Admit it or not, we started 2023 listening to NewJeans. And at this point, it's safe to assume that many of us (if not all) have fallen into the rabbit hole. Aside from their individual charms that can convert people to become BUNNIEs (their fandom name), Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein have highly-addicting songs that you can't help but put on loop.
NewJeans debuted under HYBE Labels' ADOR in July 2022 and since then, the quintet has been taking the world by storm. As of writing, they are currently the female group with the most monthly listeners on Spotify with over 21 million streams. Not only that, they also earned two entries in the Billboard Hot 100—making them the fastest K-pop group in history to enter the chart!
It's so amazing to see a rookie group reach this huge amount of success and it's no secret that their discography brought them to where they are now. While they have only released six songs (so far), NewJeans already has a distinct sound that gives off refreshing vibes.
Fun fact: The girls have participated in the songwriting process of their tracks! Impressive, right?
Here are six NewJeans songs that will catch your attention:
1. "Attention"
YouTube views as of writing: 43 million
Number of wins: 5
I remember getting a random notification from HYBE Labels' YouTube channel when NewJeans dropped the music video for "Attention." I clicked it out of curiosity and TBH, I would do everything to experience listening to it the first time again. Here, the girls sing about ~looking for attention~ and they got it right away with this debut track. "Attention" depicts the feeling of having a crush on someone with the hopes of getting asked out on a date, and it totally fits NewJean's concept.
2. "Hype Boy"
YouTube views as of writing: 78 million
Here comes the song thay made us all dance like there's no tomorrow! The "Hype Boy" craze spread like wildfire thanks to its well-thought-off choreography. According to ADOR, the videos (with various versions) dive into details to expand the story from "Attention." Each member got their own music video with different storylines and they're connected to a similar ending.
3. "Cookie"
YouTube views as of writing: 46 million
With all the *speculations* that went on, ADOR made a comprehensive explanation about "Cookie": Having the same conceptual verb in Korean, baking cookies was compared to burning CDs. This explains why the music video started with a cookie rolling in and it ended with a CD rolling out.
4. "Hurt"
YouTube views as of writing: 17 million
If you're a fan of mellow songs like me, you should definitely listen to this track. While the lyrics suggest *hurtful* thoughts, listening to it will ironically give you a comforting feeling. "Hurt" talks about letting go of someone despite wanting to be with that person. In the end, what matters most is protecting oneself from being in pain.
5. "Ditto"
YouTube views as of writing: 27 million
Number of wins: 8
Dropped as a pre-release single, "Ditto" ranked on both local and international charts. The first few beats of the song give off a vibe similar to a warm hug, and the music video is totally nostalgia-inducing. "Ditto" talks about being affectionate towards a person and the whole narrative can be understood by watching both side A and side B versions.
6. "OMG"
YouTube views as of writing: 20 million
Number of wins: 4
Trust NewJeans to make you dance in just a snap because this song has been ~living in our system, baby! "OMG" tells about the joy of being in love and it's another catchy track from the quintet that brings us back to the days when we have a happy crush. By dissecting the MV, you can see that it also tells us about the importance of mental health.
MORE PLAYLISTS HERE:
10 K-Pop Songs That Are Guaranteed To Brighten Your Day
