Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard!

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January 2015 Overall Thoughts

As some January schedules tend to be, 2015’s first month in K-pop was relatively sleepy. There were a seemingly endless supply of ballads and mid-tempos, but few big-name idol comebacks. But though my honorable mentions are pretty slim this month, the top three is incredibly strong. This includes a very notable debut at number one.

On the charts, it was all about CNBLUE frontman Jung Yonghwa’s solo debut, which spawned a few singles. SHINee’s Jonghyun also scored a big hit with the Zion.T-assisted Deja Boo. Elsewhere, Nine Muses made a long-awaited comeback with their first non-Sweetune title track since 2010 and a shifted group configuration. Infinite H made a return with the catchy Pretty and 4minute teased an impending comeback with pre-release Cold Rain.

Other than that, there isn’t too much to write home about. My top three consists of entirely new artists, though only one would go on to enjoy long-term success. The three songs couldn’t be more different from one another, but each is a master of its genre and has become a staple on my personal playlist.

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Honorable Mentions

Halo – Surprise (video)

Infinite H – Pretty (video)

Jonghyun – Crazy / Deja Boo (ft. Zion.T) (video / video)

Jung Yong Hwa – Checkmate (with JJ Lin) / One Fine Day (video / video)

Lizzy – Not An Easy Girl (ft. Jung Hyung Don) (video)

Nine Muses – Drama (video)

Tey – Dangerous (video)

4minute – Cold Rain (video)

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TOP THREE SONGS

3. G.Soul – You

2. 1Punch – Turn Me Back

1. GFriend – Glass Bead

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