The Never-Ending Monologue

*1st Openly Deaf Rap Critic*

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Best Music, 2025

1. Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp

2. Nourished By Time - The Passionate Ones

3. Rosalía - LUX

4. oklou - choke enough

5. Annahstasia - Tether

6. Bad Bunny - DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS

7. FKA twigs - EUSEXUA

8. Jim Legxacy - black british music (2025)

9. Sudan Archives - The BPM

10. Men I Trust - Equus Asinus

11. billy woods - GOLLIWOG

12. Wednesday - Bleeds

13. Earl Sweatshirt - Live Laugh Love

14. wet leg - moisturizer

15. Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz

16. The Weather Station - Humanhood

17. Amaarae - BLACK STAR

18. Marissa Nadler - New Radiations

19. Kojey Radical - Don’t Look Down

20. Ela Minus - DIA

21. Skullcrusher - And Your Song is Like a Circle

22. Jay Som - Belong

23. Cate Le Bon - Michaelangelo’s Dying

24. JADE - That’s Showbiz Baby!

25. Maria Somerville - Luster

26. Lyra Pramuk - Hymnal

27. Saba & No ID - From the Private Collection of...

28. Squid - Cowards

29. Rochelle Jordan - Through the Wall

30. Joanna Robertson - Blurrr

31. Lucrecia Dalt - A Danger to Ourselves

32. Water From Your Eyes - It's a Beautiful Place

33. Smerz - Big City Life

34. Perfume Genius - Glory

35. Open Mike Eagle - Neighborhood Gods Unlimited

36. Kelly Moran - Don't Trust Mirrors

37. PinkPantheress - Fancy That?

38. Yeule - Evangelic Girl Is a Gun

39. Blood Orange - Essex Honey

40. Florist - Jellywish

41. Hannah Frances - Nested in Tangles

42. Little Simz - Lotus

43. Addison Rae - Addison

44. Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith - Defiant Life

45. Neko Case - Neon Grey Midnight Green

46. Hayley Williams - Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

47. Lonnie Holley - Tonky

48. Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE

49. Boldy James / Nicholas Craven - Late to My Own Funeral

50. SAILORR - From Florida's Finest

HM: Rico Nasty - Lethal, Armand Hammer / Alchemist - Mercy, Jenny Hval - Iris Silver Mist, Snõõper - Worldwide, Mavi - The Pilot, Mac DeMarco - Guitar, Playboi Carti - MUSIC

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Best k-pop, 2025

The unforgivable cost of the Faustian bargain that made Kpop Demon Hunters (not really for me, sorry) the most successful non-Taylor thing of 2025 was the end of NewJeans. Silver lining: Now we finally have Hearts2Hearts. Also, ifeye! And CORTIS! Great year to debut.

Best Songs

1. Hearts2Hearts - "FOCUS"

2. ifeye - "IRL"

3. CORTIS - "FaSHioN"

4. NMIXX - "KNOW ABOUT ME"

5. XLOV - "1&Only"

6. ifeye - "r u ok?" / "loverboy"

7. Yves - "Soap"

8. Crush - "FREQUENCY"

9. JENNIE - "like JENNIE"

10. TWICE - "THIS IS FOR"

11. VVS - "FACT$"

12. Olivia Marsh - "Strategy"

13. Hearts2Hearts - "The Chase"

14. Kai - "Wait On Me"

15. IVE - "ATTITUDE"

16. MEOVV - "HANDS UP"

17. SUMIN & slom - "Her"

18. LE SSERAFIM - "HOT"

19. Hoody - "Us"

20. izna - "BEEP"

21. RESCENE - "Deja Vu"

22. Red Velvet - IRENE & SEULGI - "TILT"

23. aespa - "Dirty Work"

