~ September 2021 ~

Hello everyone and welcome to the top Kmusic of September 2021! This month was full of amazing comebacks which made it very hard for me to rank all of them. The top 3 kept changing to be honest but I had to make up my mind. I just want to remind you that this ranking is purely subjective and based on my own personal preferences. Your favourite releases might be on a low ranking, others might not even be there, and that's because we all don't have similar tastes.

Now, before we start, here's the usual disclaimer: All the pictures included in this article are screenshots taken by me from official music videos. If there is copyright infringement, I apologize in advance and will remove any problematic picture upon the owner's request. The link of the YouTube playlist can be found at the end of the article. I decided to make YouTube playlists instead of Spotify or Apple Music playlists to make it available for everyone. 

#23 Hyuna & Dawn - Ping Pong (duo debut) - September 9

These two are so unique. I love how everyday they show the world they're a beautiful couple and that they don't care about what others say about them. This song is as crazy as they are, and I love how they assume their musical signature that is, let's admit it, very special and unique. I want to praise the creativity and the professionalism behind the MV. This release could've easily been a mess but it wasn't, thanks to the team behind it. The reason why this song is in last place this month is because it is so special that I cannot listen to it very often. Watch the official MV for "Ping Pong" right here.

#22 Seori ft. eaJ (Jae of Day6) - Dive with you - September 16

VOCALS!!! VOCALS VOCALS VOCALS! Seori starting the song, and then Jae coming in in the second verse is a perfect combination. Also, I don't know where they shot the MV but the location is stunning. I could picture myself running on the beach.  The song in itself is very refreshing and nice to listen to. Watch the official MV for "Dive with you" right here.

#21 Lisa (of Blackpink) - Lalisa (solo debut) - September 10

The choreography for this song is DOPE, the outfits are badass and cool as hell, and the MV is very well shot. Lisa smells confidence and talent. However, I'm going to be honest, I'm not a fan of the song. There's too much electronic sounds and I don't like the instrumental and melody. Hence why I couldn't rank this higher. Watch the official MV for "Lalisa" right here.

#20 Stray Kids - Surfin' (unit release) - September 15

This song suits the personality of Changbin, Lee Know and Felix. It is a very summery, lighthearted song, with a very catchy hook. I wish it was released during summer though. The MV is very bright and the choreography is RELATIVELY easy to replicate (I say relatively because I wouldn't be able to do a single move). Watch the official MV for "Surfin'" right here.

#19 Kim Woojin (former Stray Kids) - In my space (comeback) - September 29

This song is proof that you don't need a lot of money to make a great song and a great MV. The song is impactful because of its simplicity. What really touched my heart is Woojin's vocals. Woojin is an incredible singer, and his vocals were already showcased in the previous songs he made. But this one is different because the song sounds nostalgic and melancholic. I love it when he goes in the deeper tones. The MV is pretty simple as well, but it definitely does the job. Watch the official MV for "In my space" right here.

#18 Ateez - Deja Vu (comeback) - September 13

I remember listening to Pirate King and Treasure (Ateez's debut songs), and thinking "wow, this group is going to be big". Then, I was embarked on an amazing journey with Ateez as pilots and Atinys as passengers. This ride was made of ups and downs, my best moment being when they released Inception. Inception has to be my favourite Ateez title track. I won't say that Déjà vu is a bad song because it's not, it's a very sensual song with a very sexy choreography. I loved the sets and the outfits (especially at the rain scene, oh my god they all looked so fine) abd I liked how they tried to step out of their comfort zone (and did it pretty well). But I still wished this song was a tiny bit different. I don't know, something is still missing for me to rank it higher. Watch the official MV for "Deja Vu" right here.

#17 NCT 127 - Sticker (comeback) - September 17

Had this song been released at the end of the month it would've ranked lower, because I always have a hard time processing a new NCT song. Every time they release a new song, especially the 127 unit, I first go like "what the hell is that". And then, the song grows on me. Although I still don't get the concept behind the MV, I totally love how vocal-centric this song is. My favourite part has to be the chorus, although they sometimes abused of the autotune. The choreography is also eye-catchy. This is not my favourite NCT 127 title track, but this song is definitely something. Watch the official MV for "Sticker" right here.

#16 Young K (of Day6) - Guard You (solo debut) - September 6

I'm sick of watching all my favourite artists going to the military. I know we can't do anything, but it still hurts to think that we won't hear any new music or see any new projects for quite a long time. Young K left us at least an amazing goodbye gift with his first solo album. It does take the pop route more than the rock route, but I really like this song. The part that quickly got stuck in my head was the "I, will never let you cry" right before the chorus drops. I really love how the "cry" goes into minor out of nowhere. That's something day6 does a lot: playing with major/minor chords and with the rythmic progression of songs, and I LOVE it. Watch the official MV for "Guard you" right here.

