, we’d still be left with one of SHINee’s most stylish and clean-cut visuals, period. 

 

#06 Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel

The “Make Me Feel” mv is exactly the kind of stylish, pink, purple and blue-hued (and bisexual!) pop fantasy that we as a collective NEEDED in 2018. After having her own Britney in “Gimme More”/J.Lo in “On the Floor” moment (that is, stepping into a club and seeing her own alter ego performing there), Janelle goes on to serve LOOK after LOOK, feeling not only herself, but also some women’s legs in a scene that is vaguely reminiscent of the ever-stunning “Drunk in Love” segment from Beyoncé’s 2014 VMA performance. The fashion in this video is really the main event, with a particular highlight being the bedazzled silver get-up complete with the ‘Dirty Computer’ cover art headdress-mask-hybrid. Oh, and @Witness era Katy Perry, THIS is how you pull off a super short bleach blonde haircut.

 

#05 Taeyeon - Something New

Y’all wanted something new, huh? Well, Miss Taeyeon got you covered! I’ve been OBSESSED with this video since the day it came out, and it has never lost its allure and magic for me. Each scene is just wonderfully engaging, from that mostly black-and-white opening montage (check out those chains outside the limousine window - we sure love a creative take on the good ol’ “golden cage” motif), to Taeyeon’s ominous appearance on the red carpet (set to that thumping, somewhat menacing bass line), to her exuding power and UNBOTHEREDNESS as she walks past the photographers, to that blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment of her breaking the pen, to her SNAPPING inside the elevator, to that perfect face she makes while dragging the luggage to her hotel room, to her letting herself fall onto the bed in the most oddly satisfying way (I can’t believe I’m typing all this xfccg #whenstanninggoestoofar), to the maid revealing that she has a ****ing knife hidden on one of her plates (my FAVE moment in the entire video), to everything that follows. This video just creates a mood that I can’t explain but that I absolutely love. As far as my interpretation goes, this video is meant to show how fed up Taeyeon is with her fame and her daily routine and how she wishes to break out of it and go find that something new in the simpler, more authentic and less superficial things. But forget all that: What matters most is that this video is just absolutely EPIC in its own understated, instantly iconic way, and that Taeyeon delivered something (new) that is both vulnerable and intriguing.

 

#04 Black Pink - Ddu-Du Ddu-Du

If there’s one thing no one can take away from BlackPink, it’s their visuals. In fact, they might very well be the best 3rd generation girl group to look at (when it comes to performing skills, stage presence and musical quality, I believe other girl groups would be more likely to take the crown, but that’s for another day). Ddu-Du Ddu-Du is a visual TRIUMPH in the truest sense; each scene and each set is a sight to behold, unabashedly indulging in the 100% unadulterated POP (!!!) grandeur that so many Western pop divas have (unfortunately) abandoned in recent years. The four ladies of BlackPink look STUNNING throughout, so much so that ranking them would be an impossible task (although I do have a particular weak spot for everything Lisa as well as Jennie’s bedazzled tank [!] moment). This video is fun, cool, engaging, NEVER dull or boring, wonderfully glossy and stylish, and elevates what would have otherwise been a nice-to-have-but-did-we-need-it-really type of song to anthemic heights.

 

#03 Ariana Grande - God is a woman

A truly amazing music video makes its corresponding song feel much bigger than it actually is, and that’s exactly what the mv for “God is a woman”: It takes a song about sex (that features some vaguely religious metaphors but is little more than solid ‘Dangerous Woman’ Target edition bonus track material) and turns it into a bold, earth(and heaven)-shattering feminist manifesto that encompasses references to art, history, religion, mythology and even the lore of pop music itself (Madonna is, fittingly, standing in as the voice of God in one of the video’s pivotal scenes). While the video can feel overstuffed and the different visual styles clashing at times, most of it is simply BREATHTAKING as far as the visuals go, and Ariana truly does look like a divine being, especially in the scenes where she is the only one facing the camera in a sea of women and where she is wearing that wide golden neck collar. The climax of the video is its entire final minute, starting with Ari channeling her inner Thor and unleashing the fury of God (who is a woman) upon the world and ending with the unbelievably beautiful and well-executed reinterpretation of Michelangelo’s fresco from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This video was one of many iconic visual moments for Ari this year, and I’d dare say it’s her most ambitious and meaningful to date.

 

#02 Triple H - Retro Future

Triple H (RIP) only have two music videos to their name and yet they have one of the best videographies in K-Pop - largely because their videos give you something different, something you never knew you wanted, something that defies expectations, conventions and the box-like definitions of visual “concepts” common in K-Pop. The “Retro Future” mv gives you all that and THEN SOME. First off, I just absolutely love the tone to this entire video. That whole you’re-laughing-now-but-someone’s-gonna-get-killed, drugged out kink glam, home invader, polyamorous Team Rocket shtick is just RIGHT up my alley. From the moment Triple H are staring creepily into that front door camera (while looking every bit like that distorted meme video of Halsey telling her fans to stop being mean to her) and them CLIMBING those stairs in the most literal (and hilariously terrifying) sense of that word, you know ****’s about to go down. And it does, with a home invasion that is bad news for a bland, vanilla white couple and a string of parties/orgies making up most of what follows (oh, there’s also Hui taking a golden **** on a toilet and E’Dawn rapping underwater and having a frog crawl across his eye - nothing out of the ordinary). This video just BURSTS with personality, charisma, humor, style, nerve, and yes, retro sexy music (ah!). It’s so much ****ing fun and I’ll forever be in mourning of all the Triple H videos that will never happen thanks to Cube’s backwards ass decision-making. UGH! Also: Hyuna is THAT bitch.