24. VIVIZ - "La La Love Me"

25. ITZY - "Kiss & Tell"

Best Albums

1. TWICE - THIS IS FOR

2. JENNIE - RUBY

3. tripleS - <ASSEMBLE25>

4. TWICE - Ten: The Story Goes On

5. SUNMI - HEART MAID

6. TxT - The Star Chapter: Together

7. Chaeyoung - LIL FANTASY vol. 1

8. NMIXX - Blue Valentine

9. Key - Hunter

10. Chung Ha - Alivio

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. ifeye - sweet tang

2. Crush - FANG

3. Yves - Soft Error

4. Hearts2Hearts - FOCUS

5. ATEEZ - GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3

6. VVS - D.I.M.M.

7. ARTMS - Club Icarus

8. LE SSERAFIM - HOT

9. TEN - STUNNER

10. ILLIT - bomb

Best New Artist(s): Hearts2Hearts, CORTIS, ifeye

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Best Music, 2024

1. Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown

2. Nilufer Yanya - My Method Actor

3. Jessica Pratt - Here in the Pitch

4. JPEGMAFIA - I Lay Down My Life For You

5. Meshell Ndegeocello - No More Water

6. Nala Sinephro - Endlessness

7. DIIV - Frog in Boiling Water

8. Tyler, the Creator - Chromakopia

9. Charli XCX - Brat

10. Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere

11. Rapsody - Please Don’t Cry

12. The Smile - Wall of Eyes

13. Vince Staples - Dark Times

14. Mount Eerie - Night Palace

15. Julia Holter - Something in the Room She Moves

16. Helado Negro - Phasor

17. Boldy James - Penalty of Leadership / Across the Tracks

18. Kali Malone: All Life Long

19. Erika de Casier - Still

20. Rema - HEIS

21. Tinashe - Quantum Baby

22. Chief Keef - Almighty So 2

23. Mustafa - Dunya

24. Arooj Aftab - Night Reign

25. Mavi: Shadowbox

26. Nubya Garcia - Odyssey

27. Kendrick Lamar - GNX

28. Cassandra Jenkins - My Light, My Destroyer

29. Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us

30. Kim Gordon - The Collective

31. SahBabii - Saaheem

32. Faye Webster - Underdressed at the Symphony

33. Brittany Howard - What Now

34. Tyla - s/t

35. Immanuel Wilkins - Blues Blood

36. Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal

37. Magdelena Bay - Imaginal Disk

38. ScHoolboy Q - Blue Lips

39. Joel Ross - nublues

40. Anitta - Funk Generation

41. Mk.gee - Two Star & the Dream Police

42. Mach-Hommy - #Richaxxhaitian

43. Cindy Lee: Diamond Jubilee

44. Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future

45. Mdou Moctar: Funeral For Justice

46. Roc Marciano & Alchemist - The Skeleton Key

47. serpentwithfeet - Grip

48. Ravyn Lenae: Bird’s Eye

49. Sabrina Carpenter - Short n Sweet

50. Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well

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Best K-pop, 2024

In a year when the genre fully embraced English, aespa reigned supreme

Best Songs

1. aespa - "Armageddon"

2. Kep1er - "TIPI-TAP"

3. Loossemble - "TTYL"

4. Kiss of Life - "Get Loud" (or) "Midas Touch" (idk)

5. aespa - "Whiplash"

6. ATEEZ - "Work"

7. Illit - "Magnetic"

8. ENHYPEN - "Paranormal"

9. STAYC - "GPT"

10. NCT 127 - "Walk"

11. MEOVV - "MEOVV" / "BODY"

12. Lightsum - "POSE!"

13. izna - "DRIP"

14. cignature - "I like I like"

15. VIVIZ - "Full Moon" / "Shhh!"

16. ATEEZ - "Ice On My Teeth"

17. HyunA - "Q&A"

18. fromis_9 - "Supersonic"

19. IVE - "RESET"

20. BIBI - "Sugar Rush"

21. TxT - "Over the Moon"

22. Oh My Girl - "Classified"

23. Everglow - "ZOMBIE"

24. TWICE - "Rush"

25. LE SSERAFIM - "1-800-hot-n-fun"

Best Albums

1. ARTMS - <Dall>

2. RM - Right Place, Wrong Person

3. aespa - Armageddon

4. Taemin - ETERNAL

5. tripleS - <ASSEMBLE24>

6. Jaehyun - J

7. STAYC - Metamorphic

8. NCT 127 - WALK

9. Nmixx - F2304: BREAK

10. Younha - Growth Theory

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. aespa - Whiplash

2. Kiss of Life - Lose Yourself

3. KEY - Pleasure Shop

4. LE SSERAFIM - CRAZY

5. izna - N/a

6. Loossemble - TTYL

7. SF9 - Fantasy

8. HyunA - Attitude

9. VIVIZ - Voyage

10. KARD - Where to Now? (Part. 1: Yellow Light)

Best New Artists: ARTMS, Illit

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Best Music, 2023

1. Amaarae - Fountain Baby

2. Sampha - Lahai

3. Youth Lagoon - Heaven is a Junkyard

4. billy woods & kenny segal - maps

5. Fever Ray - Radical Romantics

6. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

7. Avelino - God Save the Streets

8. Feist - Multitudes

9. noname - Sundial

10. L'Rain - I Killed Your Dog

11. jaimie branch - Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (World War)

12. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - Scaring the Hoes

13. Kali Uchis - Red Moon in Venus

14. Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

15. Róisín Murphy - Hit Parade

16. Aesop Rock - Integrated Tech Solutions

17. Kelela - Raven

18. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin

19. Corinne Bailey Rae - Black Rainbows

20. Mon Laferte - Autopoiética

21. Veeze - Ganger

22. Yves Tumor - Praise A Lord Who Chews

23. Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shazhad Ismaily - Love in Exile

24. Nonso Amadi - When It Blooms

25. Mick Jenkins - The Patience

26. Liv.e - Girl in a Half Pearl

27. boygenius - The Record

28. Jorja Smith - Falling or Flying

29. Meshell Ndegeocello - The Omnichord Real Book

30. Squid - O Monolith

31. Julia Byrne - The Greater Wings

32. Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

33. Lakecia Benjanim - Phoenix

34. Victoria Monet - Jaguar II

35. Avalon Emerson - & The Charm

36. Kara Jackson - Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?

37. Danny Brown - Quaranta

38. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

39. Romy - Mid Air

40. Laurel Halo - Atlas

41. Iris DeMent - Workin' on a World

42. Zulu - A New Tomorrow

43. Troy Sivan - Something to Give Each Other

44. J Hus - Beautiful and Brutal Yard

45. Anthony Nalpes - Orbs

46. Lil Tecca - TEC

47. Gia Margaret - Romantic Piano

48. Clea Sol - Heaven

49. Gunna - a Gift & a Curse

50. Wesley Joseph - GLOW

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Best K-pop, 2023

A banner year for English-language K-pop, mature idols, post-RENAISSANCE club music, and the Bangtan Boys going solo. Oh, and have you heard about NewJeans?

