hasbrialeblog: Girls Generation

Label: SM Entertainment

Members: 9 (now with Oh! GG - 5)

(Jessica, Yoona, Yuri, Sunny, Seohyun, Sooyoung, Hyoyeon, Tiffany, Taeyeon)

Profile: Girls' Generation (GG) is the biggest, talented and best selling music group in K-Pop ever! The group's Korean name is So-nyuh Shi-dae (SNSD). They have the most hits of any K-Pop artist ever, broke records everywhere, Sold Millions of Albums, won the hearts of fans not just in Korea/Japan but all across the globe. They were discovered at a very early age (aged between 9-12 during 1999-2002) by SM Entertainment agents and auditioned successfully to join SM Talent Training Program. After having trained for 7-8 years they debuted in 2007 and become Korean Pop Icons in 2009, with worldwide recognition that followed in 2014. They are my undisputed #1 K-pop group!!

Group Members: Formed by Korean Music Industry Giants S.M. Entertainment the group was composed of nine members originally: Hyoyeon, Seohyun, Sunny, Tiffany, Taeyeon, Jessica, Yuri, Sooyoung and Yoona while Jessica was quit from the group in 2014 due to her personal commitments. In 2017, Sooyoung, Tiffany, and Seohyun did not renew SM Contracts to pursue their own career interests. The other members, Taeyeon, Yoona, Hyoyeon, Sunny, and Yuri decided to renew their contracts reducing the group to 5 members in 2018 and formed Oh! GG. They made a comeback in 2022 with all 8 members for the release of Forever1.

Achievements: Here is a sample of their achievements: Twitter Post ; and Girls' Generation made it into the Guinness World Records 2018 for winning a record 13 awards at the Melon Music Awards, the most by any artist. They have 70+ Music Show wins to date (more than any group).

Label/Record Company: They has sold singles and albums under the labels SM Entertainment, EMI Japan and Interscope Records (US).

Music Style/Genre: Girls' Generation's music is predominantly bubblegum pop and electropop. Their vocal performance is absolutely par excellence. I have never experienced a group sing collectively with such brilliance. I still can't make out who is who when they sing (I need some air time with their music videos I suppose), but the bottom line is they deliver!

Unfortunately in my view some of the songs were musically a wreck (no fault of the group members) but the composers introducing unnecessary and ridiculous bop loops, synths which deprive the song of its greatness and spoils the whole rhythm. Well that's the irony of Electropop. It more than usually becomes a mess for the ears, despite being popular or smash hits to the masses. When your superstars as they are, you can sell anything!!

Discography: 9 Studio albums‎ - Korean albums (6): Girls' Generation (2007); Oh! (2010); The Boys (2011); I Got a Boy (2013); Lion Heart (2015); Holiday Night (2017) & Japanese albums (3): Girls' Generation (2011); Girls & Peace (2012); Love & Peace (2013)

Video albums‎: ‎12; Live albums‎: ‎2; Compilation albums‎: ‎2; Music Videos: 43

Singles: 24 in total - They have eight #1 hit singles on GOAN (Korean) charts highlighted in red

Into The New World; Girls' Generation; Kissing You; Baby Baby; Gee; Tell Me Your Wish (Genie); Oh!; Run Devil Run; Hoot; The Boys; Mr. Taxi; Dancing Queen; I Got A Boy; Mr.Mr.; Catch Me If You Can; Party; Lion Heart; You Think; Sailing; All Night; Holiday; Flower Power; Love & Girls; Galaxy Supernova.

Let's look at their hits now and be ready for a few surprises.

My Girls' Generation Greatest Hits:

Top 5 hits:

#1. Trick (2011): 5 out of 5 Stars!!

Well, someone missed the Trick! Why the hell is this not a hit bamboozles me! You gotta be kidding me. This song has got all the attitude, punk and grit that can rival and beat 2NE1's hit "I am the Best" to tiny bits and pieces. Alas, opportunity missed. I don't mind the Electropop bops in this track as it fits right in and the whole tune is composed very well. The track has basically 4 segments - Cheesy Intros, Melodic Solos, Stunning Chorus and Switchbacks. OMG! If you have failed to notice it yet, they you better pay attention, Turn it ON and Play it Loud!!

깜짝할 사이 비밀스러운 trick
정신을 놔버릴 혼란스러운 trick

Another disappointment is the lack of the Music Video. No surprises. And I searched the internet for some fan made videos which turned out to be a lemon. Then I came across a guy who made one with a Photoshoot (W magazine or something). Yeah, that works out, I'll make one ! I had also read on Soompi that SNSD cover magazines were sold on the fashion magazine Marie Claire's website after a photoshoot involving the members. There you go! A perfect mix of Style and Substance! Enjoy this video folks... Like it or not, this fits the bill, making it my #1 GG hit forever!!

Album: The Boys

#2. Gee: 5 out of 5 stars!!

Do you need any introduction to this hit! I guess not!

Listen boy! My first love story

Ooh wow, ooh wow yeah
My angel and my girls, my sunshine
Ah, ah, let's go!Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

If this has gotta be in you K-Pop top 10 list for sure. Cute vocals with amazing choreography and colorful MV makes this one of the most popular song of GG ever, catapulting them into their ultimate road to stardom. I like the Original and Dance (White) MV's.

Album: Oh! / Gee

#3. Echo (2010): 4.5 out of 5 stars!!

A cute and girly pop song with the girls at a resort dressed in white having a good time by the beach.. (no bikinis lol). Another song that was not a certified hit but had all the potential to be one. Yeah, its kinda too girly, too cute, too sweet and a lot of Echo! Echo! Echo! This song was wrecked by the booming Electropop bops that kills the beauty of the song. Quite frankly a bass guitar would of done the trick. Electropop curse!!

Album: Oh! / Run Devil Run

#4. Into The New World (2007): 4.5 out of 5 Stars!!

Ballad. Another vocal masterpiece with powerful chorus. Brilliant composition and delivery. Music video has been shot beautifully showcasing each member overcoming obstacles and achieving their objectives. Choreography is good.

Album: Girls' Generation / Into The New World

#5. Time Machine: 4.5 out of 5 Stars!!

I don't know who made video this but this is simply brilliant and why was this not the official Korean MV for this song again surprises me. Well, I do not have all the facts as to what was the whole background of this MV shoot (its not the official MV by the way) I quite like it. Featuring Seohyun taking a trip to her school and recollecting her past, flashback of students and the teacher providing a more meaningful theme to the whole scheme of thoughts.

Japanese MV here: YouTube

Album - Girls' Generation (JPN) - also available in Korean version.

Some of their Finest Hits...

All My Love Is For You (2012): 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Another ballad, great vocals, well performed and beautifully captured.