Mighty Mouth and Soya adds to the heat of the summer fiesta with "La La La"!

The awesome duo of Mighty Mouth --- Sangchu and Shorry J

I remember having mentioned in an earlier post that I'm not a big fan of hip-hop or rap groups, especially when you think about them in the American context. It takes a really creative hip-hop group to rise above the loud beats and the almost hypnotic chanting that often characterizes the genre. The same goes for Korean groups --- there are times when the noise can become really boring. Then you encounter a group like Mighty Mouth that changes your perception of things.

It's funny that my first encounter with this rap duo first began with Korean variety shows. I first saw Sangchu and Shorry J when I saw episodes of the now defunct Star Golden Bell quiz show in YouTube where they guested. These two guys are funny (in a good way) and very candid --- characteristics that I hold in high regard when it comes to entertainers. When they made comebacks this year, I knew how much fun they were to watch on TV, so I wondered if they could translate that same energy in their songs. Boy, was I in for a an awesome ride!

So many new singles, so little time... (Part I)

We've got a storm of new singles this month ---
(L to R): Cha Ji Yeon, Cheon Soa and MC Shin Gun, and Lady Jane

Apparently summer time in Korea is the best time to drop a new album or to make a comeback. It makes a lot of sense since most kids are out of school and have the time to check out new stuff online or in music stores --- it's a sure fire way to ensure your stuff gets listened to. For the past three or so weeks, the trends been drop after drop of new digital singles and albums just raring to get an earful of that summer pie!

I was able to shortlist some digital singles that I'd like to share with everyone, but the list was just a bit too hefty to cover in one blog post. I thought it best to divide the post into two so it would be easier to digest and appreciate the content. Definitely we've got some variety in this list... so there's something for everyone!

[UPDATED] 2NE1's got a diva to unleash in their newest single --- "I'm The Best"!

The girls of 2NE1 (L to R): Bom, Minzy, Dara and CL

UPDATE!!! (June 28, 2011 11:00am GMT +8) --- Although news and blogs report that the MV for "I'm The Best" was supposed to premiere alongside the release of the digital single, I usually don't hold it against Korean agencies if they release their MVs a day or two late from the single release. It allows people to appreciate the song as is so that they can see if the song is good on it's own, or it's really meant to be appreciate visually. In the case of 2NE1's new single, it's a double-whammy! Awesome kick-a** vid! See it after the jump!

Originally posted June 24, 2011 2:41pm GMT +8

It's been raining really hard here and Manila, and I had a really hard time getting to the office late at night. After a tiring day, there's nothing better to push away all the negative vibes than to write about a great song that's hot off the digital presses --- there's nothing hotter right now than one of YG Entertainment's biggest and most popular groups, 2NE1.

YG Entertainment has been carefully building up anticipation for their follow-up single after the hugely successful release of "Lonely" last month. They've releasing teaser after teaser this week for the release of their latest digital single, "I'm The Best". Sure enough, when the song was available for purchase online, 2NE1 hit the top of nearly all real-time digital charts in Korea --- true testament to the star power that CL, Minzy, Dara and Bom have established for themselves around the world!

Take a look at the "Bright Lights" with Dear Cloud...

The members of Dear Cloud (Clockwise from Bottom):  Nine, Kim Young Rin,
Elang, Kwang Seok and Jung Ah

It’s rare that you get to discover something new that amazes and takes your attention away from the trends in music that you have gotten used to; and when you do, the experience lets your mind fly away into a wonderland of auditory delight. I’m not easy to please, and I’m picky with the music I review… I only review stuff that I like. If I don’t like what I hear, I just keep mum about it. I’d rather not say anything hurtful that could take away one’s love for an artist… all artists deserve to be loved. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I don’t stick to one artist with my reviews. I want to discover more beautiful music to love.