Best Songs

1. KARD - "ICKY"

2. JIHYO - "Closer"

3. NewJeans - "ETA"

4. Hoody - "Daydream"

5. Jimin - "Like Crazy"

6. Kiss of Life - "Nobody Knows"

7. HYO - "Picture"

8. LE SSERAFIM - "Perfect Night"

9. SHINee - "HARD"

10. DeVita - "Ride For Me"

11. NewJeans - "OMG"

12. Kang Daniel - "SOS"

13. Dreamcatcher - "BONVOYAGE"

14. TxT - "Tinnitus"

15. IVE - "I AM" / "Hypnosis"

16. Kwon Eunbi - "The Flash"

17. GOT the beat - "Stamp On It"

18. EVNNE - "TROUBLE"

19. STAYC - "Be Mine" / "Not Like You"

20. Fifty Fifty - "Cupid"

21. ATEEZ - "Wake Up"

22. aespa - "Hold on Tight"

23. fromis_9 - "Prom Night"

24. BIBI - "Hongdae R&B"

25. Jungkook - "Standing Next to You"

Best Albums

1. Hoody - Sailing

2. Whee In - IN the Mood

3. IVE - I've IVE

4. Crush - wonderego

5. tripleS - Assemble

6. So!YoON! - Episode1 : Love

7. Red Velvet - Chill Kill

8. Agust D - D-Day

9. Zion.T - Zip

10. LE SSERAFIM - Unforgiven

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. NewJeans - Get Up

2. JIHYO - ZONE

3. KARD - ICKY

4. V - Layover

5. Kiss of Life - s/t

6. Kang Daniel - REALIEZ

7. STAYC - Teenfresh

8. Dreamcatcher - [Apocalypse : From us]

9. GOT the beat - Stamp On It

10. EVNNE - Target: ME

Best New Artists: Kiss of Life, TripleS

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Best Music, 2022

1. FKA twigs - CAPRISONGS

2. Rosalía - Motomami

3. Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter

4. DOMi & JD Beck - NOT TiGHT

5. Roc Marciano & the Alchemist - The Elephant Man's Bones

6. Lucrecia Dalt - ¡Ay!

7. Caroline Shaw & Attacca Quartet - Evergreen

8. Immanuel Wilkins - The 7th Hand

9. Kojey Radical - Reason to Smile

10. Koffee - Gifted

11. Beyoncé - RENAISSANCE

12. SilkMoney - I Don’t Give a Fuck About This Rap Shit…

13. Duval Timothy - Meeting with a Judas Tree

14. Quelle Chris - DEATHFAME

15. Makaya McCraven - In These Times

16. Earl Sweatshirt - Sick!

17. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

18. Open Mike Eagle - Component System with the Auto Reverse

19. Amber Mark - Three Dimensions Deep

20. Let's Eat Grandma - Two Ribbons

21. Kehlani - blue water road

22. Nilufer Yanya - Painless

23. Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever

24. billy woods - Aethiopes

25. Alvvays - Blue Rev

26. Hikaru Utada - Bad Mode

27. Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen

28. Young Nudy - EA Monster

29. Shygirl - Nymph

30. Aldous Harding - Warm Chris

31. Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyez See Your Future

32. S.G. Goodman - Teeth Marks

33. Asake - Mr. Money with the Vibe

34. Fly Anakin - Frank

35. Beach House - Once Twice Melody

36. Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti

37. Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry

38. Obongjayar - Some Nights I Dream of Doors

39. JID - The Forever Story

40. Lucky Daye - Candydrip

41. Raveena - Asha’s Awakening

42. Elzhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow - Zhigeist

43. Charli XCX - Crash

44. Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

45. The Weeknd - Dawn FM 

46. redveil - learn 2 swim

47. Stromae - Multitude

48. Daphni - Cherry

49. NBA YoungBoy - 3800 Degrees

50. The Mountain Goats - Bleed Out

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Best K-pop, 2022

The 4th Gen girlies are not here to play games.

Best Songs

1. IVE - “After Like”

2. LE SSERAFIM - “ANTIFRAGILE” / “Impurities”

3. Kep1er - “Up!”

4. Loona - “Flip That”

5. Cosmic Girls - “Last Sequence”

6. STAYC - “Young Luv”

7. NewJeans - “Hype Boy”

8. LIGHTSUM - “i”

9. Dreamcatcher - “Together”

10. Rovv, Jimmy Brown, & Sweet the Kid - “slow mo” / “Up”

11. Chung Ha - “XXXX”

12. SNSD - “Freedom”

13. TxT - “Trust Fund Baby”

14. “Hyolyn - “Body Talk”

15. ATEEZ - “HALAZIA”

16. Kep1er - “Downtown”

17. Fifty Fifty - “Higher”

18. GEMINI - “Do Me Right”

19. aespa - “Life’s Too Short” (ENG ver.) / “Illusion”

20. Seventeen - “CHEERS” 

21. Oh My Girl - “Real Love”

22. tripleS - “Charla”

23. BTS - “Run BTS”

24. EXID - “Fire”

25. SUNMI - “Childhood”

Best Albums

1. Chung Ha - Bare & Rare

2. Dreamcatcher - Apocalypse : Save us

3. SNSD - Forever 1

4. Kang Daniel - The Story : RETOLD

5. KEY - Gasoline

6. Oh My Girl - Real Love

7. RM - Indigo

8. Taeyeon - INVU

9. Apink - HORN

10. ASTRO - Drive to the Starry Road

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. NewJeans - New Jeans

2. GOT7 - s/t

3. LE SSERAFIM - ANTIFRAGILE

4. Hyolyn - iCE

5. aespa - Girls

6. TxT - minisode 2: Thursday’s Child

7. STAYC - Young-Luv.com

8. Kep1er - DOUBLAST

9. Twice - Between 1&2

10. ZICO - Grown Ass Kid

Best New Artists: LE SSERAFIM, Kep1er, NewJeans

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Best Music, 2021

1. Low - Hey What

2. Grouper - Shade

3. L’Rain - Fatigue

4. Dave - We're All Alone in This Together

5. Nala Sinephro - Space 1.8

6. Faye Webster - I Know I'm Funny Haha

7. Ka - A Martyr's Reward

8. Paloma Mami - Sueños de Dalí

9. Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost

10. Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview on Phenomenal Nature

