Weekly K-Pop Music Chart 2013 - September Week 2

An unexpected song unseated our three week champion EXO’s “Growl” this week as Sunmi’s first solo track “24 Hours” went up six spots to become our new No. 1 song. Despite not yet winning in any music program or independent charts, the overall consistency of this song being ranked among the top songs in all our sources make it an easy winner this week. Congratulations to Sunmi.

Moving up nine spots to No. 2 is Teen Top’s “Rocking.” This song won most of the music shows last week and becomes the highest of four new songs in the top ten this week. “Rocking” is the title track of their fourth mini-album “Teen Top Class.” Written and produced by Brave Brothers, this song is an exciting dance track with strong beats and club sounds. Teen Top also went to No. 2 earlier this year with “Miss Right,” so they are still looking for their first No. 1 on our chart. If “Rocking” can catch up on independent chart scores they will have a good chance to move up to the top.

After three weeks on top, EXO’s “Growl” falls back to No. 3. “Growl” still won M!Countdown and Music Core last week, but was totally off the chart after winning the Triple Crown in Inkigayo. If not because of that, “Growl” would have been very close to the top again this week.

Aside from “Rocking,” there are three other new songs in the top 10. Moving up 18 spots to No. 4 and scoring not only their first top 10 but their first top five hit is SPICA’s “Tonight.” Originally from Michael Mind Project featuring Irresistable’s “Don’t Wanna Go Home” with Korean lyrics written by SPICA’s mentor Lee Hyori and their leader Kim BoA, this listener friendly track is one of the better up-tempo songs by a female group so far this year. The song is about forgetting the past and trying to fly once more.   

Making a 21-spot jump to No. 6 is Kim Ye Lim’s (Lim Kim) second top 10 hit “Rain.” It is the pre-release track of her second mini-album “Her Voice.” Lim Kim’s mentor Yoon Jong Shin took part in writing and producing this song.  Continuing with a folk style, “Rain” is a mellow number with piano and guitar sounds. The song holds lyrics about an ordinary twenty-year old girl and her story on a rainy day. Right now it looks like Lim Kim, Bumkey, and Yoo Sung Eun are the front runners for best new artist. Lim Kim’s mini-album title track “Voice” is expected to hit the chart soon and it looks like she will have another top 10 hit.

Up 19 spots to No. 10 is Lyn’s latest hit “I Like This Song.”  This is the title song of part two of her eighth album, released four months after the first installation.  If part one had heart wrenching songs, the second half consists of exhilarating love tracks. “I Like This Song” is an acoustic pop number with a beautiful guitar and piano line. Co-written by Double Sidekick and the singer herself, this love confession track is perfect for sharing with a loved one.

Outside of the top 10 this week finds two songs having the potential of jumping all the way to No. 1 next week: Kara’s “Damaged Lady” at No. 12 and G-Dragon’s “Black” at No. 16. G-Dragon brings a quartet of songs into the chart as his album has four title songs, so we won’t know which one will be more accepted by fans. These new songs, along with the existing top 10 hits this week, makes next week’s No. 1 perhaps the most hotly contested this year!

About the Soompi Music Chart:

Soompi Music Chart is unlike any other music charts or television rankings.  It takes into account rankings by various major music charts in Korea and airplay of each song, making it an unbiased and objective tally of what’s going on in the world of K-pop.  Our chart is composed of the following sources:

Air Monitor Chart – 15%
GAON Music Chart – 20%
Various Internet charts (Olleh, Bugs, Melon, Soribada) – 15%
Billboard Korea – 20% 
SBS Inkigayo Chart  – 10%
KBS Music Bank K-Chart – 10%
MNet M!Countdown Chart – 10%