I discovered that same indescribable, flighty feeling when I heard the music of the group “Dear Cloud”. This indie rock quintet based in Seoul has been rocking the scene in Korea for the past 4 years (since they debuted as a group in 2007 with their self-titled album). Their music is a revelation of how connected the music industry is across the continental divide. While most Korean rock groups (such as CN BLUE and FT Island) are highly influenced by Japanese rock / J-Rock, Dear Cloud sets itself apart with an alternative rock groove that is reminiscent of British alternative groups like Coldplay and The Killers. I was taken aback by how un-K-pop they sounded, but it was amazing that everything was being sung in Korean.

The Pinoy Kpop Fan's Updated Pick List (June 2011, Week 4)

It's that time of the week again to update my Pick List! It's been a long and interesting couple of weeks, and I've had a lot of posts and updates since the last Pick List. Let's check out the top featured artists of the week in The Pinoy Kpop Fan's blog...

The boys of Block B are the "New Kids On The Block"!

The boys of Block B (L to R):  Kyung, B-Bomb, Taeil, Zico, Jae Hyo, U-Kwon and P.O.

It's always interesting to note how different genres of music evolve and develop in a specific context. Hip-hop in particular is a genre of music that has taken a life of it's own in Korea. Although many of the influences of local hip-hop / rap groups in Korea are rooted in the US, it's clear when you listen to many newly released tracks that many groups have breathed a lot of Hallyu urban flavor into what was something considered distinctly American.

A group that has succeeded in breaking into the Korean hip-hop scene is the male idol group Block B --- the "B" in their name standing for "Blockbuster". Although they only recently debuted last April, the group has managed to build a strong following because of their refreshing approach to hip-hop that feels a lot more like K-pop, but without giving in to the cheese.

[UPDATED] The Two Kims of M&D are going to rock the charts with "Close Your Mouth"...

The Two Kims of M&D --- Kim Jung Mo of TRAX and Kim Heechul of Super Junior

UPDATE!!! (June 23, 2011 8:44pm GMT +8) --- The MV for "Close Your Mouth is up... and boy, is it ever STAR STUDDED!!! Goes to show how much support these two guys are getting from their fellow idols (especially from the celebrity group that Heechul formed - Chocoball)! You've got Jia from Miss A, Simon D from Supreme Team, Jun Hyung from BEAST, Lee Hong Ki and Choi Jong Hoon from FT Island and comedian Gyeong Jin. Watch the video after the jump!

Originally posted on June 23, 2011 8:10am GMT +8

TRAX and Super Junior are two legends in Korean pop. TRAX was one of the few rock bands that ever saw success in Korea in the last decade, although the group has been on hiatus since 2010 with the release of their last mini-album. As for Super Junior, they hold the distinction of being the first and still the largest functioning male idol group in the Korean music industry (they initially started off with 13 members, but now are currently down to 10 members with two members on leave and one having terminated his contract with SM Entertainment). One of Super Junior's sub-units, Super Junior-M (utilizing 6 members in the current roster), is currently busy doing promotions in Taiwan and China. 

With both groups in hiatus, it's only natural that the members pursue other projects to hone their craft. Jung Mo, the main guitarist of TRAX, and Heechul, one of the resident radio DJ's and hosts of Super Junior, came together and created a project group called "M&D" (which, based on the press releases, stand for "Midnight and Day", and also stand for the initials of their neighborhoods in Seoul). What makes the arrangement even more convenient is the fact that they both belong to the same managing agency - SM Entertainment.

Top of the Charts for June 2011 Week 3 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

B1A4 is back to promote "Only Learned Bad Things"...

The boys of B1A4 (L to R): CNU, Gong Chan, Jinyoung, Sandeul and Baro

When I first featured B1A4 around 2 months ago, I was wondering why they were only promoting one song (back during their debut, they were promoting the launching track for their first mini-album, "O.K."). Their launching track and their debut was a tremendous success, but considering they had a couple of great tracks left in their album, I was hoping to hear at least one more song being promoted in Inkigayo, Music Bank or M! Countdown.  They're a mighty talented group of vocalists, so I was generally expecting more.

NOTE: If you haven't read my review for their debut album, "Let's Fly", it would be best to click here and read my review first. (hehehe!)