11. Megdalena Bay - Mercurial World

12. Indigo De Souza - Any Shape You Take

13. Brandee Younger - Somewhere Different

14. Tirzah - Colourgrade 

15. Isaiah Rashad - The House Is Burning

16. Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime

17. Vince Staples - Vince Staples

18. Squid - Bright Green Field

19. The Armed - Ultrapop

20. The Weather Station - Ignorance

21. Mach-Hommy - Pray For Haiti

22. Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales

23. Helado Negro - Far In

24. Pink Siifu - Gumbo!’

25. Mustafa - When Smoke Rises

26. Vijay Iyer Trio - Uneasy

27. Kevin Gates - Only the Generals, Pt. II

28. Dean Blunt - Black Metal 2

29. masssai - With the Shifts

30. Patricia Brennan - Maquishti

31. Injury Reserve - By the Time I Get to Phoenix

32. Iceage - Seek Shelter

33. Doja Cat - Planet Her

34. Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee

35. Dawn Richard - Second Line

36. Julien Baker - Little Oblivions

37. Goat Girl On - All Fours

38. Armand Hammer / the Alchemist - Haram

39. Tinashe - 333

40. Chvrches - Screen Violence

41. serpentwithfeet - Deacon

42. Kacey Musgraves - star-crossed

43. Baby Keem - The Melodic Blue

44. Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth

45. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Carnage

46. Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg

47. Caroline Shaw - Narrow Sea

48. Pi'erre Bourne - The Life of Pi'erre 5

49. Brockhampton - Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine

50. Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails over the Country Club

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Best K-Pop, 2021

It’s a STAYC world and we’re all just living in it.

Best Songs

1. STAYC - “Stereotype”

2. Hoody - “Lights”

3. Twice - “Last Waltz”

4. SF9 - “Trauma”

5. Oh My Girl - “Dun Dun Dance”

6. NCT 127 - “Breakfast”

7. Cosmic Girls - “YALLA”

8. AKMU (with IU) - “NAKKA”

9. LeeHi - “Only” [i know, i know]

10. STAYC - “ASAP” / “Complex”

11. SHINee - “Code”

12. Weeekly - “After School” 

13. Baekyun - “Bambi”

14. Everglow - “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

15. SUMIN & slom - “yogijogi” / “What Do You Think”

16. ATEEZ - “Fireworks (I’m the One)”

17. aespa - “ICONIC”

18. ITZY - “Shoot”

19. TRI.BE - “RUB-A-DUM”

20. Woodz - “Feel Like”

21. NCT Dream - “Dive Into You”

22. Seventeen - “Wave”

23. BIBI - “Bad Sad and Mad”

24. NU’EST - “Dress”

25. TxT - “0X1=LOVESONG”

Best Albums

1. SF9 - Ruminations*

2. Twice - Formula of Love: O+T=<3

3. CL - Alpha

4. SUMIN & slom - Miniseries

5. NCT - Universe

6. SHINee - Atlantis

7. GRAY - grayground.

8. IU - Lilac

9. LeeHi - 4 Only [again, i know]

10. TxT - The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. STAYC - Stereotype

2. Hoody - D-Day

3. Baekyun - Bambi

4. Woodz - Only Lovers Left

5. SUNMI - 1/6

6. AKMU - Next Episode

7. Kang Daniel - Yellow

8. Ha Sung Woon - Sneakers

9. Monsta X - One of a Kind

10. Taemin - Advice

Best New Artists: IVE

*I’ve reclassified this an album, as the most well-sequence K-pop project in five years

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Best Music, 2020

1. The Microphones - Microphones in 2020

2. Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters

3. Playboi Carti - Whole Lotta Red

4. Moor Mother & billy woods - BRASS

5. Soccer Mommy - Color Theory

6. Jay Electronica - Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)

7. Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA

8. Drakeo the Ruler - Thank You For Using GTL

9. Moses Sumney - grae

10. Bad Bunny - YHLQMDLG

11. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

12. Open Mike Eagle - Anime, Trauma and Divorce

13. Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways

14. Yaeji - What We Drew

15. Jyoti - Mama, You Can Bet!

16. Grimes - Miss Anthropocene

17. Fleet Foxes - Shore

18. Blake Mills - Mutable Set

19. Run the Jewels - RTJ4

20. Fireboy DML - APOLLO

21. Liv.e - Couldn't Wait to Tell You...

22. Bartees Strange - Live Forever

23. Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

24. Adrianne Lenker - songs / instrumentals

25. Porridge Radio - Every Bad

26. Flo Milli - Ho, why is you here ?

27. Julianna Barwick - Healing Is a Miracle

28. Ka - Descendants of Cain

29. Taylor Swift - folklore

30. J Hus - Big Conspiracy

31. Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind

32. SAULT - Untitled (Black Is)

33. Pink Siifu - Negro

34. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

35. Jessie Ware - What’s Your Pleasure?

36. Popcaan - FIXTAPE

37. Helena Deland - Someone New

38. Nick Hakim - WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD

39. Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake

40. bbymutha - Muthaland

41. Bill Callahan - Gold Record

42. Rico Nasty - Nightmare Vacation

43. Freddie Gibbs / The Alchemist - Alfredo

44. Mac Miller - Circles

45. Kamaiyah - Got It Made

46. Mach-Hommy - Mach's Hard Lemonade

47. R.A.P. Ferriera - Purple Moonlight Pages

48. Boldy James - The Versace Tape 

49. Future - High Off Life

50. Tee Grizzley - The Smartest

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Best K-pop, 2020

Entering into a new K-pop decade, I thought this was the year of BLACKPINK, yet the YG supergroup’s huge American debut was creatively underwhelming. Instead, Twice dominated. In an otherwise chaotic year, one thing delivered on its promise: Iz*One. Meanwhile: BTS stayed BTS, NCT continued to multiply, and ITZY evolved far earlier than anticipated.

