2012 Half Year Top 10 K-Pop Songs

We have reached the half way point of 2012 and it is time to announce the half year top 10 songs on our chart.  The calculation method is the same as what we used for our year end chart and soompi gayo awards.  Newer songs will have a higher weight and each song’s total score will be adjusted according to their weekly chart position, competitions they are facing, and time of release.

There are a total of 355 songs that appeared on our weekly top 50 during the first half of 2012. With the number of K-Pop artists now and the frequency of major new releases each week, the competition is very tight.  However, there is one song that stands out on our chart and runs away from the competition to win the No. 1 song in the first half of 2012.  That is SISTAR’s “Alone”.  This song spent a total of 11 weeks on our chart.  It was No. 1 for two weeks in May and also stayed in the top three for six weeks.  “Alone” has a score of 6493, which is more than 800 points ahead of the No. 2 song T-Ara’s “Lovey Dovey.” “Alone” is still on top 20 as I write this post, but it is likely to be replaced by SISTAR’s new song “Loving U.”  Even with 6493 points as a final score, it is already good enough to be in the year end top five.  Congratulations to SISTAR.

Speaking of “Lovey Dovey”, it spent 17 weeks on our chart, which is more than any songs in the first half of 2012.  It also spent four weeks on top of our chart. Since “Lovey Dovey” was released earlier in the year, its score have lower weight than “Alone” which is released later in the year.  Therefore “Lovey Dovey” comes in a distant second with 5634 points. It is a good follow up for T-Ara, who won our chart’s Song Of The Year in 2011 with “Roly Poly”.

At No. 3, the highest ranked boyband goes to none other than Big Bang, as their song “Fantastic Baby” scores 5228 points to round out the top three.  When Big Bang released their album “Alive” in March, they listed all the songs in the album as title tracks. As a result, there were six Big Bang songs on the chart simultaneously for several weeks.  Even though another song “Blue” became No. 1 on our chart for two weeks and also won in various Korean music shows, “Fantastic Baby” seemed to be listeners’ choice as this song stayed a lot longer on the chart.

Just under “Lovey Dovey’s” record 17 weeks on the chart, at No. 4 we have a song that spent 16 weeks on our chart.  That is Ailee’s “Heaven.”  Not too bad at all for a rookie artist.  This song reached as high as No. 3 in March Week 2. This is also the highest ranked digital single so far this year. Ailee already got rave reviews on her performances.  We are sure we’ll hear from her again in the second half as she will probably release her first full or mini-album.  Ailee is also the only solo artist to make it into our half year top 10 list.

At No. 5 it is the only non mainstream artist to make it into our half year top 10.  Male trio Busker Busker, runner-up of Superstar K3, had a very successful debut with their first album.  The title song “Cherry Blossom Ending” spent a week at No. 1 and is a top five song on our half year countdown.  This song is very refreshing indie light rock style that has successful crossover to the pop chart.

The first sub-unit from Girls Generation, TaeTiSeo, checks in at No. 6 with their 3-weeks No. 1 hit “Twinkle”.  Even though only one third of Girls Generation is represented, they don’t miss a beat and topping the chart as usual.  Notice that “Twinkle” is still on the chart while most songs ahead of them are not.  If this song stays on for a few more weeks, it will definitely move past songs currently ahead of them in the year end countdown.

At No. 7 it is another girl group.  4minute’s “Volume Up” which also spent a week as No. 1 in April.  4minute has consistently done well on our chart and this song is of no exception.  Had this song not being released at almost the same time with Sistar’s “Alone”, it may be even more popular.

At No. 8, it is pop rock group FT Island’s “Severely.”  This song spent three weeks on top of our chart in late February to early March.  It had a very close battle with Seven’s “When I Can’t Sing” and this song came out on top.

The fifth girl group to make the top 10 is at No. 9.  miss A’s “Touch” spent one week at No. 1 and two weeks at No. 2.  A total of 11 weeks on the chart enables this song to make it into our half year top 10.

The last song on our top 10 list belongs to Infinite, who won the top male group on our Soompi Gayo Award last year.  Despite not reaching the top of our chart (highest position was No. 2) and only six weeks so far on the chart, “The Chaser” spent five weeks in the top 10.  This song is still ranked high on the chart and that means it will pass several songs currently ranked higher on the year end chart.

1. (–) Sistar – 나혼자 (Alone)
Score: 6493
Genre: Pop/Dance

Music: Brave Brothers / Lyrics: Brave Brothers
Album: Sistar Mini Album Vol. 1 | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

2. (–) T-Ara – Lovey Dovey
Score: 5634
Genre: Pop/Dance

Music: Shinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu Sung / Lyrics: Shinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu Sung
Album: T-Ara mini-album Vol. 5 | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

3. (–) Big Bang – Fantastic Baby
Score: 5228
Genre: R&B

Music: Teddy, G Dragon / Lyrics: G Dragom
Album: Big Bang Mini Album Vol. 5 | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

4. (–) Ailee – Heaven
Score: 5088
Genre: R&B

Music: Wheesung / Lyrics: Wheesung
Album: Ailee digital single “Heaven”
Watch: MV

5. (–) Busker Busker – 벚꽃 엔딩 (Cherry Blossom Ending)
Score: 4991
Genre: Indie Rock

Music: Jang Bum Joon / Lyrics: Jang Bum Joon
Album: Busker Busker Vol. 1 | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

6. (–) TaeTiSeo – Twinkle
Score: 4922
Genre: Pop/Dance

Music: Brandon Fraley, Jamelle Fraley,
Javier Solis / Lyrics: Seo Ji Eum
Album: TaeTiSeo Mini Album Vol. 1 | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

7. (–) 4 minute – Volume Up
Score: 4450
Genre: Pop/Dance

Music: Shinsadong Tiger, Rado / Lyrics: Shinsadong Tiger, Rado
Album: 4Minute Mini Album Vol. 3 | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

8. (–) FT Island – 지독하게 (Severely)
Score: 4193
Genre: Pop Rock

Music: Kim Do Hoon, Lee Sang Ho / Lyrics: Han Sung Ho
Album: FT Island mini-album “Grown Up” | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

9. (–) Miss A – Touch
Score: 4045
Genre: Pop/Dance

Music: Park Jin Young / Lyrics: Park Jin Young
Album: Miss A mini-album “Touch” | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV

10. (–) Infinite – 추격자 (The Chaser)
Score: 3766
Genre: Pop/Dance

Music: Han Jae Ho, Kim Seung Soo / Lyrics: Song Soo Yoon
Album: Infinite Mini Album – INFINITIZE | Purchase this Album
Watch: MV