I guess they heard my gripes across the sea (I know... "seriously, Dennis..." hahaha!), and now they're following up their promotions for their debut album with their follow-up single "Only Learned Bad Things". They've also released an MV for the same song too!

8Eight returns to enchant with their soulful and mellow sound...

The members of ballad group 8Eight (L to R): Baek Chan, Jo Hee and Lee Hyun

While reading on the ballad group 8Eight, it's interesting to see how much of a following they have. The trio of Lee Hyun, Jo Hee and Baek Chan is probably one of the most sought after vocal groups in South Korea. All three are impressive vocalists that have embarked on solo and collaborative careers, and are stars in their own right, but still maintain their close bond as a functioning ballad unit under JYP Entertainment's sub-unit, Big Hit Entertainment.

They just released their new self-titled mini-album yesterday together with a new MV for their launching track, "그 입술을 막아본다" (roughly translated as "Cover Your Lips"). The group is well known for their excellent vocal talent and range, and a mellow sound that experiments with different genres and doesn't restrict itself to ballads.

[UPDATE] Put your hands up, and get your drinks up! 2PM is rocking the house with "Hands Up"!

The boys of 2PM (L to R): Junsu, Junho, Chansung, Wooyoung,
Nickhun and Taecyeon

UPDATE - Am I right, or am I right!?!? Hahaha!!! As expected, the video for "Hands Up" was just released through the 2PM YouTube page. It's probably one of the most fun dance videos I've EVER watched... you have to see it after the jump!


Originally posted June 20, 2011 1:30pm GMT +8
A week ago, I posted about the pending comeback of 2PM to their Korean stage. I was surprised with the amount of searches and hits I got for that post, which is currently sitting on the top of my weekly list (if you want to read that post, you can click here). It's a clear indication of how well anticipated 2PM's comeback album, "Hands Up", is. With teaser after teaser coming out from JYP Entertainment, I guess everyone is just as excited as I am to hear more from the boys coming from their triumph in Japan.

Their album was released earlier today, and within 15 minutes, I was seeing the hashtag #2PM2NDALBUM trending in Twitter. When I checked Allkpop.com, they were already at the top of the real time music charts in Korea (click here for the article). From the look of things, 2PM has truly solidified their position as a hot property in Korean music.

[POLL RESULT] Who's your favorite male idol rookie group?

AND THE WINNER IS...

BOYFRIEND

The quintet of Boyfriend, composed of Hyun Seong, Kwang Min, Dong Hyun, Jeong Min, Minwoo and Young Min, have been burning the midnight oil in promoting their self-titled album. All that presence and star power is translating into the kind of popularity that produces swarms of online groupies (as evidence to support my hypothesis, in my blog, they are the most searched group in my list of featured artists, and my review on their debut album is my most popular blog post ever since I've started this blog... beat that!).

Although these guys still have a long way to go musically. They're still stuck in newbie mode, so a lot of the material that they're doing is focused on dance and kpop cheese tracks... it's stuff that sells and builds a fan base, but it's not the kind of stuff that makes a defining moment in their career just yet. They're a young male idol group, and they've got a lot of growing up to do. Time will tell when they're really to shine as artists. 

Now... off to our new poll!

f(x) turns up the heat with "Hot Summer" --- and a little bit about Korean weather!

The girls of f(x) --- (L to R): Krystal, Amber, Victoria, Sulli and Luna

It's been an immensely wonderful year so far for female idol group f(x) with the release of their first full length album, Pinocchio. Based on information found on some blogs and forums (although I can't vouch entirely for their accuracy), the girls have managed to break sales records in Korea and abroad for the pre-sale and actual sales of their album, topping many of the popular countdowns in Korea (like Gaon and the Soompi charts). They've also managed to win the Triple Crown twice for their appearances in the three most popular music shows on Korean TV --- Inkigayo, Music Bank and M! Countdown.

It's not a surprise considering that these girls have been very active in their own projects during their hiatus (e.g. Victoria and Nickhun in "We Got Married", Krystal, Sulli and Luna appearing in reality and talk shows, Sulli and Krystal's MC stints in music shows, etc.).

