Guys, this was so hard. Putting together this list was nearly impossible, and I honestly cannot understand how I managed to narrow it down to a top 10 last year. I have to say that 2015 has been pretty good in terms of music, and thus this ranking of my favorite songs took some time to put together. Like with the post for favorite albums I have added some restrictions here as well, because otherwise it would be too hard. For example I have split this ranking into two categories; title tracks and b-sides, as well as limiting it to Korean songs only (meaning no Japanese songs by Korean artists), and in doing so this has become a bit easier, but still very difficult. Nonetheless, here you have the first part of this series; my favorite songs of 2015, title track edition!
However, before we get started I want to give a shout out to all the amazing title tracks that didn't quite make it all the way to the top:
Gain - Paradise Lost
Big Bang - Sober
Wonder Girls - I Feel You
BTS - Run
Infinite - Bad
Mamamoo & Esna - Ahh Oop!
Seventeen - Adore U
Got7 - If You Do
Oh My Girl - Closer
Now, let's get started!
4Minute - Crazy
Man, when this song came out I was actually going crazy myself because of how awesome it was, and I still kind of am every time I listen to it. After a few years of underwhelming title tracks it felt like finally 4Minute were releasing a song that not only suited them and their image but was also fierce, powerful and extremely addictive. With "Crazy", they completely redeemed themselves and showed me that I shouldn't give up on them just yet.
Xia Junsu - Flower
This is neither the first nor the last post you will hear about Junsu and his 2015 comeback, and that's simply because it was that amazing. The title track "Flower" is a song that sounds unlike anything I've ever heard before, and the first time I listened to it was left quite speechless. I could go on and one about all the aspects of this song that makes it as incredible as it is, but then I would be writing an essay and I don't think we want that. Instead I will put it simply: this song is magical.
Crayon Pop - FM
I'm still kind of pressed that "FM" didn't get as much attention as it deserved when it came out earlier this year, because it's easily Crayon Pop's best title track to date. Sure, "Bar Bar Bar" was fun and infectious but "FM" is a genuinely well-made song that shows both maturity and growth yet still has a sound that belongs to them. The lyrics might not make much sense, but the power of the song is more than enough to earn it a spot on this list.
BTS - I Need U
It was definitely a toss-up between this one and their other amazing title track "Run", but in the end "I Need U" came out stronger. When I first heard this song earlier this spring I was amazed by how good it was, but I was mostly surprised that it was a BTS song, because it sounded nothing like any of their other title tracks. To this day I still firmly believe it is their best song as of yet, but I think I kind of already knew it right when I first heard it; that nothing would ever beat this track.
SHINee - View
I definitely had the same sensation with SHINee's main title track of 2015 as I did with "I Need U" that I was shocked by how it sounded, in a good way of course. I never would have imagined before that a K-pop group would release a song like this, because it sounds nothing like mainstream K-pop music, but for that I was incredibly grateful. It's also typical that SHInee would be the group to put out a song like this, being the experimental group they are, but I absolutely love it.
Nine Muses - Hurt Locker
When this song was released this summer it blew my socks off. Seriously, everything about was so good and I couldn't believe that this was the same group that low-key disappointed me earlier this year with "Drama". There were a lot of songs being released by girl groups this summer, like an insane amount, but "Hurt Locker" was the one song that stood out and stuck with me, and was the song I always came back to. This is, without a question, the song of the summer for me.
Day6 - Congratulations
Being exposed to as much music as I am currently, K-pop specifically, I have more or less gotten used to most kind of songs and concepts. It's not often a new release, no matter how good it is, will make me heart race and cheeks flush because of how emotionally affected I am by it. This however can't be said for Day6 debut song. At first listen I was obsessed with it and it felt like I had been waiting for a song like this all my life, so to say this group started off on a good note with me would be an understatement.
Song Mino - Fear (ft. Taeyang)
I know that this song wasn't written nor performed in an idol context, but it doesn't change the fact that both Mino and Taeyang are well known members of idol groups so it's really not up for discussion whether this song belongs on this list or not. Either way you can't deny this song's quality, because it is probably one the most raw, genuine and heartfelt songs I've heard in a while, and the combination of these two artists makes it even better.
Red Velvet - Automatic
Many fans thought this song was boring, monotone and relatively uninteresting, but I on the other hand much preferred it to the other main title track "Ice Cream Cake". There's just something about this song that pleases me on a deeper level, and I don't know if it is the smooth track, bass line or the members' soulful vocals. Either way it's certain that "Automatic" has earned a place in my heart, and hopefully Red Velvet will release even more songs like this in the future.
f(x) - 4 Walls
Many fans have dubbed this song the sister version of "View", and I can definitely hear the resemblance. Knowing that the two songs were made by the same people explains why they both have that deep house sound, but I'm inclined to say that "4 Walls" might be the better out of the two. It's definitely a electronica dance track, but at the same time it's calmer, more feminine and has a hook that fails to leave your mind no matter how much you try.
There you have it, my 10 favorite title tracks of 2015. Now I'm curious, as usual, to what songs you liked and what I may have missed during the year. Please share your favorites!
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