#15 JayB (of Got7) ft. Junny - Fame - September 27

Although I'm not a fan of the RnB genre, this song is different. When I heard it for the first time, I was like "this song is great, but I just don't like RnB so it's not my type of music". But then on the second listen, the chorus hit me hard. Jay B's vocals are shining through this song, especially through the chorus. Junny is a great addition to the song, I didn't know him before but he still adds a small touch. Watch the official MV for "Fame" right here.

#14 Itzy - Loco (comeback) - September 24

As much as I love Itzy, I didn't really like mafia in the morning. But Loco is a whole different story. First, the song is very upbeat, and I love the energy this song conveys. Second, the MV is very colorful and full of attitude. I love when Yuna is "walking" on a billboard like she's the queen of the red carpet, and how Lia & Chaeryeong are rocking this choreography. Last but not least, this song is very catchy and easy to sing along and dance to. I'm definitely a fan of this concept, and the other songs on this album are as good as the title track if not better. Watch the official MV for "Loco" right here.

#13 E'last - Dark dream (comeback) - September 29

This group has been on my radar since their debut. Their identity is very unique, and they give off a very 2nd gen vibe which I absolutely dig. We can find this same epic/melancholic vibe in all the title tracks they've released so far, and I absolutely love it. They really showcased their vocals on that one, and the MV is gorgeous. Their outfits and face expressions are on point. I also love how the choreography is strong but fluid at the same time. Watch the official MV for "Dark dream" right here.

#12 CL - Lover like me (pre-release) - September 29 

I think it's safe to say that we're all excited for the Queen's return. CL is back, and I'm so happy. Talking about this song, it's surprisingly "american", in a good way. Because Kpop is becoming popular in the US, a lot of groups and artists are trying to "modify their style" to fit the needs of the american market, and, well... it usually flops in my humble opinion. But here, CL is just being herself. She doesn't need to modify anything, and that's what's great about her. Watch the official MV for "Lover like me" right here.

#11 Monsta X - One Day (single) - September 10 [ENGLISH]

Oh gosh how I wished this song was longer! I hope with this song everyone realised how good Jooheon's vocals are (they all had amazing vocals in this song). I really can't wait to be at a Monsta X concert to hear that song performed live. Watch the official MV for "One Day" right here.

#10 Dowoon (of Day6) ft. Seong Heejin - Out of the blue (digital single) - September 27 

I was so excited when I heard that Dowoon was going to release a solo track (although I would've wanted a whole album but a single is already good). Dowoon's voice goes so well with Seong Heejin's. The mix of both voices sounds cute, adding to that the MV with all the nice and cute drawings, you get a comfy song to listen to. I'm sure I'll hear this song whenever I need comfort. Watch the official MV for "Out of the blue" right here.

#9 Stray Kids - Gone Away (unit release) - September 17

I'll always be amazed by how good Han is at rapping and singing. I'm so proud of I.N and Seungmin, they've gotten so much better, it shows that they worked hard to reach this level. Out of all the unit songs that are on the "Noeasy" album, this one's my favourite. Watch the official MV for "Gone Away" right here.

#8 Woosung (of The Rose) - Dimples (solo comeback) - September 23

I'm really proud of Woosung's positive attitude regarding what happened with The Rose's company. I don't know where things are regarding that matter, but what I'm happy to see is that Woosung keeps making music, and everyone should know how amazing of an artist he is. Woosung has this thing in his voice that you can't miss even if you're a thousand miles away. That's his vocal signature, and he does it so well. The song is very energetic and makes you want to dance, and the chorus is really catchy and makes you want to sing along (even though you'll end up talking in 'yogurt' like they do in animal crossing but we don't care right). Watch the official MV for "Dimples" right here.

#7 Stray Kids - Cheese - September 10

This song is so funny and clever at the same time. The bridge talks about blue cheese, cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese (Felix's line), but then they address their haters by telling them "You find 'du du du du' funny? (reference to god's menu) What's so funny about A-class?" There's only Stray Kids to make this type of songs out there and I love it. Oh, and lastly, "HANA, DEUL, SET, CHEESE!" Watch the official MV for "Cheese" right here.

#6 Stray Kids - The View - September 3

If you guys want to stan a versatile group, go stan stray kids. These guys have everything from electronic to pop to ballad to summer vibes to cringey to intense rap to whatever else remains. I have to admit that I find it easier to listen to their summery songs, and Blueprint was my favourite in that category. But The View definitely joined the chat right now. I really appreciated that they got the chance to perform it on a live stage, it gave the opportunity for the choreography to shine. As for the song, my favourite part has to be the one right before the last chorus drops, that part where Changbin and Lee Know go crazy with their vocals (oh my god Lee Know, he improved so much lately and I'm so proud of him). Watch the official MV for "The View" right here.

