The 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2014

If you became a K-Pop fan in 2014 or already seasoned member, you may feel that you came in at the worst possible time. This year was filled with a number of scandals, tragedies and lawsuits that shook the very core of the industry. Most of the releases this year were also pretty weak compared to the genre exploring, risk-taking bops that dropped. Of course, 2014 was not a total disappointment in the K-Pop world and here are 20 songs that prove that:

20.Red Velvet-Happiness

Sounds like a leftover from"Pink Tape" with the sugary sweetness of early SNSD.

19.Nicole-Mama

Those dance classes in the States really paid off didn't they?

18.Girls Day-Something

This is now their signature song...awkward leg bounce included.

17.Jay Park-NaNa (feat. AOMG & Loco)

The true K-Pop summer bop without the awkward twerking and cheap beach set...

16.GOT7-A

Why does it take JYP so long to get it right between releases? 

15.Ladies Code-So Wonderful

R.I.P Eun B and RiSe. A retro bop for the ages...

14.Ailee-Singing Got Better

The best, non-soundtrack related ballad of the entire year...

13.TROY-Green Light

First thing that comes to mind is John Legend an Andre 3000. Second thing is John Legend and Andre 3000.

12.VIXX-Eternity

A slice of mid 2000's (SM style) K-Pop brought to modern day.

11.HyunA-Red

She got all of this from a monkey's butt is red?

10.HyoSung-Good Night Kiss

Hyosung mixed Janet Jackson whisper vocals, some crunk n'b production, interpolated Soulja Boy's "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" and added a trap breakdown and the edges of all the other solo girls were gone.

09.TVXQ-Off Road

Both "Something" and "Spellbound" were exceptional tracks, but"Off Road" remains superior to both. It could have slayed music shows as a companion track with either one of them and just picture a M/V with a rain soaked Yuhno and Changmin dancing...a literal wet dream.

08.Lovelyz-Candy Jelly Love

K-Pop is missing a J-Pop inspired group complete with an innocent school girl concept (we don't believe the malicious rumours about that one member) and rainbow vomit inducing production that almost rivaled another top ten entry.

07.BTS-Danger

BTS proves that they're still the male rookie group to beat with the urban bop with its slick choreo. It almost makes me forgive them for the woman beating crap they pulled in the "Boy In Luv" video. Almost..

06.Kiss&Cry-Domino Game
*see best of 2014 list*

05.2NE1-Gotta Be You

"Gotta Be You" is 2NE1 at it's best: Bom singing at the top of her uterus during the chorus, the baddest female and soon-to-be US superstar CL rapping #flawlessly and Dara and Minzy being delegated the pre-chorus section on a electropop track. The good old days before "Falling In Love" happened...

04.AKMU-200%

The hard, gritty YG image was all but challenged thanks to a pair of siblings who won a TV show released an album of alternative pop jams with their original faces intact. Point 1 for L-O-V-E.

03.Taeyang-1AM

*see Best of 2014 List*

02.A Pink-Mr.Chu

As annoyingly cute, camp and plasticky"Mr. Chu" is, it's one of the two reasons why people are drawn into the vast world of K-Pop. Don't act like you were impressed when you saw the "Gee" video for the first time.

01.Soyu & Junggigo-Some (feat. Lil Boy) 

SISTAR's Soyu finally broke from the shadow of vocalist Hyolin this year with her collaboration this lovely co-ed track. The gentle vocal to and fro between her and the deep voiced Junggigo won them numerous show awards, topped the charts for two weeks and sold over 2 million copies from the time it was released in February. Too bad all the collab tracks her Sistar bandmate couldn't do the same. Now it's Bora's turn...