Every year, different music streaming websites collect data on streaming numbers and album sales of songs released every year to come up with the most popular songs of that year. A website recently compiled data for the past 14 years and found the top 3 songs each year. Check it out below:
Recently, a data collection of the top legendary songs each year has been widely shared on the online community in Korea. This collection includes the 3 most popular songs of the year by K-pop boy groups from 2008 to 2021. Let's take a closer look at the following:
2008
1. Big Bang's "Haru Haru"
The amazing charm of Big Bang's legendary song - Haru Haru cannot be denied. It became one of the most successful singles of all time in South Korea, selling over 5.4 million digital downloads in this country alone.
2. Taeyang's "Only Look At Me"
3. SHINee's "Replay"
2009
1. SHINee's "Ring Ding Dong"
Ring Ding Dong was once famous for being so catchy that it distracted students from their studies. It is an interesting fact that this song was banned from listening at the time when the candidates were preparing for the university entrance exam. In 2020, the lyrics of "Ring Ding Dong" were featured in an exhibition at the National Hangeul Museum in Seoul titled "Korean Pop Lyrics - Melodies of Life".
2. Big Bang and 2NE1's "Lollipop"
3. 2PM's "Again & Again"
2010
1. SHINee's "Lucifer"
Lucifer is the 2nd album of Shinee, released on July 19, 2010. The album is listed by Gaon Album Chart as the sixth best-selling album of 2010 in South Korea, with over 120,000 copies sold. It also won the Album Bonsang award at the Golden Disc Awards 2010.
2. CN Blue's "I'm a Loner"
3. 2AM's "Can't Let You Go Even If I Die"
2011
1. B2ST's "Fiction"
With Fiction, B2ST was able to enter Viva, a popular German music channel, Top 100 Chart, ranked at number 63. It was a great achievement for them as BEAST was the first Korean artist to enter Viva's Top 100 Chart, earning a spot that was never promoted in Europe.
2. INFINITE's "Be Mine"
3. 2PM's "Hands Up"
2012
1. Big Bang's "Fantastic Baby"
In 2014, Fantastic Baby had over 100 million views on YouTube, becoming the fourth Korean MV to do so and the first by a K-Pop boy group. In 2016, the MV became the first K-Pop MV by a K-Pop group to surpass 200 million views. This song also received critical acclaim from many international sites for its rebellious style. Billboard K-Town even stated that "Fantastic Baby" has progressed to international recognition thanks to its groundbreaking EDM style.
2. SHINee's "Sherlock"
3. B2ST's "Beautiful Night"
2013
1. EXO's "Growl"
Growl is EXO's most successful song on Korean music charts and shows, winning a total of 14 awards during its promotion. It ranked third on the Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 chart and second on South Korea's Gaon Singles chart. The song has mostly reached number one on all charts in Korea in terms of downloads, and stayed in the top five for three consecutive weeks.
2. G-Dragon's "Crooked"
3. EXO's "Wolf"
2014
1. Taeyang's "Eyes, Nose, Lips"
Eyes, Nose, Lips conquered the fastidiousness of fans when debuting at No.1 on Gaon's digital and download charts. The song sold 322,577 digital units in its first week alone. This is also the first song to bring back Daesang for Taeyang at many award ceremonies such as MAMA, GDA, etc.
2. EXO's "Overdose"
3. WINNER's "Empty"
2015
1. Big Bang's "Loser"
On Inkigayo, "Loser" had won the top 1 three times, breaking g.o.d's record, making Big Bang the artist with the most songs to achieve a Triple Crown on Inkigayo. Loser debuted on Billboard's "World Digital Songs" chart at number one on May 7. The music video was the third most viewed K-pop video in the U.S. and around the world for the month of April, according to Billboard, within only two days.
2. Big Bang's "Bang Bang Bang"
3. EXO's "Call Me Baby"
2016
1. Zico's "I am you, you are me"
“I am You, You were Me” is a unique ballad song by rapper Zico. After only 1 week of release, the MV "I am You, You are Me" had reached more than 3 million views on Youtube and especially, it was also selected by the prestigious British magazine Dazed as one of the must-have songs. Listen of February 2016.
2. EXO's "Monster"
3. BTS's "FIRE"
2017
1. BTS's "Spring Day"
Spring Day is the song that brought BTS Song of the Year at the 2017 Melon Music Awards. It also won the Digital Bonsang category at the 32nd Golden Disc Awards. The song also peaked at number one on Korean weekly music shows and Korean stream chart in several consecutive weeks. In addition, this is also the longest charting song on the Melon chart.
2. Wanna One's "Energetic"
3. BTS's "DNA"
2018
1. iKON's "Love Scenario"
Billboard once described and praised Love Scenario "as a subtle and mature move for iKON". Love Scenario was also selected as the best Apple Music of the week. It reached number one on numerous digital platforms such as iChart, Melon, Genie, Bugs, Mnet, Naver, and Soribada, and also number one on the weekly overall chart. The song spent 913 hours at number one on the Melon Chart and 40 days at number one on the Melon daily chart.
2. BTS's "FAKE LOVE"
3. BTS's "IDOL"
2019
1. BTS's "Boy With Luv"
Boy With Luv is a successful collaboration song of BTS with Halsey. It was also the music video of the song which was the most viewed music video in 24 hours at the time, garnering over 74.6 million views in 24 hours. On June 24, 2019, Billboard announced that the song had been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This track held the record for the most music show wins after the 2000s in Korea with 21 wins, until the record was broken by "Dynamite".
2. N.Flying's "Rooftop"
3. EXO's "Love Shot"
2020
1. Zico's "Any Song"
Any Song was the most successful song in the first half of 2020 in Korea. The song became Zico's commercially successful song when it debuted on top of Gaon Chart and stayed at number one for seven consecutive weeks, becoming the longest chart-topping song on this chart. The song went on to peak at number one on the US Billboard K-pop Hot 100 and at number four on the US World Digital Song Sales chart.
2. BTS's "Dynamite"
3. BTS's "ON"
2021
1. BTS's "Butter"
"Butter" was written by many world famous producers such as Jenna Andrews, Robert Grimaldi,... With 11.042 million streams on its first day of release on the global Spotify chart, "Butter" set a new all-time record for the most streamed new song in the platform's history. Butter is also the song that helps BTS hold the No. 1 position for the most consecutive weeks on the Billboard chart and was the first K-pop group to achieve this.
2. BTS's "Permission to Dance"
3. SHINee's "Don't Call Me"