Best Songs

1. ITZY - “Wannabe”

2. Twice - “More & More”

3. Oh My Girl - “Nonstop”

4. SEVENTEEN - “Left & Right”

5. Apink - “Dumhdurum”

6. BTS - “Dis-ease”

7. Chung Ha - “Stay Tonight”

8. Iz*One - “AYAYAYA”

9. Sunmi - “pporappippam”

10. NCT 127 - “Kick It”

11. Summer Soul - “Tinder”

12. Taeyeon - “To the moon” / “Wildfire”

13. APRIL - “LALALILALA”

14. TXT - “Can’t You See Me”

15. Everglow - “Untouchable”

16. Kang Daniel - “Waves”

17. Dreamcatcher - “Scream” / “BOCA” / “Red Sun”

18. Taemin - “Waiting For”

19. GFriend - “Love Spell” / “Better Me”

20. Loona - “Voice”

21. ATEEZ - “Inception”

22. Nature - “Girls”

23. Astro - “Knock”

24. Sumin & Zion.T - “Dirty Love”

25. Sogumm & OHHYUK - “yayou hoi”

Best Albums

1. Iz*One - Bloom*Iz

2. Agust D - D-2

3. GFriend - Walpurgis Night

4. Twice - Eye wide open

5. Loona - [12:00]

6. BTS - BE

7. Apink - Look

8. NCT - NCT Resonance Pt. 1

9. BLACKPINK - The Album

10. SuperM - Super One

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. Twice - More & More

2. Taeyeon - What Do I Call You?

3. Mamamoo - TRAVEL

4. Oh My Girl - Nonstop

5. ITZY - IT’z ME

6. Hyolyn - Say My Name

7. Crush - with HER

8. Got7 - DYE

9. Heize - Lyricist

10. Cosmic Girls - Neverland

Best New Artists: cignature (tough year to debut)

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Best Music, 2010-19

1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

2. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange (2012)

3. Beach House - Teen Dream (2010)

4. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel... (2012)

5. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)

6. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City (2013)

7. ANOHNI - Hopelessness (2016)

8. Björk - Vulnicura (2015)

9. D'Angelo / The Vanguard - Black Messiah (2015)

10. Tame Impala - Currents (2015)

11. Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap (2013)

12. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)

13. Danny Brown - XXX (2011)

14. Kanye West - Yeezus (2013)

15. Rihanna - ANTI (2016)

16. Vince Staples - Summertime '06 (2015)

17. Beyoncé - s/t (2014)

18. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Part 1 (2014)

19. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence (2014)

20. Charli XCX - Pop 2 (2017)

21. Grimes - Art Angels (2015)

22. Drake - Nothing Was the Same (2013)

23. Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside (2015)

24. FKA twigs - LP1 (2014)

25. My Bloody Valentine - m b v (2013)

26. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)

27. The Weeknd - House of Balloons (2011)

28. James Blake - s/t (2011)

29. Young Thug - Barter 6 (2015)

30. Blood Orange - Freetown Sound (2016)

31. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour (2018)

32. Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (2010)

33. Future - Dirty Sprite 2 (2015)

34. Esperanza Spalding - Emily's D+Evolution (2016)

35. Haim - Days Are Gone (2013)

36. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear (2015)

37. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2 (2014)

38. Bully - Feels Like (2015)

39. Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me (2017)

40. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up (2017)

41. Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden of Delete (2015)

42. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love (2015)

43. Mitski - Puberty 2 (2016)

44. A$AP Rocky - LIVELOVEA$AP (2011)

45. St. Vincent - s/t (2014)

46. Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time (2013)

47. Tyler, the Creator - Flower Boy (2017)

48. Paramore - s/t (2013)

49. Earl Sweatshirt - Earl (2010)

50. Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION (2015)

[jiggyraps]

Best Music, 2019

1. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

2. Beyoncé - Homecoming: The Live Album

3. Jai Paul - Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)

4. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.

5. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors

6. Brittany Howard - Jaime

7. Purple Mountains - s/t

8. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Ghosteen

9. Burna Boy - African Giant

10. Solange - When I Get Home

11. Big Thief - Two Hands

12. Rapsody - Eve

13. Denzel Curry - ZUU

14. Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile

15. Chai - PUNK

16. woods + segal - Hiding Places

17. Bad Bunny - X 100PRE

18. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin?

19. black midi - Schlagenheim

20. Charly Bliss - Young Enough

21. Florist - Emily Alone

22. Mavi - Let the Sun Talk

23. Bon Iver - i,i

24. Mannequin Pussy - Patience

25. Polo G - Die a Legend

26. Body Meat - Truck Music

27. Freddie Gibbs / Madlib - Bandana

28. Nivhek - After its own death / Walking in a spiral towards the house

29. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride

30. Thom Yorke - Anima

31. JPEGMAFIA - All My Heroes are Cornballs

32. GoldLink - Diaspora

33. Megan Thee Stallion - Fever

34. Ariana Grande - thank u, next

35. Quelle Chris: Guns

36. Young Thug - So Much Fun

37. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow

38. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

39. Slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain 

40. MIKE - Tears of Joy

41. Dave - Psychodrama

42. Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won't Hold

43. Little Simz - GREY Area

44. Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks

45. J Balvin / Bad Bunny - OASIS

46. Sada Baby - Bartier Bounty

47. Clairo - Immunity

48. Young Nudy / Pi’erre Bourne - Sli'merre

49. 2 Chainz - Rap or Go to the League

50. Blood Orange - Angel's Pulse

Honorable Mentions: Davido - A Good Time, Junius Paul - Ism, 03 Greedo / Kenny Beats - Netflix & Deal, Future - The Wizrd, Young M.A. - Herstory in the Making, Dreezy - Big Dreez, (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar, DaBaby - Baby on Baby, Rod Wave - Ghetto Gospel

[jiggyraps]

Best K-Pop, 2010-19

In the first great k-pop decade, SNSD set the bar and no one has jumped it yet. Who will?

