Alright, we’re back again, throw a hashtag in front of that trend. That’s a line from a song, go ahead and try to guess the song. Anyways, top songs of the year for 2024. This was a very top heavy year, the highs are very high, and the year was otherwise weaker for me personally, which is fine, a lot of the songs I didn’t like were well loved by other fans, the trends just didn’t swing my way.
As always, 2024 actually started counting in December of 2023 and went through November 2024, so I have time to actually evaluate and rank songs during this last month of the year. Additionally, I have made slight modifications to what I am counting towards this list. In the past I would only do Korean language incorporated songs by kpop artists, but now I am counting foreign language songs as well. So, without further ado, let’s get rolling.
50. Weeekly- Classic
This song on first listen was so weird. Now, I still think it’s weird, and I can respect that. I spent months trying to figure out if I actually like this song or not… and honestly, I still don’t know. Good job weeekly.
49. Weeekly- Dance Dance Dance!
I think this light cone is probably the best non-limited 4 star in all of Honkai: Star Rail. Oops, wrong article. I think this song is one of the best relentlessly positive songs in modern kpop, it’s just so much good energy all at once. The use of the wedding march is really weird though, Weeekly b-sides were pretty experimental on Bliss.
48. Lightsum- POSE!
Ah, the random moment in the year when Cube remembers that Lightsum exists. This isn’t as good as their best efforts, but it’s a solid fun song that’s very easy to just groove along with for its very short two and half minute duration. Speaking of duration, I wish they had cut out the first 7 seconds to be completely honest, it’s a jarring intro that makes me want to skip the song.
47. H1-KEY- Let It Burn
My Spotify randomization insists that I listen to this song 2nd or 3rd every single time I start it up, it’s a serious addiction for it. While I am not as addicted, I do think this is a good song, I think the chorus could go a little bit harder, but other than that, no complaints.
46. MiU (from Limelight and Madein)- Twenty Twenty
My Limelight bias and Madein co-bias. This song is cute, catchy and fun. It’s a little hollow for me musically, there’s just not that much going on, but it’s a fun listen. Additionally, for the record, I will not be addressing any of the stuff going on with Madein and their terrible boss and poor Gaeun beyond this, and it has not influenced the rankings for this song, or any other Limelight/Madein songs that may appear on the list. Support the girls, not the company.
45. Kiss Of Life- Get Loud
Solid B-side, I really like the breathy vocals they did here in the verses, they stand out technically compared to most of the songs we get these days. Julie in general is just on absolute fire from start to finish on this track. This is really Julie and Natty’s song to me.
44. Kep1er- TIPI-TAP
My gut reaction to this song was, “I can see why people would like this, but it’s not for me.” Obviously I was wrong, since it made my list. The chorus is just so bubbly and catchy that it earworms like crazy.
43. Candy Shop- Good Girl
Are these not the most interesting young vocalists in kpop right now, why are so many vocal moments so Macy Gray? It’s so different in those moments from anything else that I was immediately interested in this group’s output. This is their only song on the list this year, but I can hear some real talent here and want to see how it develops.
42. Rescene- New World
I didn’t realize it until I was working on this list, but I am favorable towards most of Rescene’s very small discography. This is a nice, floaty, upbeat B-side. It’s so neutral it almost becomes more listenable while also being almost subconscious by being so background. The chorus pops just enough to get it up here though.
41. WOOAH- BLUSH
This is a really solid addition to what WOOAH has been doing for a while now. Sadly, this was a weaker year from them for me, but they still managed to put out a top 50 banger. I did also hear this song after going up to the N Seoul Tower earlier this year which was such a proud moment for me, they’ve really made it somewhere after starting from basically nothing.
40. Le Sserafim- Crazy
Man, this song is such an interesting one to evaluate for me. There are some really high peaks here, including one of the most immensely catchy choruses I’ve heard in my entire life. So, while this was often playing in my head, and it was fun, the overall product I’m not in love with. I do like the PinkPantheress collab too. I've been a fan of her since she started putting music out, but I think her version also has issues. While she raises the verses up, I think the muted chorus loses its catchy quality. I feel like there’s a mix of both versions that would bring this song higher.
