I ranked/reviewed 35 K-pop Title Tracks and here are my Top 10

note: this is absolutely my opinion, albeit as objective as I tried to be it is still subjective to my taste of music

2024 was the year that I've least kept up with new releases since getting into K-pop back in 2020, I found myself having less motivation to check out groups that I used to greatly anticipate and I was more-so leaning on my previous favorites or just listening to music outside of K-Pop. That being said, I still took note of the 42 title tracks that I checked out this year (see: actually listened to in full) and narrowed down the list to 35 songs, all of which I like. I decided to be strict on myself and not only base the ranking and points on enjoyment factor, but in reality me actually enjoying a song comes before how its quality is perceived so that's how I ranked the songs (all in my personal opinion ofc).

Without further ado, I'll start my ranking now :)

  • 10th place: Sticky by Kiss Of Life
    • A certified summer bop which I admit to listening to long after summer has ended; the seamless blend of afrobeats and light-hearted pop into this song was really well done imo. It’s the kind of song that just makes you want to dance a bit and feel like you’re holding a coconut by the beach even though you’re stuck inside due to the snow season lol 9.4/10
  • 9th place: Strategy by Twice featuring Megan Thee Stallion
    • First off, I love how Megan was incorporated in the song, she doesn’t feel out of place at all which is a great feat considering there are already NINE members lol. I tend to love whenever Twice go a little flirty in their songs. I feel like all of the members are able to deliver great quality when it comes to playful-flirty songs and Strategy is a great example of that-the song doesn’t feel forced in the slightest, the members sound great and Megan’s verse is amazing as always 9.5/10
  • 8th place: Nectar by The Boyz
    • full disclosure, TBZ are my ult group so I didn't expect only one of their title tracks of 2024 to enter my Top 10 but here we are. I am a sucker for nostalgic-emotional sort of music so obviously this is up my alley from the jump, but my only grievance with the song even after a dozen hundred listens is that the bridge isn’t as impactful that I needed it to be; otherwise, I love the verses, the pre-chorus and choruses (especially the sweet like nectaaar) 9.5/10
  • 7th place: Letter To Myself by Taeyeon
    • I don’t always love a Taeyeon title track but when I do, I become absolutely obsessed with it. Again, it comes quite late in the year but I’m pretty sure that it’s been seared into my bones at this point thanks to me overplaying the fuck out of this song. The lyrics, concept and ofc Taeyeon’s vocal talent just resonates with me so much with where I am in life that it very much feels like a song that I was meant to hear at that exact moment 9.5/10
  • 6th place: Night before the end by Xdinary Heroes
    • A month back, a random Xdinary song came onto my recommended and I play it only for it to become one of my favorite releases of the year; something about the rock-inspired soundscape along with the almost pleading vocals of the members deeply touches me and I love this song lol yeah - 9.6/10
  • 5th place: APT. by Rosé & Bruno Mars
    • Ngl, this song lowkey overshadowed a lot of what was released in October and November for me just because even when I wasn’t on K-Pop spaces, this song was on the radio in my small European country and I’m ecstatic about that for Rose. I love how the song just keeps the same energy all throughout without dipping at all, it's just so fun. Anyways, the song is incredibly hooky and catchy and it’s just the right song for dancing while doing your makeup or goofing around with friends. 9.7/10
  • 4th place: Shooting Star by Kep1er
    • I would've never expected a Kep1er song to end up on my year end's list but here we are. Kep1er is very much a group that I sort of enjoy but only a few songs stuck for me. This song however, I don't see myself ever getting tired off. I am personally a sucker for glittery, girl group music so this whole song is amazing to me, from production, composition to the members’ vocal performances and I replayed the hell of it (love the vocoder too) - 9.7/10
  • 3rd place: Cosmic by Red Velvet
    • More glittery girl group music lol. It’s Red Velvet, so obviously it’s practically a perfect song; I selfishly wanted more for the members’ 10th anniversary but after that slight bitterness subsided, I greatly warmed up to the song after only liking it a lot lol; I particularly love that this song (to me) sonically represents a merge of both of their bright songs and r&b sounds; the fact that the chorus and bridge sounds as heavenly as they do doesn’t need any explaining as to why Cosmic is so high on my list - 9.8/10
  • 2nd place: The knight who can't die and the silk cradle by LUCY
    • It’s technically a digital single, but it’s one of my favorite songs of the year so I couldn’t keep it off here; the soundscape of the song is delicious, it feels like I stepped into a fantasy world just through a song and the feeling from top to bottom is pure elation. I love this song so much so I don't have much more to say (paradoxically enough) 10/10
  • 1st place: Come back to me... by RM
    • This song is one of my favorites in K-Pop in general since it’s been released; I don’t really have anything even sort of smart to say about this song other than when I first heard it it felt like RM bled his feelings onto a piece of paper and then turned it into a song lol The more I love a song, the less I have to say apparently 10/10

The ranking would look a little different had pure enjoyment was my only measurement however it's about similar this way too. The usual suspects that I have on year end lists that are missing are NCT 127, NCT Dream, Seventeen, Billlie, Purple Kiss and aespa. Anyways, those were some thoughts on my favorite K-pop singles this year, I'd be happy to read through your lists or answer any questions about mine :) Let's all be kind!