So I thought I'd dive straight into the whole "2016 in review" kind of thing! And before I start; these are just my opinions okay? If y'all start being rude about me not including your favourites or putting them in the wrong order... Don't. We all have different opinions and these are mine. There's about 5 more albums I wanted to include, but... no. Shout out to 24K's album The Real One which literally was 10,5 on the list. Literally. And oh, special shout out to SF9's single album Feeling Sensation. It just contained three songs but it was still insanely good. It didn't really feel right putting it on the list, but... yes. It's really good. Also, these 10 albums are my favourites from this year and hell yes I'm biased. No, okay I'm not. I've tried to just be really unbiased and one of the albums I thought would end up being number two actually ended up being number 8... I've just kinda thought about what albums I've listened the most to. So yah. Also, I'll be making a special one for k hip hop if anyone wonders why Yoongi's mixtape didn't make the cut... Anyways, let's go into it! (Ps! Click on the little heart next to a song to be taken to youtube)
10: Block B : BASTARZ - WELCOME 2 BASTARZ
(Released October 31st)
I freaking adore BASTARZ. My bias in Block B happens to be one of three in BASTARZ, and I fell in love with their music the first time I heard Zero for Conduct. That song had such a hard hip-hop vibe that I was floored immediately and when they announced this album I was so hyped. The first song they teased was Selfish and Beautiful Girl and it was so different from Zero For Conduct. I was a bit disappointed at first, but then I saw the video and the song grew on me. The album was only released 1,5 months ago but it's already on my top 10 list of the best albums this year, so surely that has to mean something. I love the tongue in cheek lyrics, the beats, the vocals... Make It Rain is such a good song that I can't believe it didn't get more people into BASTARZ. Make It Rain should've won every single time it was up on a music show. That's how good it is. Honestly, just go listen to it now. I live for the kind of dirty lyrics and P.O's deep voice, mixed with U-Kwon and B-Bomb's outstanding vocals. That's Right is so soulful and I bloody love Tightly?? It's so sensual.
9: Mamamoo - Melting
(Released February 26th)
My queens!! My freaking queens. I live for Mamamoo, honestly. They were the first girl group I stanned and they pulled me in with their insane vocals, fun songs and hilarious personalities. They're recently put out a new album but I've been a bad fan and not listened to it very much. I'm still sat here with Melting on repeat. This album is absolutely insane. It starts off with the hilarious Taller Than You (1 cm) - google the lyrics, it's basically where the members roast each other - and after that it's just jam-packed with insane songs. From beautiful ballads like Words Don't Come Easy, to the brilliant uptempo track that is You're the Best, to the kinda odd Funky Boy.... They deliver vocals that will blow your mind. It's such a great album and I'm so in love with ut. I could go on forever and ever about their vocals and their raps but I won't. That's what twitter is for.
8: Seventeen - Love & Letter Repackage Album
(Released July 4th)
Okay, I love Seventeen. I love this album. A lot. Everything these thirteen boys touch seem to turn into something brilliant. I'm a very big performance unit stan (but my bias... is in hip hop unit) and whenever they get some time to shine, you know I'mma be all over that. Love & Letter was released on April 25th, and it's an amazing album but I had to include the repackage here since Seventeen blessed us with 5 incredible songs. On Love & Letter, I was obsessed with Chuck. I loved the weirdness of it? The "What the funk yo" part? Sign me the f up. Also, Still Lonely is so damn good, I'm still not over it. There's both uptempo tracks and ballads on the album, with Love Letter being the best ballad until the repackage dropped and Woozi blessed everyone with Simple. (I'm sorry but HONESTLY. Listen ti Simple and tell me it's not one of the best ballads to come out this year?) Also, Very Nice was a really good comeback and I was so ecstatic to finally get a studio version of No F.U.N.
7: NCT 127- NCT #127 THE FIRST MINI ALBUM
(Released July 10th)
I told myself I wouldn't get into NCT, but when I heard their first sub-unit's first song (7th Sense by NCT U) I was floored and then I heard Fire Truck by NCT 127 and I knew I was screwed. I bought the album after only listening to it twice and that says a lot. Normally I tend not to by albums until I 100% stan the group, but there I was ordering NCT 127's album after listening to it twice and not even knowing their names yet. All I knew was that album was hella good. The album has 7 songs, since it's a mini album, and it's both uptempo tracks like Fire Truck, to heavily rap-focused songs like Mad City, to ballads like Paradise. Honestly, the entire album is just amazing. There's not a single song on there that I don't love and I'm so excited to see what NCT has to offer in the future.