39. Purple Kiss- BBB
I mentioned how I thought the back half of the year was much stronger than the first half. If you need any extra evidence of that, I had this song in my top 5 for the year before the summer rolled around. I don’t mean this as a critique of BBB though, this is a good song. My biggest negative is that it doesn’t handle repeat listens as well for me, but I love the way everybody has their own distinct pronunciation of “bad behavior.” They could have worked to hide that, but I think the song is genuinely better for it. Also, “bad taste, best yum, like caviar” is one of the best lines of the year.
38. QWER- My Name is Malgeum
QWER are maybe the pleasant surprise of the year, a girl group band with some really fun pop sensibilities and a very refined, anime-OST-styled sound. The chorus of this song screams “Digimon” to me in a really good way. It is a little too even across the board, but that’s clearly been a problem in kpop this year, I’ve said that about half the songs so far.
37. Aespa- Whiplash
I really wonder how I’d rank Aespa songs if I didn’t like the group so much, this song really isn’t my taste normally. But, maybe that’s Aespa’s flair, they do this style in a very consumable way, where it’s fun to listen to when I’d normally find it to be quite abrasive.
36. ILLIT- Midnight Fiction
This is a great b-side that doesn’t seem to have gotten the attention it deserved to. It’s so floaty and wistful, I really love that kind of vibe in a song. I also think it’s impressive that it maintained that vibe while being pretty fast paced, it’s a pretty quick beat for that kind of energy.
35. Loossemble- TTYL
The chorus here is so freaking catchy, that I have trouble evaluating the rest of the song because it just gets covered up by it. It also helps that this song feels frantically energetic and you just get completely swept up by it. This is my second favorite song from all post-Loona outings thus far.
34. Aespa- Armageddon
Speaking of Aespa question marks, another song from them that I just don’t know if I’d like if it wasn’t exactly Aespa doing it. The chorus is really interesting with the held consonants, I thought I would hate it, but it very very slowly grew on me.
33. Rescene- YoYo
This song was stuck in my head for a solid week once I finally gave it a chance. I like the very 80s-esque minimalism in the pre-chorus, it provides an interesting link between the verses and chorus that really round the song out.
32. Kiss Of Life- Igloo
I often feel like Kiss Of Life songs highlight different members, but the member who feels the most understated to me is Haneul. I only point this out because Haneul gets her moment where she just kills this song. I think this shows a different musical side of the group than we normally get, it’s not really my style, but they do it so well it’s hard to deny the quality.
31. Rescene- LOVE ATTACK
I really love the fairytale wistfulness of this chorus here, it does have a good contrast with the verses too and the song overall has a very good structure. I think this has been the best show of skill that Rescene has had so far in their output. I am thrown off by the “I am all you need” section sounding just like “uptown funk you up” from Bruno Mars though.
30. Ateez- Work
This is pretty classic Ateez, and as such, it’s great. This song doesn’t care about anything except for being fun, the beat is top tier, the rap verses are great, it has a random latin-esque bridge section. I think the chorus is really fun to sing along with, great lyrics.
29. Rescene- Pinball
Rescene just hit me with a series of likable songs this year, this is the highest of the trio. The verses aren’t as good as the chorus, the first verse in particular is the weakness of the song, it almost feels like a barrier keeping me from all the great pinball. I look forward to seeing more of what Rescene has to give though, this was a good first year for them.
28. IVE- Accendio
It kills me to say that this is my only IVE song on the list, but I think this year for them wasn’t for me musically. They’re still a favorite though! Accendio has hands down the best instrumental in the year, but unfortunately, it’s only there for the first twenty seconds, and is greatly minimized when it shows up again later. In fact, the opening 20 seconds are peak, and if the rest of the song was the same I’d have it at number 1. Sadly, this has slowly slid down because the rest of the song is just a bit of a disappointment compared to the opening, besides the second rap section, which is also great. I kind of just need a real dedicated rap b-side from IVE, maybe even as a Rei led subunit with Leeseo and Gaeul, it would be great and the other 3 could do a vocal song. The good thing about IVE being this low is that I’m confident that it won’t be the case next year… hopefully.