They aren't stopping here though. They've just repackaged their first album and included a new title track, "Hot Summer". It's very apt since they've managed to turn up the heat for summer in Seoul with both a new song and MV that were released on June 14.

Kim Bum Soo goes deep into your heart with "Solista Part 2" ...

 

There are few artists who make a mark on the Korean psyche, and if they do, they're pretty much etched into their national consciousness --- and if there's one thing that Koreans love, it's their love songs. If music is the language that bridges culture, then love is the soul of that language that binds us all. In the time I have spent appreciating Korean culture and music, I see how Koreans (and I guess their international audience too) are drawn to artists who are able to effectively express and communicate this timeless theme.

Kim Bum Soo is such an artist. He's a balladeer who finds his roots in R&B and soul music, but his talent shines when it comes to the ballad. He's an exceptional singer who is able to communicate the beauty and sadness (and often madness) of the different faces of love.

The Pinoy Kpop Fan's Updated Pick List (June 2011, Week 2)

It's been a couple of weeks since I've added the new Grooveshark.com jukebox widget on my sidebar. I hope you've enjoyed having it around to listen to some of the tracks I've been able to review comfortably from any page you're viewing. As I mentioned in my update section, I would be changing up the songs on my "Pick List" every week, reflecting tracks from the the Top 10 posts in my blog.

Here are the top 10 featured artists of the week in The Pinoy Kpop Fan's blog...

A refreshing comeback for Vanilla Lucy with their new album - "Vanilla Party"...

The girls of Vanilla Lucy --- (L to R): Yoo Hye Ra,  Oh Ji Yeon, Eun Hwa, Jung Sora

When idol groups come along, there will always be the challenge to establish your competitive edge. With idol groups debuting left and right, it's difficult to establish that niche that would leave people to want for more of their unique sound. Vanilla Lucy, on the other hand, has a strong defining element in their sound --- most of the girls in the group are instrumentalists!

While other female girl groups focus a lot on their vocal composition or their dancing skills, the 4 member group Vanilla Lucy, composed of Yoo Hye Ra (Cello), Oh Ji Yeon (Violin), Eun Hwa (main vocalist), and Jung Sora (Saxophone), mostly focus their attention on creating unique songs utilizing their various musical talents.

Awesome K-pop mash-ups from DJ Masa!

Carlos Henrique Brandão aka DJ Masa from Brazil

Apart from featuring K-pop artists here in my blog, I also aim to feature K-pop fans who employ their talents to promote the popularity of K-pop as a whole. If you notice I keep a couple of sound files on top of my blog page featuring the K-pop mash-ups and mixes of my friend, DJ Drake Pineda. It's always good to see how people appreciate this wonderful music, and come up with creative ways of appreciating them in a new light.

While surfing today, I chanced upon a blog feature about a Brazilian DJ by the name of DJ Masa, and he's well known for his own brand of mash-ups and remixes using Asian pop, particularly K-pop and J-pop. He just came out with a new remix set last June 15 titled "K-pop Til The World Ends". Apparently he's a big fan of K-pop too, and he brings that love of music to the world through his blog, Masamixes.com.

[UPDATED] Put your "Hands-up" for 2PM's comeback album!

UPDATE (June 20, 2011 4:00pm MNL GMT +8) --- This post focuses on the teasers for "Hands Up"'s release. If you want to read the actual review for the album, please click here.

UPDATE --- JYP Entertainment just dropped a teaser video for 2PM new album, "Hands Up". Uber cool video that you need to check out after the jump!

Originally posted June 13, 2011 2:52pm MNL (GMT +8)

There's a lot of things to look forward to in late June... and one of those things is the release of 2PM's comeback album in Korea, "Hands Up". JYP just came out with a press release indicating that 2PM will be releasing their comeback album consisting of 12 tracks on June 20 (which is next Monday). Perfect timing for them to make the most out of the summer season in Korea (just a funny thoughts --- although it's summer in Korea, it's now monsoon season in Manila, and kids are now starting to go back to school... hehehe... this would've been a bad time to release an album in our perspective).