#5 Oneus - Life is beautiful - September 2

It felt so good to have a fresh concept from them. It's been long since they've done a song like this and I'm not going to complain. As much as I love their deeper stuff, this song is a good refresher and came in time. The song is very chill and I love the instrumental, although I don't know what that instrument is... maybe a flute? I'm not sure. It just gives a nice and cool "tropical" vibe to the song and I absolutely love it. Watch the official MV for "Life is beautiful" right here.

#4 Coldplay ft. BTS - My Universe - September 24

I always loved Coldplay's music and the positive messages they conveyed in their songs. I had the chance to see them in concert in 2017, which is still one of the best concerts I've ever attended. I remember singing my heart out to every single song and to jump around until I was out of breath. The same thing happened when I went to see BTS in concert in 2019, and to think that my favourite non kpop group was going to collaborate with BTS was crazy. I think that deep down I was hoping for this to happen, but like Chris Martin said in the behind the scenes video, I never thought it was actually possible. But it happened, and thank god it did. Even though they come from very different worlds, they still wanted to convey the same message of love and acceptance, and this is what allowed them to come together around 1 song. And what a song! First, I'm so happy it includes korean lyrics. Second, the fact that Chris Martin actually flew to South Korea to record the song with BTS is proof that this collaboration is genuine. Third, the lyrics are so beautiful and communicative. Fourth, all the harmonies in that song sounds like heaven to my ears. And, last but not least, CHRIS MARTIN SANG THE KOREAN LYRICS DURING THE GLOBAL CITIZEN LIVE PERFORMANCE!!! You guys, this was awesome, and I can't wait for them to perform together on an actual stage (although the BTS holograms were cool). Watch the official MV for "My universe" right here.

Honorable mentions:

• Cravity - Divin' (comeback) - September 15 - Official MV
• Ciipher - Blind (comeback) - September 28 - Official MV
• AB6IX - Cherry (comeback) - September 27 - Official MV
• Wonho - Blue (solo comeback) - September 14 - Official MV
• Mamamoo - Mumumumuch (comeback) - September 15 - Official MV
• StayC - Stereotype (comeback) - September 6 - Official MV

 

#3 Ha Hyunsang (of Hoppipolla) - Burning sunset - August 28

I know this song was released in August but I discovered it not long ago and couldn't not mention it. So, here's the perfect recipe to kill me: You put someone who has amazing and powerful vocals with a nostalgic vibe to it, you add instruments (especially bass and electric guitars) and there it is, you have me dead. Seriously, songs made by kpop bands or soloists who come from bands are so underrated and I have trouble understanding why. They are as talented, they trained as well, they just play instruments instead of dancing. And if they don't come from one of the Big 3 chances are that the majority of the community don't even know they exist. And this is so unfair. This is why I'm doing these rankings, for you to discover such amazing people. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ha Hyunsang from the band Hoppipolla (winners of the contest "superband") and his fourth digital single Burning sunset, a song that will hit you in the feels. Watch the live clip for "Burning Sunset" right here.

#2 A.C.E - Changer - September 2

You guys know that I fell in love with A.C.E recently (and I regret it not getting into them before because now they're enlisting in the military and I just hate myself for this), and if you still are unfamiliar with them you can check out the presentation I made about them right here. This song… made me cry. I know it's an upbeat song and they all look happy in the MV, but I couldn't help but feel sad watching this. I love the second part of the chorus where they go "Changer, Changer, Love is like a danger". I also love the choreography at that part. This song will always hold a special place to my heart, because it hit me in the feels even though I can't really explain why. Watch the official MV for "Changer" right here.

#1 Key (of SHINee) - Bad Love (solo comeback) - September 27

This song had to be number one. I have so many things to say about this song and I don't know what to start with ^^' Well, first, the retro vibe has been overused for the past two years, but it's Key, so it's fine. What I mean by that is Key has his own way of doing things, this is why this song doesn't sound like any other retro song. Then, the MV is really well produced. The outfits, the sets, the choreography sections, everything looks perfect. Special mention to the backup dancers who really make Key shine in the center. I just have to say that I fell in love with that red and black trakcsuit. It looks so good on him. Last but not least, HIS VOCALS! I knew Key was a great vocalist, and I always thought that he had a unique timber. He finally had the chance to showcase the whole scope of his vocals. I really like how he switches from soft to powerful vocals, he has such great control over his voice which is achievable only with hard work. Watch the official MV for "Bad Love" right here.

That's it! These were my favourite kmusic releases of the month of September 2021! Feel free to comment down below your own favourites, and which release are you looking forward to in the next months. Don't forget that the end of the year is coming and that the form for the "Swans awards" first edition will be available  starting November 1st (let's pretend last year's edition didn't happen ok?). 

If you want to listen to all the songs on this ranking back-to-back, here's the YouTube playlist link: Top Kmusic September 2021.

Take care and I'll see you all soon!

Love, Swan

 

Sources: YouTube.