27. Babymonster- Forever
If you look through my end of year rankings in the past you will notice a severe lack of YG groups, in fact the last time one showed up was Blackpink in 2018. I don’t click with the company’s musical direction or idols typically, not since Big Bang. So let me say that I’m sold on Babymonster, they seem like the real deal and musically I get them. Asa is an absurd talent, I’m guessing we’ll be talking about her in the same zone as EXiD LE and (G)I-dle Soyeon as one of the best kpop rappers of all time in a few years. This song is fun, it’s catchy, it’s solid kpop.
26. QWER- T.B.H
I’m now going to admit to you all that I just kept forgetting to add QWER songs to my playlist so I’m writing this blurb without being sure where it will end up, it’s currently in 36th. I think there is a lot to like about QWER, they have an anime-OST flair without losing traditional pop sensibility and, more importantly, listenability. Siyeon has such an enjoyable voice to listen to, and I love the instrumental in this song, the guitar hook is chef’s kiss if we’re being honest.
25. P1Harmony- Killin’ It
Boy group sighting! Not Seventeen, Lucy, Ateez, or TXT! That’s right, a new boy group gets onto my rankings. This song is so much fun, it’s got that cocky hip-hop swagger while still maintaining a ton of fun energy. It’s a never-skipper for me, there is never a mood or time that this song isn’t fun.
24. Rosé, Bruno Mars- Apt.
It just took leaving YG for Rosé to sing in a way that sounds so much healthier! And guess what, she honestly sounds even better for it in my opinion. This song slaps, this collab works incredibly well, just an absolute earworm and a half.
23. DreamNote- Joyful Green
I’m loving this sound among all the other stuff going on this year. It has a classic graceful kpop kind of vibe, like you might get out of a WJSN song. Although the song doesn’t quite hit the top of my chart, I would love to hear more of this rather than the existing trends, it actually feels really fresh.
22. Fifty Fifty- SOS
I’m not going to say I’m happy about the collapse of OG Fifty Fifty, I rated that group very highly… but, I think I like this lineup even better. This group has a balance and blend that the other didn’t. Either way, this song slaps. And, although I never judge dance or video towards these rankings, I do like the S O S they make with their hands in the choreo.
21. Le Sserafim- Easy
As somebody who generally feels like Le Sserafim’s music is not for me, I really like this one. It was my top song in the first half of the year. I love the beat, and there’s only one little part that I feel lags behind the rest of the song in quality, it’s very well rounded.
20. Babymonster- Like That
I think this song doesn’t really feel age appropriate for the group to be completely honest. But, I do think the song is really good. Once again, I think Asa is a huge highlight, she’s just so good. But the chorus is absurdly catchy and well crafted. I do also think the vocal work here is more interesting that on Forever.
19. Yena- Good Morning
Last year was the year of soloists. All of my top 3 songs were from soloists, another 2 came in the top 10, and another 3 in the top 25. It was a ramp up from the rise of great soloist output in 2022. I’m saying this to contextualize my disappointment in the fact that this is my only song from a soloist in my top 50 not including Apt. since it’s a duo song. Yena shows up again just out of my top 50, as do AleXa and Wendy, who both put out some good songs. But the lack of true soloist bangers are disappointing. Trend discussion aside, this song is classic Yena at this point. It’s upbeat, energetic, and has a little bit of a rock tinge to it. I'm happy to not be surprised by this one, it’s exactly what this weaker year needed.