Although the fun-lovin' boys of 2PM have been super busy promoting their album in Japan, they've also been concurrently planning and preparing for their Korean comeback too. Along with the media release, they also released teaser photos too! Check them out after the jump.

Two awesome K-dramas to watch --- "The Greatest Love" and "Baby Faced Beauty"

Promtional posters for "The Greatest Love" and "Baby Faced Beauty"

When "49 Days" ended around a month ago, there was about a week when I was going through pilot episodes of recently released dramas in Korea (which was around the same week in May when all the new song releases came out... that was one busy blogging month!). There were two dramas that caught my attention, and I'm currently following --- "The Greatest Love" and "Baby-faced Beauty".

As expected from me, both K-dramas are romantic comedies that feature some well-known Korean actors. I've always been a sucker for romance, and both dramas deliver a good amount of that and a hefty helping of laughs at the same time.

Top of the Charts for June 2011 Week 2 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

"Man on The Earth" has landed... thanks to Eluphant!

 

For those of you who have been keeping tabs on my blog, I did a review on Eluphant last month when they released their last mini-album, "She's Not Following You". This eclectic hip-hop duo from Korea immediately made an impact on me when I first heard their songs --- they were an interesting mix of jazz, bossanova, R&B, rock and rap all put together in one album. I'm not exactly a big fan of old school hip-hop and rap, but having been exposed to Eluphant made me think otherwise considering the kind of experimentation that was going along in their album.

For those of you who haven't read my review last month of Eluphant, it would be best to click here before you continue. Once you're done with that, you can check out their full album, "Man On The Earth", which was released last June 9. 

Let 4MEN into your hearts with the release of "The Artist"...

The boys of 4MEN --- (L to R): Kim Young Jae, Shin Yong Jae, and Kim Won Joo

It's not surprising to find some group that have long been in hiatus coming back after years of hibernating in the cooler of K-drama OST album and collaboration work. A very good example of this is 4MEN, a relatively well-known ballad group in Korea, making a comeback after a 3 year hiatus with their new album, "The Artist", that was released June 7th.

I think I've mentioned in a previous post that ballads hold a special place in my heart. I'm a softie, and I like a good cry every now and then. If there's one thing that this group is well-known for is insanely great vocal harmony, and an inexplicable ability to make people feel a great amount of emotion through their songs.

Top of the Charts for June 2011 Week 1 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

Get ready to "Breakdown" with Kim Hyun Joong on June 8!

I was pleasantly surprised to see two things today --- that my temperature had gone down (because I was running a low fever yesterday - definitely need to take care of myself more), and that Kim Hyun Joong had just dropped his new MV for the title track of his new album, "Breakdown". When I checked online, my friend Grace commented on my status --- "DENNISSSSSSSS...!!!" I already knew what was going on, and when I checked my RSS feed for the blogs I read, I saw that KHJ in fact just released him MV.

Hyun Joong is set to release his album on June 8 in Korea (and simultaneously I think in many other Asian countries), but I'm not surprised that he and his management team decided to  release the MV earlier than expected. I've seen many artists do that, but for KHJ, apparently he does it for his fans. He's even giving 4,000 of his fans a free concert / showcase in Korea to thank them for being patient for waiting for his comeback. No wonder this guy has such an ardent fanbase (they're just as enthusiastic here in Manila, trust me!).

Now, on to the video...

Amazing new singles from Go Eun, The ForM Project, Heenain and Boni...

My amazing Kpop discoveries from the past couple of weeks...
(L to R): Boni, Heenain, The ForM Project (Female or Male), and Go Eun

There's been lot of releases for the past couple of weeks that I've been listening to that I absolutely love. What's frustrating though is that there's barely anything written in English about the artists who performed these awesome new songs. I guess it's an irony that an industry that's focused on the "Hallyu Wave" (or the spreading influence of Korean pop culture all over the world) doesn't encourage agencies to provide online content for foreign patrons in either English, Spanish or French (which are the three most spoken languages in the world --- dunno if I should include Chinese though hehehe!).

