The girl group NewJeans’ song “OMG” and BTS member Jimin have been selected by Rolling Stone, a famous American music magazine, as part of their “Best Songs of 2023 So Far” list.
On the 14th, Rolling Stone announced their “Best Songs of 2023 So Far” list, ranking “OMG” by NewJeans at number 7. This is the highest ranking for a K-pop song on the list and a remarkable achievement to be listed alongside songs by global artists.
Rolling Stone praised “OMG” as a “clean and shiny perfect pop song.” They added, “With the trembling sound of trap and fantastic vocal harmonies in a high range, they perfectly express the excitement and thrill of love. The synth sound in NewJeans’ music evokes the most enchanting moments of 90s R&B while still exuding a modern charm.”
“OMG” is the title track of NewJeans’ first single album, also titled “OMG,” which was released in early January this year. The song quickly topped charts both domestically and internationally, along with the b-side track “Ditto.”
These two songs alternated at the top of major domestic music charts throughout the first quarter of this year. Combined with the long-running popularity of NewJeans’ debut song “Hype Boy,” they achieved a remarkable record of sweeping the top three spots on the Melon chart for three consecutive months (January to March).
The success of these two songs extended to the Billboard charts as well. “OMG” spent six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching its peak at number 74. “Ditto” also charted on the Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, continuing their double popularity. Moreover, in the recent Billboard Global 200 (as of June 17th), “OMG” ranked 93rd, and “Ditto” ranked 153rd, marking their 23rd and 25th weeks on the chart, respectively.
Jimin’s “Like Crazy” ranked 23rd. Rolling Stone described the song, which also reached number one on the Hot 100, as “dreamy, smooth, and soulful.” They mentioned that the singer sings about a romantic fantasy that seems to float in a place beyond reach while navigating between delicate synths and lush 80s drums.
In addition, Jisoo, a member of the prominent K-pop girl group Blackpink, ranked 26th with her solo song “Flower,” and Fifty Fifty, a rising K-pop rookie girl group that made waves in the English-speaking markets, ranked 27th with their song “Cupid.”
Rolling Stone praised “Flower” for its “sophisticated track infused with percussions inspired by the Caribbean.” They also noted that Jisoo’s voice blooms beautifully, and her breathy vocals in the chorus are filled with a beautiful falsetto.
Regarding “Cupid,” they described it as a “disco-pop groove with a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of early 2010s pop, featuring elegant simplicity, refreshing confidence, and warm vocals that give a cozy feeling.”
