When PSY’s song ‘Gangnam Style’ became a viral sensation back in 2012 (the music video currently sits at almost 2.5 billion views), many people, myself included, believed it to be a one-hit wonder that only blew up as much as it did because of its music video’s highly effective ‘What did I just watch?!’ factor.
Since then, however, he has more than proven that he is a legitimate pop icon, and is continuing to cement his music’s global influence with the recent release of his seventh studio album, the aptly named ‘PSY 7th Album’. Any reservations I may have previously had about declaring myself a fan of this immensely talented singer/songwriter/producer/choreographer melted away with the arrival of this album, and, as a newborn ‘PSY-GUY’, I’ve decided to celebrate the occasion by picking out what I believe to be his top seven best Korean pop anthems.
7. Dance Jockey- Unless its status conferral turns out something like Ylvis’s ‘What Does the Fox Say?’ I don’t think any self-respecting DJ is going to drop this track at the club. Dance Jockey is certainly an example of PSY’s lighter fare, almost achieving Redfoo levels of goofy ridiculousness. Despite its obvious paint-by-number pop song format, however, Dance Jockey still manages to be an acceptable, likable tune.
6. ROCKnROLLbaby (ft. will.i.am) - For me, sixth place was a total toss-up between this song and Dance Jockey. ROCKnROLLbaby won out solely because it can be taken a tad more seriously than its horn-tooting counterpart. Or perhaps it’s just that I have a soft spot in my heart for will.i.am. Whichever the case, both songs have a definite head-bopping charm.
5. Gentleman- I gave Gentleman flak when it was first released. As the next PSY song to come out following Gangnam Style, I held it to a standard of expectations that just couldn’t be met, and so the ‘#SELFIE’-like track left me disappointed. Upon rewatching the music video a few years removed from the shadow of its older viral brother, though, I found that Gentleman is actually a far better song than I had given it credit for. It still holds true that it’s inferior to Gangnam style, but Gentleman’s undeniably entertaining in its own right.
4. Napal Baji- The instrumental spin PSY puts on his winning pop song formula for this track is what makes it one of my personal favorites. The music video is basically Gangnam Style meets Uptown Funk, and a resemblance between those two can be heard as well. It’s not like that’s a bad thing, though, as PSY still gives Napal Baji a hugely fun identity all of its own (Bruno’s stretch limo never exploded, now did it?).
3. Right Now- A PSY song from before Gangnam Style took the world by gallop-dancing storm, Right Now marks the Korean artist’s transition from hip-hop music to all out dance beats. As such, it is respectably able to seamlessly mesh the two genres, and the end result is perhaps the most original-sounding head-banger PSY has ever created.
2. Gangnam Style- It’s strange, it’s catchy, and it put PSY on the map at a global scale. Its replay value is nigh infinite. Given the phenomenon that revolved around this addictive song in 2012, I feel like Gangnam Style speaks for itself.
1. Daddy (feat. CL of 2NE1) - The latest and the greatest of PSY’s musical endeavors, Daddy will most likely never achieve the same seemingly untouchable success as Gangnam Style. That being said, I find that I actually like Daddy more. While Gangnam Style’s music video consistently holds my attention and keeps me laughing, the story of three generations of Korean playboy men being told in this new song’s video is just much more creatively focused. What really wins me over about this one, though, is the strikingly nasty sound of the track during the verses; there’s no part of Gangnam Style quite as good.
Honorable Mention: Korea- This song isn’t available on music streaming services, but I really enjoy the ‘loud and proud’ sense of Korean nationalism that the music video delivers. The honorable mention was either going to go to this or Hangover, PSY’s collaborative effort with Snoop Dogg. But, regardless of how much listening fun there is to be had with that sporadic track, I feel the heart and production value involved in Korea makes it the much better song overall.
