YG Entertainment in a non-stop success

YG Entertainment is on a roll. Every hit has been a home run for the agency.

During this year, six YG Family artists have released songs: Se7en in February, Big Bang (G-Dragon, Taeyang, TOP, Daesung, Seungri) in February and June, 2NE1 (Park Bom, Sandara, Minzy, CL) and Psy in July, G-Dragon by himself in September, and Epik High (Tablo, Mithra, DJ Tukutz) in October. All of them charted within the top 3 in monthly charts and some topped them.

YG oldie Se7en was the one to start this marathon. In February, he released a mini album containing the song Even if I Can’t Sing and confidently occupied third place on the Melon monthly chart.

Veteran idol group Big Bang, which debuted in 2006, succeeded him. The group’s fifth mini album, Alive, was released in February and hit the charts hard as expected. In first place was Blue; in fourth, Fantastic Baby;  in fifth, Bad Boy; and in eighth, Love Dust.

In June, Big Bang stepped out to conquer the charts again with special album Still Alive. Monster topped out at #2 and Still Alive went to #12.

Meanwhile, 2NE1 released single I Love You like a warm-up exercise and easily hit #2 in July charts.

But the biggest hit came on July 15^th when Psy released Part 1 of his sixth album. The title song, Gangnam Style, charted at #6 in July; in August it vaulted to #1 and in September it charted at #3. But domestic charts were not the issue. As what has been well-documented, the song has topped American iTunes charts, and is currently ranked #2 in the Billboard Hot 100 for the second consecutive week. A grand slam, indeed.

G-Dragon didn’t stay still, either. In September he pre-released That XX out of his mini album, and it charted at #4. Title song Crayon occupied #6, and Missing You took #12.

In October, hip-hop trio Epik High, led by Tablo, looks poised to take over. On the 9th, when new single Cold was released ahead of the full album via music sites such as Melon and M-net, it placed within the top 1o in the real-time chart. If the trend continues, Epik High’s first studio album under YG, set for release on the 19th, will succeed in replicating YG’s trademark chart takeovers.

It is not just about them. In November, 2NE1 and Taeyang will make a comeback, and in January of next year, a new group is debuting. YG Entertainment’s stride could indeed be called “Unstoppable High Kick”.

Source: StarNews