6: GOT7 - Flight Log: Turbulence
Okay, if you know me this is a very big surprise. I was a mess when this album came out - no lie. I listened to it and only it for about a week. Breathed this album. I was shook. And I freaking LOVE it. I really do. But, it's not the best album I've heard this year. I feel awful even putting it this low, the IGOT7 in me is kicking and screaming. Originally, I placed this on #8. Then I told myself to get a grip and it ended up being #6. It has 13 songs, and all 13 songs are true bops. I'm so proud of my boys for working on almost every single song on the album, and I'm especially happy that Jackson finally got his songs on an album. He's so great. Hard Carry killed me the second I heard it, honestly it's SO good. It's not my favourite on the album though. Flight Log: Turbulence has so much to offer. From EDM inspired Hard Carry to tongue in cheek Boom x3, from the very sensual Prove It to fun Who's That and My Home, from rap-centric No Jam to the beautiful ballad that is Sick. Honestly, even if you're not a GOT7 stan, give this album a chance. They show so much musical diversity and I love them for that.
5: Monsta X - The Clan Part 2: Guilty
(Released October 4th)
4: SEVENTEEN - Going Seventeen
(Released December 5th)
Okay, yes this was released a week ago. BUT IT'S SO GOOD. Honestly, this album. Amazing. BOOMBOOM is a really good title track, and I feel like Seventeen's vocals have improved SO much. The album has 8 songs with three team songs; Highlight (Performance Team), Lean On Me (Hip Hop Team) and Don't Listen in Secret (Vocal Team). Beautiful and I Don't Know are both mixed unit songs, while Smile Flower, Fast Pace and BOOMBOOM are all of the boys. There's beautiful ballads and uptempo tracks and I think what surprised me the most was the hip hop team's song, Lean On Me. It's slow paced but their vocals are absolutely insane. I love the way they rap slowly and their voices are strong and it just really works. I need to give a shout out to Fast Pace, because there's some high notes in there that blow my mind! DK, you've outdone yourself boy. Smile Flower or Flower Smile, is absolutely breathtaking. Honestly. Everyone sings, and their vocals are just stunning. I can't believe that we got to hear the entire hip hop unit sing and that they all have vocals that can make me weep. I think this album is one of the best ones that Seventeen has released and I love them so much. They're all so talented, in writing, producing and composing their own music. Listen to this album, please. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and by the way. Highlight is the best song on this album hands down. Hoshi is a goddamn genius and I love that song more than anything right now.
3: Monsta X - The Clan Pt 1: Lost
(Released May 18th)
Yes, I love The Clan Pt. 1 more than Pt. 2. Okay? I could listen to All In for days without getting tired of it? And don't get me started on Ex Girl. It features Wheein from Mamamoo and honestly?? What a masterpiece. It's so beautiful and I love "ballads" that have strong rap parts and since it's Monsta X, it obviously does. Jooheon kills me in the beginning when he says "my little princess" but yes. Amazing song. And from that, it just gets better. Stuck is another masterpiece, a strong song with EDM vibes and a beat that gets stuck in your head for days. Sweetheart is an adorable ballad where Monsta X really do get to showcase their vocals. Unfair Love is another uptempo song that really gets stuck in your head. The na-na-na-na bit? Yeah, it's been stuck in my head for days and I'm not even angry about it. Because of U is a kinda weird song but it's so catchy?? It's not uptempo but not a ballad? The beat is very strange but they make it work. I've listened to this album more than what is probably normal and while it's not my favourite Monsta X album (sorry, Rush holds that spot lol) it's absolutely incredible and I wish more people would appreciate Monsta X and their talent.
