Top 50 Singles of 2015: 5-1

5. Seventeen - Mansae



If they wowed me with their debut, I was utterly floored with this follow-up. It's like a whole year's worth of pop energy wrapped up into three minutes.

4. Shinee - View



It's hard to imagine a better beat this year. Initially, I thought it sounded too European, but this song turned out to be the biggest earworm of the year. Every time it comes on in a playlist, it feels like it's summer again.

3. BTS - I Need U



A true turning point for this fast-rising group, and their highest entry ever on this countdown. It has so much more emotional heft than any of their previous singles, and that electro sledgehammer that rounds out the chorus drives it all home. Truly a timeless, genre-less pop song.

2. Super Junior - Devil 



From the emotional to the unstoppably fun, Super Junior managed to release the best, most effortless single of their long career. Some songs just lift your spirits when you hear them, and it's impossible to stay sad or upset when Devil comes on. Sometimes simplicity and a killer hook is all it takes to forge a masterpiece.

1. Kat-Tun - Dead Or Alive 



Never has a Japanese track hit the top spot on my countdown, and I'm so happy that Dead Or Alive is the one to do it. I'm a sucker for dramatic, orchestral production, and this track is damn near symphonic in nature. I first heard it about a month after it was released, and was intrigued but thought the lack of a strong backbeat was somewhat unfortunate. Then, a few months later, the song appeared in a random playlist and those opening fifteen or so seconds just blew away everything I had been listening to that day. So grand and majestic... so BIG. Since then, it's been the track to beat all year, and nothing's been able to fully match up. It really is a transcendent piece of pop music, with all the bells and whistles I go crazy for.

Top 50 Singles of 2015: 20-16

20. Infinite - Dilemma



For their first original Japanese release, the guys gifted us an aggressive, rock-infused pop track with a wicked guitar breakdown.

19. Teen Top - ah ah



At first it may seem underwhelming, but something about that summer sound works its way in your brain and sticks there.

18. Seventeen - Adore U



The year's best debut -- a giant candy-coated mixture of pop and hip-hop and big, boisterous production.

17. HIGH4 - D.O.A. (Dead Or Alive) 



Switching between genres for a year now, the guys finally settled on something that really does them justice -- a dark, dynamic dance track.

16. GOT7 - If You Do 



GOT7 had a big year, and this moody, melodic single was yet another breakthrough for them.

Top Albums and Mini-Albums of 2015: Number 7

ALBUMS

7. Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect



By streamlining all of his classic rock and pop influences into a handful of potent, perfectly composed songs, Flowers created the album of his career. It feels incredibly nostalgic, yet just what the music world needs this year. Despite releasing four singles, the album didn't get nearly as much recognition as it deserves.

MINI ALBUMS

7. Seventeen - 17 Carat



Simply put, it's Korea's best debut group of the year. I'm not sure if anything can beat the one-two punch of 17 Carat's opening pair of tracks. Even the lesser songs are bolstered by a palpable sense of youthful energy. They're hungry, and eager to prove themselves, and that hunger is felt in every beat.

Seventeen + Ailee - Q&A

Seventeen (my favorite debut group of the year), have gifted us a surprise collaboration single with popular solo artist Ailee. Better yet, the song features a unit group of my three favorite members. Essentially, it's a light hip-hop track that's a lot less in your face than their full-group singles. It's also a total grower. That breezy hook is indelible, and works its way inside your head without you even noticing it. The cool thing is that the hip-hop verses, which can sometimes simply float by without any fanfare, are full with character and catchy flow. It helps that the video is also adorable and requires very little translation to get its point across.



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Seventeen - Mansae

Only a handful of new male groups have debuted this year in Korea, and most of them have been decidedly hip-hop. That's the trend nowadays, and it's so ubiquitous that it starts to get a bit boring. Standing on a more pop-oriented side are Pledis Entertainment's Seventeen. I adored their first mini album and was so happy when I heard they were coming back this week. Mansae isn't quite up to the level of Adore U, but thankfully it carries forward the same powerful, groovy sound. It did take about three listens for the hooks to sink in, but now I'm totally addicted. The colorful, fun music video helps. The dancing is incredibly powerful. The guys really take advantage of having 13 (!) members.

Seventeen - Shining Diamond

This is the kind of old school K-pop that I want more and more of this year. I've been following Seventeen through their reality show, and I was instantly taken by the band's size (13 members!), sound (super pop) and charisma. Of all the Korean debuts this year so far, I'm probably most excited about them. They released a really addictive single last week, but this album track is just as great (if not better). Shining Diamond is the kind of huge, melodic, Jackson-esque music that made me fall in love with K-Pop in the first place. While other bands within their peer group are aimlessly following the hip-hop trend, there's something refreshingly old-school about Seventeen. Simply put, the track is hook upon hook upon hook... all of them pretty damn flawless. Even better, the group writes, produces and choreographs their own music. They're certainly ones to watch. The accompanying mini-album is also pretty awesome.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.