Best Songs

1. SNSD - “Oh!” (2010) 2. HyunA - “RED” (2o14) 3. f(x) - “Rum Pum Pum Pum” (2013) 4. Cosmic Girls - “Secret” (2016) 5. EXO-K - “History” (2012) 6. SNSD - “Flower Power” (2012) (i know this song is in japanese, idc) 7. AOA - “Miniskirt” (2014) 8. Super Junior - “Mr. Simple” (2011) 9. Taeyeon - “Love in Color” (2017) 10. Narsha - “Bbi Ri Bba Bba” (2010) 11. Red Velvet - “Bad Boy” (2018) 12. Girl’s Day - “Something” (2014) 13. Kara - “Step” (2011) 14. 2NE1 - “Missing You” (2013) 15. AOA - “Heart Attack” (2015) 16. Stellar - “Sting” (2016) 17. Infinite - “The Chaser” (2012) 18. Sistar - “Alone” (2012) 19. B2ST - “Fiction” (Orchestra Ver.) (2011) 20. CLC - “Hobgoblin” (2017) 21. AKMU - “Melted” (2014) 22. EXO - “Bad Dream” (2018) 23. SNSD - “Run Devil Run” (2010) 24. Big Bang - “Fantastic Baby” (2012) 25. 2NE1 - “I am the Best” (2011) 26. Younha - “Airplane Mode” (2018) 27. SNSD - “The Boys” (2011) 28. BtoB - “Wow” (2012) 29. SNSD - “I Got a Boy” (2014) 30. Red Velvet - “Automatic” (2015) 31. Oh My Girl - “Closer” (2015) 32. HyunA - “Bubble Pop!” (2011) 33. Hoody - “Golden” (2018) 34. After School - “Love Love Love” (2012) 35. Hello Venus - “Show Window” (2015) 36. IU - “You & I” (2011) 37. Suran - “1+1=0″ (2017) 38. f(x) - “Red Light” (2014) 39. Tiffany - “Talk” (2016) 40. Twice - “Ooh Ahh” (2015) 41. IZ*ONE - “La Vie en Rose” (2018) 42. Stellar - “Mask” (2014) 43. Produce 48 - “Rumor” (2018) 44. 2NE1 - “Follow Me” (2010) 45. Gain - “Bloom” (2012) 46. Girl’s Day - “Expectation” (2013) 47. IU - “Twenty-Three” (2015) 48. B1A4 - “OK” (2011) 49. Trouble Maker - “Now” (2013) 50. Brown Eyed Girls - “Hot Shot” (2011) 51. AOA - “Good Luck” (2016) 52. Lim Kim - “Awoo” (2015) 53. Red Velvet - “Happiness” (2014) 54. Heize - “And July” (2016) 55. U-Kiss - “Neverland” (2011) 56. EXO - “Obsession” (2019) 57. Brave Girls - “No Rush” (2017) 58. VIXX - “On and On” (2013) 59. NCT U - “The 7th Sense” (2016) 60. BESTie - “Love Options” (2014) 61. Block B - “Nice Day” (2013) 62. Sophiya - “Therapy” (2017) 63. f(x) - “Pinocchio (Danger)” (2011) 64. BTS - “Blood, Sweat, & Tears” (2016) 65. Chung Ha - “Snapping” (2019) 66. Taeyang - “Eyes, Nose, Lips” (2014) 67. Jooyoung - “Wine” (2018) 68. Hello Venus - “Sticky Sticky” (2014) 69. SNSD - “Party” (2015) 70. Oh My Girl - “Liar Liar” (2016) 71. JYJ - “Be My Girl” (2010) 72. 4minute - “Whatcha Doin’ Today?” (2014) 73. Hyolyn & Jooyoung - “Erase” (2014) 74. Taeyeon - “11:11″ / “Why” (2016) 75. Seohyun - Magic (2017) 76. Hyolyn - Paradise (2016) 77. 9Muses - “Figaro” (2011) 78. Taeyeon - “I Got Love” (2017) 79. Red Velvet - “Peek-a-Boo” (2017) 80. T-ara - “So Crazy” (2015) 81. HINAPIA - “Drip” (2019) 82. EXID - “I Feel Good” (2012) 83. Gain - “Fxxk U” (2014) 84. IU - “Bbibbi” (2018) 85. Apink - “I Don’t Know” (2011) 86. Infinite - “Back” (2014) 87. GFriend - “Wish” (2019) 88. Dal Shabet - “Someone Like U” (2016) 89. Spica - “Tonight” (2013) 90. After School - “Flashback” (2012) 91. iKon - “Killing Me” (2018) 92. DEAN - “D” (2016) 93. Orange Caramel - “Magic Girl” (2010) 94. BTS - “Fake Love” (2018) 95. T-ara - “Sugar Free” (2014) 96. Apink - “%%” (2019) 97. f(x) - “Electric Shock” (2012) 98. ATEEZ - “Say My Name” (2019) 99. Super Junior - “Bonamana” (2010) 100. HyunA - “Babe” (2017) 101. BLACKPINK - “Boombayah” / “Whistle” (2016) 102. After School - “First Love” (2013) 103. Wonder Girls - “Be My Baby” (2011) 104. CLC - “No” (2019) 105. f(x) - “Rude Love” (2015) 106. Orange Caramel - “Bubble Bath” (2012) 107. Momoland - “Jjan! Koong! Kwang” (2016) 108. Sistar - “Touch My Body” (2014) 109. EXID - “Ah Yeah” (2015) 110. Mamamoo - “Egotistic” (2018) 111. KNK - “Sunset” (2019) 112. Jay Park - “Solo” (2016) 113. Red Velvet - “Umpah Umpah” (2019) 114. Zion.T - “Eat” (2015) 115. 4minute - “Is It Poppin’?” (2013) 116. PRISTIN - “Black Widow” (2017) 117. Narsha - “I’m in Love” (2010) 118. Sistar - “Lonely” (2017) 119. SHINee - “Dream Girl” (2013) 120. Yuri - “Into You” (2018) 121. SUNMI - “LALALAY” (2019) 122. Rania - “Pop Pop Pop” (2011) 123. Crush - “Outside” (2017) 124. Bumkey - “Bad Girl” (2013) 125. G.Soul - “Tequila” (2017) 126. SHINee - “Beautiful” (2013) 127. Brave Girls - “Whatever” (2016) 128. TVXQ! - “Spellbound” (2014) 129. Zion.T - “Babay” (2013) 130. SAAY - “ZGZG” (2019) 131. K.Will - “Please Don’t” (2012) 132. Lee Hyori - “Swing” (2010) 133. 2PM - “A.D.T.O.Y.” (2013) 134. Rainbow - “A” (2010) 135. EXO - “Love Me Right” (2015) 136. 4minute - “Volume Up” (2012) 137. U-Kiss - “DORADORA” (2012) 138. Ladies’ Code - “Pretty Pretty” (2013) 139. NCT 127 - “Superhuman” (2019) 140. CLC - “Pepe” (2015) 141. Big Bang - “Blue” (2012) 142. Infinite - “Breathe” (2014) 143. BoA - “Smash” (2015) 144. Orange Caramel - “Lipstick” (2012) 145. miss A - “I Don’t Need a Man” (2013) 146. SHINee - “Hello” (2010) 147. Block B - “Shall We Dance” (2017) 148. Sistar - “Miss Sistar” (2013) 149. B.A.P. - “Feel So Good” (2016) 150. Seven - “Digital Bounce” (2010)