2: GOT7 - Flight Log: Departure
(Released March 21st)
I love this album so much. So much that I own 5 physical copies of it. Yes, that much. If there's one album I can say I've played on repeat at least thrice a week, it's this one. Sometimes it's even been on repeat once a day. I've definitely listened to it once a day, that's for sure. I was a GOT7 stan before this album came out, but this was the first comeback I experienced as an IGOT7 and it kind of killed me and dragged me into the hell that is stanning GOT7. I bloody love it though. As soon as I heard Fly, I was sold. I knew it would be one of the best songs I'd hear this year. Then I started listening through the album. I heard Can't and didn't know whether to smile or weep, then I heard See the Light and I was floored by the melody?? the vocals?? the rap??. After that came Fish and I've never laughed as much as I did the second I heard "Welcome to the fishtank!". Honestly Im Jaebum, what the hell went through your mind when you wrote this?? (Low-key, I'm the #1 Fish stan. I love this song so much even if it's ridiculous) Then, Rewind. Oh dear God Rewind. Youngjae, you genius and wonderful man. Rewind is 100% one of the best songs GOT7 has ever made. The vocals. The melody. The rap. The lyrics. Everything about this song just works. Fun fact: one of my 20 most played songs of the entire year. (I blame it all on Jinyoung's verse. I mean.) Beggin On My Knees is another one of my all time faves from GOT7. It's fun, it's catchy, it's easy to listen to and dear GOD does it get stuck in my head. Something Good oh my god, y e s. I love everything about this song and it's one of the songs I sometimes forget is on the album but then I listen to it and I love it. Yugyeom's voice is so good in this song and it works so well with this beat. Also, Home Run?? Another bop, one of their best ever. It's cheesy and it's such a fun track. I love it so much.
I love this album so much. So much that I own 5 physical copies of it. Yes, that much. If there's one album I can say I've played on repeat at least thrice a week, it's this one. Sometimes it's even been on repeat once a day. I've definitely listened to it once a day, that's for sure. I was a GOT7 stan before this album came out, but this was the first comeback I experienced as an IGOT7 and it kind of killed me and dragged me into the hell that is stanning GOT7. I bloody love it though. As soon as I heard Fly, I was sold. I knew it would be one of the best songs I'd hear this year. Then I started listening through the album. I heard Can't and didn't know whether to smile or weep, then I heard See the Light and I was floored by the melody?? the vocals?? the rap??. After that came Fish and I've never laughed as much as I did the second I heard "Welcome to the fishtank!". Honestly Im Jaebum, what the hell went through your mind when you wrote this?? (Low-key, I'm the #1 Fish stan. I love this song so much even if it's ridiculous) Then, Rewind. Oh dear God Rewind. Youngjae, you genius and wonderful man. Rewind is 100% one of the best songs GOT7 has ever made. The vocals. The melody. The rap. The lyrics. Everything about this song just works. Fun fact: one of my 20 most played songs of the entire year. (I blame it all on Jinyoung's verse. I mean.) Beggin On My Knees is another one of my all time faves from GOT7. It's fun, it's catchy, it's easy to listen to and dear GOD does it get stuck in my head. Something Good oh my god, y e s. I love everything about this song and it's one of the songs I sometimes forget is on the album but then I listen to it and I love it. Yugyeom's voice is so good in this song and it works so well with this beat. Also, Home Run?? Another bop, one of their best ever. It's cheesy and it's such a fun track. I love it so much.
1: BTS - Wings
(Released October 10th)
(warning. this will be a long ass description. Sorry. I really tried shortening it down but eh...)