I've found four digital singles which I know everyone would absolutely love. They don't really get as much attention internationally since nearly all four acts are indie artists, and are managed by smaller talent management firms. It doesn't change the fact that they've got awesome music to share to the world!

It's a new dawn for Sunny Hill with "Midnight Circus"...

Album jacket for Sunny Hill's new mini-album, "Midnight Circus"
The members of Sunny Hill --- (L to R): Jang Hyun, Seung Ah, Kota,  
Ju-B, and Misung

[UPDATE] June 7, 2011 1:53 AM (GMT +8) --- At last, I was able to match their names to who they are in the pictures! Hahaha! Somebody in Inkigayo actually thought of putting their names for their intro vid prior to their performance! Good job!

When a group has a comeback album with the title "Midnight Circus", you can't really help but stop and tell yourself, "I want to listen to that". You can't really discount the power of a an interesting title, creative packaging (I liked the red-black temptation theme that was going on in the album cover), and an ironic group name like "Sunny Hill". The 5 member co-ed group (meaning they have both male and female members) composed of Jang Hyun (the lone guy of the group), Seung Ah, Ju-B, Kota and Misung just released their new mini-album together with their MV for the title track.

Since I haven't really heard of Sunny Hill before hearing their music, I just had to do some research about them --- and I have to say that they are probably one of the most internationally obscure Kpop groups on the face of the planet! I've been to Soompi and other English sites, and there is barely any information on this group anywhere (not to mention recent pictures of the group... so you'll have to forgive me for the lack of relevant visuals this time around).

[POLL RESULT] Who's your favorite male idol group rapper?

AND THE WINNER IS... JUN HYUNG OF BEAST!!!

The race was actually a neck-and-neck battle between Jun Hyung and TOP of Big Bang... at first I didn't really know who was going to win, but I guess the extra exposure from the recent release of Beast's "Fiction and Fact" swung the tides over to Jun Hyung's favor. 

Yong Jun Hyung is an immensely popular member of the male idol group BEAST. He's pretty much in demand, that he's done lots of collaborations with other artists besides his work with Cube Entertainment (like Wheesung, etc.). Hopefully we can see this rapper boy in action with his own solo album, but I guess only time will tell.

Tell us what you feel about the result? Do you like Jun Hyung, or would you have chosen another person from our list of male rappers? Comment away! 

Now... ON TO OUR NEXT POLL!!!

Alex dishes up jazz and ballads in "Just Like Me"...

Don't we just all dream about "Mr. Right"? A guy who has a great smile, a great body and who's an all around gentleman to boot! Well, let's just say Mr. Right were able to sing really well... he would be Alex Chu (I know, I'm stretching it a bit for an intro... but he really is a charming guy!).

After a two-year hiatus, Alex just recently released his second solo album, "Just Like Me" yesterday, and I have to say that he has succeeded in flooring me down with his smooth and romantic vocals.

[UPDATED] Kim Hyun Joong gives a taste of what's to come with "Please"...

UPDATE --- Posted the newly released MV for KHJ's "Please". Awesome new video with a lot of drama and great dancing. Check it out in the review after the jump!


Originally posted 5/31/11 3:19 PM MNL (GMT +8)

Any fan of Kpop should know who Kim Hyun Joong is. In the firmament of stars of Kpop-dom, if there's one star who's cemented a place in every screaming fan girl's heart (or fanboys for the matter... hehehe!), that would be him.

He first came to fame with the male idol group SS501 as their ever enigmatic and very quirky leader. His exploits on Korean TV shows like "We Got Married" (with his TV wife, Hwang Bo) made him even more popular in Korea. What catapaulted him to fame internationally are his famous roles in the Korean versions of the Japanese mangas "Hana Yori Dango" / "Boys Over Flowers" (which has had tons of iterations over the years --- Taiwan's "Meteor Garden" with the ever famous Chinese F4, and Japans own production starring Arashi's Matsumoto Jun), and "Itazura no Kiss" / "It All Started With A Kiss" (which was titled "Playful Kiss" in the Korean drama).

Top of the Charts for May Week 4 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

I'VE HAD A FLASH OF BRILLIANCE! --- If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to.