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The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2024: Staff Picks


The Best K-Pop Songs of 2024: 25 Staff Picks.

As more and more K-pop artists break the genre and cultural barriers that can divide listeners, the Korean music industry grew its visibility and expanded its experimental nature this past year, resulting in greater opportunities for the scene at large while gifting global audiences some undeniably special singles. “I was born inside your head,” Lia sings over guitar plucks on their gorgeous, ghostly single “Imaginary Friend,” which casts fantasy as a protective shield against a world on fire: “When there’s monsters on your ceiling / I’ll keep you safe so you can dream.” The girls sidestep confident roars for a softer register, yet their signature self-empowerment is still there: in the end, that courage you’re searching for will come from within. Image Credit: Lauren Nakao Winn A transcendent blend of the best of Eurodance and Y2K sensibilities wrapped in a celestial soundscape, “Virtual Angel” has shimmering synths and choir-like harmonies for a mesmerizing composition that feels as if it represents spiritual and digital music, both nostalgic and forward-thinking, almost like a new-age hymn for K-pop audiences.

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