Best Albums

1. Taeyeon - My Voice (deluxe edition) (2017) 2. f(x) - Pink Tape (2013) 3. Younha - Rescue (2017) 4. SHINee - The Misconceptions of You (2013) 5. Red Velvet - The Red (2015) 6. Hoody - Departure (2019) 7. AKMU - Play (2014) 8. Infinite - Season 2 (2014) 9. EXO - Exodus (2015) 10. f(x) - Four Walls (2015) 11. Wonder Girls - Reboot (2015) 12. Hoody - On and On (2017) * 13. SNSD - Oh! (2010) 14. Kara - Step (2011) 15. DEAN - 130 mood : TRBL (2016) * 16. Mamamoo - Reality in Black (2019) 17. Red Velvet - Perfect Velvet (2017) 18. Taemin - Press It (2016) 19. 2NE1 - To Anyone (2010) 20. Taeyeon - Purpose (2019) 21. SHINee - Odd (2015) 22. B2ST - Fiction or Fact (2011) 23. Taeyang - White Night (2017) 24. NCT - NCT 2018 Empathy (2018) 25. 9Muses - Prima Donna (2013) 26. IU - Palette (2017) 27. Jonghyun - She Is (2016) 28. Sistar - Give It to Me (2013) 29. BTS - Wings (2016) 30. SNSD - The Boys (2011) 31. VIXX - Voodoo (2013) 32. Zion.T - Red Light (2014) 33. Super Junior - Mr. Simple (2011) 34. 2NE1 - Crush (2014) 35. Jonghyun - Poet | Artist (2018) 36. Block B - Blockbuster (2012) 37. BTS - Love Yourself: Tear (2018) 38. SNSD - I Got a Boy (2013) 39. TVXQ - Spellbound (2014) 40. Girl’s Day - Love (2015) 41. EXO - Don’t Mess Up My Tempo (2018) 42. B1A4 - Ignition (2012) 43. SHINee - The Story of the Light: Epilogue (2018) 44. 2PM - No. 5 (2015) 45. BoA - Woman (2018) 46. TVXQ - Humanoids (2012) 47. 4minute - 4 Minutes Left (2011) 48. Got7 - Present: You (2018) 49. GFriend - LOL (2017) 50. Cosmic Girls - Happy Moment (2017)

Best Mini Albums (EPs)

1. G.Soul - Circles (2017) 2. Tiffany - I Just Wanna Dance (2016) 3. f(x) - Electric Shock (2012) 4. 2NE1 - 2NE1 (2011) 5. HyunA - A Talk (2014) 6. Big Bang - Alive (2012) 7. Exo-K - Overdose (2014) 8. Narsha - Narsha (2010) 9. SHINee - Sherlock (2012) 10. Seohyun - Don’t Say No (2017) 11. G. Dragon - Coup D’Etat (2013) 12. Brave Girls - High Heels (2016) 13. AOA - Good Luck (2016) 14. CLC - Crystyle (2017) 15. Taeyeon - Why (2016) 16. 4minute - 4minute World (2014) 17. PRISTIN - Hi! PRISTIN (2017) 18. Heize - And July (2016) 19. Hello Venus - I’m Ill (2015) 20. Zion.T - Mirrorball (2013) 21. U-Kiss - DORADORA (2012) 22. Red Velvet - Ice Cream Cake (2015) 23. SNSD - Hoot (2010) 24. Lim Kim - Simple Mind (2015) 25. IU - Chat-Shire (2015) 26. Red Velvet - RBB (2018) 27. Jooyoung - Fountain (2018) 28. Myname - 1st Mini Album (2013) 29. Apink - Pink LUV (2014) 30. Twice - Page Two (2016) 31. BTS - Love Yourself 承 ‘Her’ (2017) 32. NCT 127 - Limitless (2017) 33. SUNMI - Warning (2018) 34. EXID - We (2019) 35. SUMIN - OO DA DA (2019) 36. Jun Hyoseong - Fantasia (2015) 37. BLACKPINK - Square Up (2016) * 38. AOA - Like a Cat (2014) 39. Block B - Very Good (2013) 40. Sonamoo - CUSHION (2015) 41. (G)I-DLE - I Made (2019) 42. SNSD - Mr.Mr. (2014) 43. Spica - Russian Roulette (2012) 44. MBLAQ - Sexy Beat (2013) 45. Rainbow - So Girls (2011) 46. SuperM - SuperM (2019) 47. miss A - Touch (2012) 48. T-ara - Black Eyes (2011) 49. Dal Shabet - B.B.B. (2014) 50. Psy - Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1 (2012)

