NewJeans, Jimin, Jisoo, And FIFTY FIFTY Make Rolling Stone's List Of "The Best Songs of 2023 So Far"

Four K-pop artists have made Rolling Stone’s latest list of “The Best Songs of 2023 So Far”!

This week, Rolling Stone shared their list of the 74 best songs released in 2023 thus far. Among the top 30 of these picks were some hit Korean releases, including NewJeans’ “OMG,” BTS’s Jimin’s “Like Crazy,” BLACKPINK’s Jisoo’s “FLOWER,” and FIFTY FIFTY’s “Cupid.”

The highest ranking K-pop hit on this list was “OMG” by NewJeans, which was also the only Korean song in the top 10. Coming in at No. 7, Maura Johnston wrote of the hit NewJeans track “OMG,” “Bubbly and giddy, this single from the K-pop quintet NewJeans uses jittery trap snares and sent-from-above vocal harmonies to fully portray the thrills of love’s first blush. A throwback to the most blissful moments of Nineties R&B that has a 21st-century appeal (credit the candy-crushed synths that dart into the mix here and there), ‘OMG’ is a pristine pop song with a glowing — and glowed-up — heart at its core.”

BTS’s Jimin’s solo track “Like Crazy” followed at No. 23, with Jon Dolan commenting, “Jimin has often seemed like the member of BTS whose musical heart is closest to classic R&B, and this lovelorn chart-topping single is at once dreamlike, slick, and soulful. The singer floats through waves of marble-smooth synths and sumptuous Eighties drums, as he sings about a romance that feels to be floating just out of reach. His whispered snippets of dialog evoke the intimacy of vintage Quiet Storm, and his impassioned delivery suggests desire pushed to the brink.”

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo’s solo debut song “FLOWER” was ranked at No. 26. Tim Chan wrote of the song, “This spring, Jisoo, the only member of BLACKPINK who had yet to release solo music, dropped  ‘FLOWER,’ from her debut single-album, ‘ME.’ A sophisticated track with a staccato, Latin-tinged melody and Caribbean-inspired percussion, ‘FLOWER’ feels instantly familiar yet unlike anything else on the radio at the same time. True to the name of the song, Jisoo’s voice is in full bloom, with breathy vocals that blossom into a beautiful falsetto by the time she hits a sweeping chorus.”

Last but surely not least was FIFTY FIFTY’s viral hit “Cupid” following closely at No. 27. Jon Dolan shared, “This Korean quartet became global stars this year thanks to this silky hit, abetted by an English version that didn’t feel like a tacked-on promotional afterthought and a TikTok dance challenge featuring the song. Even with its busy Doja-esque rap, ‘Cupid’ is delightful in graceful simplicity, breezing by on a disco-pop groove that has the easygoing effervescence of early-2010s pop, with vocals that exude cool confidence and winning warmth.”

Congratulations to NewJeans, BTS’s Jimin, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, and FIFTY FIFTY!

Watch NewJeans in “NewJeans Code in Busan” with subtitles here!

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