Yes, my kings. Honestly, they are my kings. My absolute favourite group ever. I can very well be critic of the things they do, but this album is a fricking masterpiece. Let me break it down. From the intro that is Boy Meets Evil, we're immediately transported into the world of BTS. J-Hope drags us into their universe with his insane rap and vocals, before we're thrown into Blood Sweat and Tears. This song. THIS GOD DAMN SONG. Sometimes I think BTS are out to kill me, and this song was a damn good try. Everyone's vocals are absolutely mindblowing. The high notes? The falsetto? J-Hope's chorus?? The rap parts? Yes, sign me the f up. I'm down. After Blood Sweat and Tears, it's Jungkook's time to shine. Ah Golden maknae, what can't you do? Literally, is there something you're not capable of? Jungkook's voice here is so goddamn stunning and if you read the lyrics it will 100% bring you to tears. He cares so much about the people around him and he's just a beautiful human. The song starts off as a ballad but the chorus has this weird dance beat, but it's SO good. This song grows on me every time I hear it, just like Lie does. Jimin's solo is probably one of my favourite solo songs. It's such a powerful song and his voice is insane? I mean, we already knew that didn't we? But this song... Holy hell. The chorus always blows my mind, no matter how many times I hear the song. After Jimin's solo, it's my boy's time to shine. Mr. Kim Taehyung, with the deep and soulful voice. I was actually not hooked the first time I heard Stigma, but when he took the high notes.... I was ready to burst into tears. I had goosebumps and it was because he did THAT. After Tae's solo, it's Suga's time to shine and boy does he shine. First Love is my favourite solo on the album, because there's something about Yoongi's voice that just calms me down as well as triggers these feelings inside of me. I can't explain it but his voice is so powerful and so capable of just filling people with emotion. His voice is so raw and the emotions are just spilling all over. I love this song so insanely much. After Suga, it's Rap Monster's turn. Reflection was the first one on the album that actually brought me to tears. Since my korean is very shaky and kinda minimal, I looked up the lyrics the second time I listened to it. He sings a fair bit of the song in English and when I read the rest of the lyrics, I just burst into tears. I'm sure we've all hated ourselves sometimes, and felt like we're all alone in the world. This song made me remember all the times I've felt like that, and I'm so glad that Namjoon wrote this song. I listen to it whenever I do feel alone and I feel less alone, because in some twisted way I know that I always have BTS. Namjoon is so wise and he writes the deepest lyrics, and this song never fails to make me cry but it also makes me feel less anxious. But honestly, most times I hear it I just want to find Kim Namjoon and give him a hug. Time for a mood change, and who else but J-Hope can deliver that! Oh Jung Hoseok, how boring life would be without you. MAMA is such a killer track. I just want to dance when I hear it and I can't dance at all??? It has some amazing beats in it and J-Hope's voice works so well with the melody and the beat. He both raps and sings and I'm like?? What can't this amazing guy do. Ah Seokjin, finally. As a BTS stan, I wish everyone would love and appreciate Kim Seokjin a little bit more. His voice especially. It's so stunning. Can you believe there are people who say he can't sing? Whenever I see someone say that, I just want to send them a link to Awake and make them listen to it. I listen to this when my anxiety gets the best of me, and it feels a little easier to breathe. I also listen to this when I can't fall asleep. It calms my soul, that's what Jin's voice does. The Cypher's have been everyone's favourite songs for so long, and I've been wondering when Vocal Line would get their song. And now, finally! They decided to bless us all with Lost and I'm so so so so glad they did. It's such a wonderful song. Their voices blend so well and the melody and the beat is amazing. After Lost.... it's Cypher Pt 4. As an avid fan of the Cypher's (who isn't?), I was a little disappointed at first. My fave Cypher is Pt 2, and this was so different. But after three listens, I was hooked. It's so in your face, the whole "sorry bae" thing made me laugh and I freaking love the cockiness and how strong the lyrics are. Rapper line really killed it, again. When I have a bad day, I listen to this and I just... get so hyped up. Am I Wrong is sampled from a song by Keb Mo, an american blues singer. It's so catchy and the beat is so amazing. It's one of my favourite BTS songs ever, and it's just something about it that makes it stand out so much. Vocals and rap on point as always. 21st Century Girl is by far my favourite on the album. Yes. I love it so much. Honestly. I can't even put it into words. It makes me so happy??? The lyrics are amazing?? Empowering women?? AMAZING. This song is just the best, 10/10 would recommend it. Would also recommend watching a live performance of it because the choreo is ridiculously cute. Two! Three! (Still Wishing There Will Be Better Days) is a song from BTS to Army and it's just the most beautiful song. The lyrics make me feel all fuzzy inside and I'm so blessed to stan such brilliant people as BTS. (Okay, so I'm very biased now but come on. Even FUSE put this album as the 8th best of the year. An American channel!) The album ends in a spectacular way, with Interlude: Wings. The track most likely to be played in a club? Yes. The best way to end an album? Yes. Do I want a longer version since this is just over 2 minutes? Yes. 100%. Rap is on point as are the vocals. One of my faves, ever. In conclusion: Best album of the year. Maybe of the least two years. Listen to it. Buy it. Live it.
Best songs: First Love ♡, 21st Century Girl ♡, Reflection ♡, Blood Sweat and Tears ♡, Lie ♡. (Y'all didn't think I'd really just pick 3 did you?)