18. Fromis_9- Supersonic
As a Flover, this has been a rough year, basically no Youtube output, very little music despite it still being amazing and doing well, and the group’s contracts are expiring, which leaves the future unknown. I love the vocal slides in the chorus, the fact that the repetitive hook of the chorus doesn’t mean that there can’t be real vocals alongside it, which the industry seems to forget sometimes. Also, the abs on all these ladies during this era, holy moly, ab lovers rise up. This also feels like one of the most even Fromis songs to me, everybody stands out in their own moments, they’ve always been decently balanced for a group their size, but it seemed extra good on this outing.
17. TripleS Aria- Door
Aria was basically built to be the ballad subunit, but in a lot of ways, it is very much Dahyun’s subunit specifically. Dahyun is a fantastic vocalist, and she shines like crazy here, her adlibs in the final chorus are just beautiful. I don’t even like ballads and I’m gushing because she’s so good here. And that isn’t even to discount the other members, they rise up to the challenge and fit in really well, they prove what idols are capable of when their growth is actually fostered and invested in.
16. ARTMS- Virtual Angel
I mentioned on TTYL that it was my second favorite post-Loona song, this is my number one. This song just works. I really don’t even have much to say about it, which is funny because I got increasingly wordy up to this point. I just like this song, it’s got that floaty, fae-esque, whimsy to it.
15. Kep1er- Shooting Star
Good year for Kep1er in my opinion, even with two members leaving to join Madein after this song. The highlight for me here is the layered auto tune pre-chorus section, it sounds so good, very solid work on the part of the producer. I do generally like the style of the song too, and I think it fits Kep1er well, although, given their history, I expect them to not come back since every release seems so different from their previous work.
14. TripleS- Girls Never Die
As somebody who got into TripleS watching the daily vlogs at the start, I am so incredibly proud of them. They’ve all grown so much and come so far, they’ve made a song that seems to be pretty well acknowledged. It was used as a protest song for female students against a school trying to become co-ed, that’s really cool! One of the things I love about TripleS is their use of “lalala”s in a lot of their songs, it gives the whole discography a nice sense of cohesion. I think if you haven’t started appreciating TripleS, that you need to give them the time of day, because they’re fantastic.
13. Oh My Girl- Classified
The last time I did my all time girl group rankings, I had Oh My Girl in 4th. I’m so happy I can place one of their songs so high again! I love that Oh My Girl doesn’t trend chase, and instead puts out music that can only be described as “distinctly Oh My Girl.” This chorus soars, the verses are beautiful, it really feels like a return to form for the group in my opinion, and it has me feeling pretty excited for what they do next.
12. Fifty Fifty- Starry Night
Can you tell that I’ve really enjoyed floaty positive songs this year? I actually do every year but they’ve been less frequent as of late. But 2024 is the comeback of things that aren’t girl crush it seems. This was such a great first release for the new Fifty Fifty lineup, it instantly told me that the quality I was used to is still around. No specific song notes, it’s just good front to back.
11. Itzy- Imaginary Friend
I’m going to just say it outright, this is the best Itzy song ever. This musical direction is so good for them, it’s still totally unique, which has always been their signature, but it’s soft, gentle, mature, and kinda sexy, and it works incredibly well for them. This is what I have wanted from a more mature and experienced Itzy, which I didn’t realize until I heard it.
10. Lucy- Villain
If you’ve read my previous year-end articles, you know that I am absolutely a sucker for Lucy’s music. They also didn’t place highly last year after having my absolute favorite album of 2022 in Play (one of, if not the, best kpop albums of all time). Happy to have them heading right into the top again. Villain is relentless, so fast and energetic, which seems to be a trend for the year. I like the vocals across all the members as always. My only criticism here is that I think the violin is a little understated in the mix, and I would have loved a violin solo, it could have been really different from past ones too, more upbeat and rocky.
9. Kiss Of Life- Te Quiero
I usually don’t click with the more latin influenced kpop songs, while it can be fantastic, and I get why people like it, it’s not my style. That said, whatever Kiss Of Life did here absolutely works for me. This is a Belle song to me, she just crushes the vocals here, and Julie has good little sections throughout too.