Best Producers / Songwriters

1. Kenzie 2. Brave Brothers 3. GroovyRoom 4. Duble Sidekick 5. J.Y. Park 6. Shinsadong Tiger 7. Hitman Bang 8. Primary 9. Misfit 10. Black Eyed Pilseung

Best Soloist: IU, runner-up Crush Best Girl Group: SNSD, runner-up f(x) Best Boy Group: SHINee, runner-up EXO Best Rapper: HyunA, runner-up ZICO Best Vocalist: Taeyeon, runner-up Hyolyn

* Denotes a mini-album or single album I recategorized using common sense

[jiggyraps]

Best K-Pop, 2019

The final year of the first full k-pop decade was mired in scandal and tragedy but more was gained than lost: rookies like ITZY, Bvndit, TXT, and Everglow shaking things up; vets like EXO, EXID, and Mamamoo taking daring new turns; the SuperM supergroup living up to the hype. But one thing’s for sure: Everyone on this list is lucky Bloom*Iz was put on hold.

Best Songs

1. EXO - “Obsession”

2. Chung Ha - “Snapping”

3. HINAPIA - “Drip”

4. GFriend - “Wish”

5. Apink - “%%”

6. ATEEZ - “Hala Hala” (or) “Say My Name” (idk) 

7. CLC - “No”

8. KNK - “Sunset”

9. Red Velvet - “Umpah Umpah”

10. SUNMI - “LALALAY” 

11. SAAY - “ZGZG”

12. AOA - “Sorry”

13. NCT 127 - “Superhuman”

14. DIA - “WOOWA”

15. Hoody - “Thank You”

16. ITZY - “Dalla Dalla”

17. SuperM - “Super Car” / “No Manners”

18. RUANN - “Beep Beep”

19. Monsta X - “Follow”

20. TXT - “Cat & Dog”

21. 3YE - “OOMM (Out of My Mind)”

22. Stray Kids - “Side Effects”

23. Seventeen - “Fear”

24. Nature - “I’m So Pretty”

25. Got7 - “You Calling My Name”

Best Albums

1. Hoody - Departure

2. Mamamoo - Reality in Black

3. Taeyeon - Purpose

4. EXO - Obsession

5. BewhY - The Movie Star

6. Laboum - Two of Us

7. AKMU - Sailing

8. Heize - She’s Fine

9. Ailee - butterFLY

10. Oh My Girl - Fall in Love

Best Mini-Albums (EPs)

1. EXID - We

2. SUMIN - OO DA DA

3. (G)I-DLE - I Made

4. SuperM - SuperM

5. Loona - XX

6. Taemin - Want

7. Twice - Feel Special

8. Hyomin - Allure

9. ATEEZ - Treasure EP.2: Zero to One

10. SF9 - Narcissus

Best New Artists: ITZY, Bvndit, TXT

[jiggyraps]

K-Pop, 2019: Odds & Ends

Before I share the best k-pop of the year (and the decade), I am continuing the recent tradition of sharing some of my favorite oddities that just missed making the shortlist for various reasons, along with various little personal notes on concepts, choreography, and style. Musically, there is a bunch of fun stuff here: Tiffany’s westward expansion leading her into a duet with an R&B legend, an EXID swan song, Charli joining BTS, Momoland continuing a hot streak, the boys of NCT Dream growing up, Woosung’s falsetto, and Heize being Heize. So long to disbanded groups Hello Venus, Pristin, and 9Muses. R.I.P. Goo Hara. R.I.P. Sulli.

EXID - “How You Doin?”

(G)I-DLE - “Put It Straight” / “Senorita”

SIXC - “Move”

BTS & Charli XCX - “Dream Glow”

Momoland - “I’m So Hot”

Younha - “Lonely”

Lee Hi - “No One” [ft. B.I]

SF9 - “Enough”

Suran - “OJB”

Woosung - “Face”

Heize - “We Don’t Talk Together”

NCT Dream - “Boom”

Bvndit - “Dramatic”

Punch - “Love Me”

Sulli - “Goblin”

Mamamoo - “gogobebe”

Yesung - “Pink Magic”

Somi - “Birthday”

Weki Meki - “Picky Picky”

Kisum - “Say Hi” [ft. Woody]

Tiffany - “Runaway” [ft. Babyface & Chloe Flower] [Korean Remix]

Concepts I Loved: BLACKPINK’s “Kill This Love” video, Zico’s “Daredevil” video, IU’s “Blueming” video, BOL4′s “Workaholic” video, Saturday’s “BByong” video

Choreo I Loved: Bvndit’s “Dumb” video, ITZY’s “ICY” performance video, SuperM’s “Jopping” video, RUANN’s “Beep Beep” video, Mamamoo’s “Hip” video

Styles I Loved: Sanha in NYLON, Kai for GQ, Jisoo in Elle

Favorite k-pop moments: DEAN doing an acoustic version of “Howlin’” in front of a supercar, the Jackson verse on GoldLink’s Diaspora, YG finally setting CL free.