 

#01 Ariana Grande - no tears left to cry

The “no tears” mv is simply the most elegant, vibrant and visually pleasing video released this year, period. From that GORGEOUS, gravity-defying alternate universe skyline, to the beautifully designed interiors and rooftops, to Ariana’s ethereal palette of looks (not to mention that silver hair!), to that mesmerizing corridor of lights hidden in the wall, to the sunset-lit scene of Ariana sitting on the grass by the water, this video is just a joy to look at. It complements the song perfectly, which is equally as elegant and celestial.  And while I COULD say more about this video, I don’t have to: It’s simply something you watch and you’re in awe of. No words (or tears) needed!

[Vilppu]

i won't be getting into why being SM sheep - or any label sheep really - is a bad thing more than necessary but let's hope we can get that out of you next year ^-^

 

idc for mvs usually but i've miraculously seen all of these except taeyeon and i think they're a serve. have you seen oh my girl's videos this year btw bc i def think secret garden in particular is absolutely visually stunning and would fit among these

[RobDeWittBukater]

On 12/29/2018 at 3:31 PM, TayRianaPH said:

Girl, need advice?

Drop SM and be a YG sheep now!

It's a lot of fun.

Well, I do have my Big Bang stanning moments from time to time so who knows, my YG sheephood might be upon us sooner than expected 

On 12/29/2018 at 10:33 PM, TheWayWeWere said:

Pynk is flawless  especially with video

SY  it's nice 'thank you' to her fans  

RIGHT?  I just love the whole concept ahh who ELSE but Janelle

SY is the best song on the alber in my opinion (altho A Lifetime to Repair does stomp on certain days in the week )

20 hours ago, Jet said:

Pynk, Heroine and Breathin  

Glad you approve! display dat TASTE sis!

7 hours ago, Kxvk said:

 

 

Honestly, 70% of my appreciation for that stong stems from Chanyeol's biceps cvhg  Ngl, I agree, I feel like if I made my list at this moment in time Butterflies would rank within the top 20 ahhh  CALL THEM OUT I seriously hate that SM had this dated ass tropical house fetish going on with some of their titles this year  My faves deserve BETTER. As for Naughty Boy, well I like it but I'm a Shine bandwagoner what can I say, I'm basically a local when it comes to Pentagon  vhbj that Charli shade NOT IN MY HOUSEHOLD No 1 Angel says hello  I get why people could be lukewarm towards Gravity tbh, it's not my fav Exo song by any means but God do I STAN for that intro! The Soyou drag gcjv poor sis bless her heart; taste detected with the Sweet Dreams praise!  And at last you better be PREACHING the gospel about Sunset, I don't really use Twice outside of that song but woo what a HYMN

6 hours ago, madonnas said:

I'm glad SOMEONE liked Heroine, lol.  It's secretly better than Gashina but low bar.

I never got around to the Shinee mini's this year.   

Oop  If that ain't the truth

You mean you never listened to them? Well, now's your chance, I can definitely recommend all the tracks I've listed as my top songs from their EPs  

Sorry for the late response everyone, had to take a day off because Gaga: Five Foot Two'd health incidents, but now I'm back on track, Top Songs #40-21 coming tomorrow (I think n) 

[M A R C]

Gravity, Breathin', Pynk, Sweet Dreams, Blooming Day, Electric, Heroine, Shinin' AHH. The kuality jumped out.

[RobDeWittBukater]

11 minutes ago, Vilppu said:

i won't be getting into why being SM sheep - or any label sheep really - is a bad thing more than necessary but let's hope we can get that out of you next year ^-^

 

idc for mvs usually but i've miraculously seen all of these except taeyeon and i think they're a serve. have you seen oh my girl's videos this year btw bc i def think secret garden in particular is absolutely visually stunning and would fit among these

That least favorite songs list - Bible Boy amongst the likes of NCT, Super Murderer, Jackson rap songs, and post-"I Just Wanna Dance" Tiffany, RV SWEETIES I AM SO SORRY

But yes I def need to branch out more  Ugh, if only SHINee and EXO their discographies weren't so damn GOOD (and extensive cgv woo lord)!

Omg no, I haven't seen that video yet but I shall watch it now! God knows I like me my sparkly, #easthetic visualZ so this should be a treat  

[Jet]

Ariana in the top 3 where she belongs  Ddu-Du Ddu-Du is easily one of the best kpop videos of ALL time

[RobDeWittBukater]

16 hours ago, M A R C said:

Gravity, Breathin', Pynk, Sweet Dreams, Blooming Day, Electric, Heroine, Shinin' AHH. The kuality jumped out.

gchvjb our tastes align so much it's crazy, ahhh we love KUALITY 

15 hours ago, Jet said:

Ariana in the top 3 where she belongs  Ddu-Du Ddu-Du is easily one of the best kpop videos of ALL time

Ari was THE visual goddess this year, I remember how prior to Side to Side her videography was commonly regarded as one of the weakest amongst the major pop girls and look at her now  GROWTH, honey! And yes DDDD has made so MANY points too bad their mini can't relate

 

Happy New Year everyone btw  Will probably update this whole thing in 2019 

[madonnas]

I never found Madonna in the GIAW video....

[RobDeWittBukater]

2 hours ago, madonnas said:

I never found Madonna in the GIAW video....

She did the voiceover during the scene where Ari has the hammer:

https://www.glamour.com/story/ariana-grande-god-is-a-woman-music-video-madonna-cameo