8. Weeekly- Stranger
I will note here I specifically listen to the English version of this song, which I normally never do, but it reminds of their concert, which was one of my favorite things I’ve ever done in my life, and my favorite concert of all time. That said, this is a great ballad, it’s got this mix of love and sadness in a way that I really like. The emotional depth is carried through really well vocally as well, I’m honestly really impressed by that.
7. Madein- Uno
How dare this song make counting so catchy! Maybe Sesame Street was onto something. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Limelight’s expansion to become Madein, and, while it wasn’t this at all, I’m happy with what we got. The chorus is an absolute win across all of the sections, and the pre-chorus is even better. This is the kind of quality we need to see for a song to reach siete on a year-end ranking.
6. Kiss Of Life- Sticky
I mentioned how each Kiss Of Life song has a member that seems to stand out, Sticky is where I see a huge exception, this is truly a Kiss Of Life song. This is fun, flirty, summer vibes in the best kind of way. The verses are a little low, but the chorus is so incredibly catchy and fun that it gets you just completely caught up in the experience. This truly takes you to summer parties with grilled food and a pool, and carefree fun.
5. ILLIT- Magnetic
As much as I have a taste for slightly more niche and less trendy music and groups, I think nobody was immune to ILLIT or Magnetic this year. This song is just musical addiction made manifest, it’s so cute and catchy and fun, you’d need to try to not enjoy yourself at least a little while listening to it. I’m also so happy ILLIT is doing cute so well, it proves that there’s still room for it in the industry, not just in the mid tiers, but all the way at the top. I will note that despite my statement that this year was weaker, I think all of the top 5 songs are extremely good and I’ve been shuffling them all around for months trying to figure out their order. They have all moved around in this group, and they probably would again if I redid this list in a few years (which I will, that project is actively being worked on for past years).
4. ILLIT- Cherish (My Love)
First of all, the parenthesis in the title are silly, just need to get that out there. This song starts off with the funniest line of the year, “you know what, not even God can stop me” makes me laugh a little every time, it’s just so sudden and random. That aside, this song is so crazy good, how is the chorus this insanely catchy? I actually just wish there was more song, at only three minutes it leaves me wanting more… which is probably intentional by the way, to generate more listens. It’s something a lot of modern pop is trying to achieve, that unresolved feeling that leaves you wanting more. This is also my favorite music video of the year (spoilers if I decide to do that ranking this year), the whole weird trippy teeth thing is amazing.
3. Weeekly- Lights On
The group who is the most consistent for me since their debut, following in the consistent high quality footsteps of GWSN and even earlier (and more recently at the same time), EXiD. Lights On has that frenetic pacing in the mix that a lot of songs this year did, but it executes much better on it. This song really lets the group shine in their respective roles, and I love how much they always get to use their own unique voices instead of being blended together, that’s a trend that’s happening industry wide that I really like.
2. Fifty Fifty- Gravity
What is this pop-punk coded pop song doing here being so crazy good. This song more than any other shows off how insanely talented these girls are. The harmonized vocals in the choruses are so incredibly cool and well done. This is like a blessing to the ears to me, and I like the style too, I’m always a sucker for pop-punk, I’ll always be a rocker even if I mainly listen to kpop these days. If you haven’t watched the live vocal version of this song on the MyMusicTaste YouTube channel, go do it literally right now, the number 1 song of the year can wait, it will literally give you chills.
1. CSR- Pretty Mob
While I won’t commit to this song giving you chills, it does something else, gives a smile. This song is structured and paced in such a cool and interesting way. The instrumental is so distinct and unique too, probably my second favorite instrumental behind Accendio’s opening, but it lasts for the whole song instead of going away. I also love all the unique vocal sections, they are each their own and yet are woven together in a cohesive way that works masterfully. And as much as I will call out the shortening of songs, and that I believe it to be a move in the wrong direction and prefer 3-4 minute songs, this is actually the shortest song on the whole list. If you are only going to use 147 seconds of run time, it better be good, and well, for CSR, it’s the best song of the year.
