It’s a bit bleak over here, ladies and gentlemen. Over the years there have been many times where I’ve been more enamored with the quality of J-pop’s output than K-pop, but 2025 is not one of those years. In fact, there are fewer highlights than… Read More »Top J-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far)
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them… Read More »Buried Treasure: NouerA – Myself
Swedish melodic DM outfit Vittra are back in the fray with album number two, Intense Indifference, and we’re premiering the latest single, “Reign Supreme,” from their upcoming 10-track bruiser. “Reign Supreme” opens with a notably Slayer-inspired chug fest (think Seasons in the Abyss era), but the band—Alex Smith… Read More »Track Premiere: Vittra – “Reign Supreme”
I’m not going to review this song because I don’t want to be unnecessarily mean, but listening to rookie group BLINGONE’s re-creation of KARA’s immortal Mister makes for a fascinating case study and comparison between K-pop generations. It answers the question nobody had but everybody… Read More »How to Ruin a Classic K-pop Song: 5th Gen Takes on KARA’s MISTER
Similar to last year, 2025 so far has been a singles game rather than a series of excellent albums. I have even fewer on my list than I did this time last year, and only one of them is a full album — though that… Read More »Top K-Pop Albums of 2025 (So Far)