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 Albums & Mini-Albums of 2015: Number 9

ALBUMS

9. f(x) - 4 Walls



To me, f(x) has always been an albums artist, and although they've never had a single on my top 50 countdown, their full lengths always rank up there. 4 Walls continues the trend, and is probably their most consistent album yet. Rather than the hodgepodge of sounds the group usually experiments with, this is a streamlined exercise in late 80's and early 90's dance music.

MINI ALBUMS

9. M+D - Cottage Industry



The second Super Junior related mini album to make the countdown, Cottage Industry is a strong passion project that pays homage to Japanese rock. If you've heard the title track, don't judge the whole album by its poppy sound. Beyond that single are some moody, melodic tracks that really sneak up on you with repeated listens.

Top Albums & Mini Albums of 2015: Number 10

ALBUMS

10. Darin - Fjärilar I Magen



In a somewhat surprising turn of events, Darin went full folk-pop on us this year. In doing so, he also released one of his best full-length albums yet. Despite only having one track that could even be considered "dance," the strength of his vocals and songwriting creates a cohesive work with a definite mood and tone.

MINI ALBUMS

10. Donghae and Eunhyuk - The Beat Goes On



Of all of Super Junior's sub-units, Donghae and Eunhyuk's releases have consistently been to my taste. It helps that they're the dancers of the group, and two of the more charismatic performers. This pop-fueled mini album was such a wonderful treat in an otherwise lackluster March. Other than one drippy ballad, it's pure upbeat fun through and through.

Super Junior - Magic

Super Junior released one of the best songs of the year in June with Devil. The album wasn't too bad, either. Now, they're back with the repackaged version. My hopes were high -- probably too high -- after Devil worked its way into my heart. The new single Magic just isn't as good, but that doesn't mean it's not a fine release on its own. I like how upbeat, happy and groovy it is. And while I long for a stickier hook, the song pairs well with Devil and completes a very strong year for the group. I only wish its best members weren't enlisting in their military conscription next month. It's going to be a long two years without them.

Super Junior - Devil

It's gonna be a pretty K-Pop heavy couple of weeks, as tons of big new releases continue to be announced. SM Entertainment, in particular, seems hellbent on making sure every one of their artists gets a comeback before summer ends. Super Junior is certainly one of their most prominent groups. I'm not 100% on board with all of their material, but they definitely have their fair share of classics and a ton of awesome album tracks to back them up. Devil is the new single, and it's the kind of track that is so unbelievably catchy that it'll either capture you from the get-go or drive you crazy. I'm a bit obsessed with the chorus, but my god it's been stuck in my head for the past few days. So even though I love it, I'm also kind of pissed at it. Those harmonies, though! Just try to shake this from your head.