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#most streamed album of 2022
rainbenrry23 · 2 years
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*takes a deep breathe* MYTURN-MYTURN-MYTURN! @persephoneflouwers thank youu
Most streamed albums of 2022 - Rainbenrry23 edition
exactly in this order
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Nobody Is Listening - ZAYN
Together We Are Stronger - Counterfeit.
Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
Icarus Falls - ZAYN
Faith in the Future - Louis Tomlinson
Moltitude - Stromae
The Ride - Catfish And The Bottleman
Calm - 5sos
Come Home The Kids Miss You - Jack Harlow
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smallboyonherbike · 1 year
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hazardsoflove · 2 years
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i love last fm because you can absolutely tell what my favorite song off an album is
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savebylou · 2 years
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I think the specialist is pretty accurate I am very selective of what to listen and when I found someone that I like I put it on repeat. So this year when I wasn't listening to one direction I was listening to one of their solo albums of each member.
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Eminem featuring Nate Dogg - 'Till I Collapse 2002
"'Till I Collapse" is a song by American rapper Eminem featuring American singer Nate Dogg, released from his fourth studio album The Eminem Show (2002). Despite never being released as a single, the song has managed to chart numerous times worldwide and was the most streamed non-single of all time on Spotify as of June 2022. In 2012, it was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 2,000,000 copies in the US. This was followed by quintuple-platinum in 2018 and octuple-platinum in 2022.
When Eminem's single "Shake That" (also featuring Nate Dogg) was released in 2006, several Eminem songs re-charted that same week, including "'Till I Collapse". It charted in the UK at number 192 on April 15, 2006. In 2009, it was used in an advertisement for the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It raised digital download sales of the song worldwide considerably, but in Britain the song sold so many copies after the ad aired that it re-charted at number 73, a new peak.
"'Till I Collapse" received a total of 63,7% yes votes! Previous Eminem polls: #27 "Rabbit Run".
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twobluejeans · 11 months
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HEARTBREAK ON TOUR!
charles leclerc x famous!reader
summary: in which the lavender haze has been lifted. or in which america’s it couple splits.
part 8: you’re losing me, part 7: revenge dress, series masterlist
faceclaim: madison beer
ally’s radio 📻: PART 8! taylor swift deserves jail time for creating you’re losing me. taylor swift also deserves jail time for not officially releasing it. def recommend listening to it reading the chapter! (might have to stream illegally bc mother is being stingy 🙄.)
INSTAGRAM, july 17 (midnight)
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liked by paulwesley, ninadobrev, and 13,333,112 others
yourinstagram and just like that, the final chapter of Midnights, is out now. this is my most personal body of work that i'm putting out into the universe, and i'm so scared yet excited to share her with u. thank u to my team, my producer jackantonoff turned dearest friend of almost 7 years (woah!!!) we spent many noons & midnights on this album and i'm forever in debt n grateful. thank u to all my other friends who i didn't mention, yk who u are. to everyone else, thank u for your persistent patience and support. it does not go unnoticed. from my heart to yours, midnights (till dawn edition), is available on all streaming platforms. i love u. thank u 💗.
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leclerccharl ain’t that the teddy bear charles won for her at the fair forever ago??!
y/nsfeverdreamhigh leclerccharl o em gee yeah..
fernandoalonso_offical Proud of you cariño
barbie 🥹🥹💗💗
landonoriss screaming crying shaking throwing up
danielricciardo gagging choking ascending to god
authur_leclerc Love you always, Proud of you always ❤️
INSTAGRAM STORIES, july 17
zendaya 30m
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viewed by alexademie, tomholland2013, and 64,134 others
badgalriri 2h
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viewed by harrystyles, bellahadid, and 3,262,128 others
sabrinacarpenter 5h
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viewed by zendaya, lola.tung, and 1,524,211 others
TWITTER, july 17
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The song’s big question: “Do I throw out everything we built or keep it?”
BY: ALLY PUBLISHED: JULY 17, 2023
Y/n L/n’s lyrical candidness is what has always made her standout as a songwriter. Whether she was writing about young love, relationships, or breakups, her songs never flinched from trying to paint a full picture, even if it was one that was hard to look at.
It’s been a while since the super star has released a breakup song, but it was only a matter of time; since the singer split with Charles Leclerc, fans have already began anticipating the inevitable breakup album. But it turns out they didn’t have to wait long. At Midnight (July 17), L/n released a second deluxe edition of her 2022 album Midnights, which included four new songs, among them the release of “You’re Losing Me,” a song fans have deciphered as ostensibly about her split with Leclerc.
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via @yourinstagram on instagram
The nearly 5-minute track is a devastating relationship ender if we’ve ever heard one, as it details the hopeless and tragic dissolution of a relationship. Though L/n doesn’t include any names or details, it’s not hard to see why fans are interpreting it as being about her and Leclerc. 
When Entertainment Weekly first broke the news of their split in April, sources for both parties diplomatically described the breakup as amicable, and that “it was not dramatic.” “The relationship had just run its course,” one source told ET. However, that story was debunked as L/n herself, stated Leclerc had an affair with Australian Youtuber Lola Ransdell, in one of her Eras Tour Shows.  With the release of “You’re Losing Me,” L/n seems to offer a window into her perspective of how things ended while also releasing one of the most devastating songs she’s ever written.
Its lyrics don’t waste any time getting into the tragic heart of the matter. “You say, ‘I don't understand,’ and I say, ‘I know you don’t’/ We thought a cure would come through in time, now, I fear it won’t/ Remember looking at this room, we loved it ‘cause of the light/ Now I just sit in the dark and wonder if it's time,” she sings in the first verse, painting a portrait of two people who are unaligned and have seemingly grown apart in their relationship.
The pre-chorus lays out the song’s big question: “Do I throw out everything we built or keep it?” But waiting for resolution feels like something L/n doesn’t want to do anymore: “I'm getting tired, even for a phoenix/ Always rising from the ashes/ Mending all her gashes/ You might just have dealt the final blow,” she sings.
The most heart-wrenching part of the song comes in on the chorus, as she warns her other half, “Stop, you're losing me/ Stop, you’re losing me/ Stop, you’re losing me I can't find a pulse/ My heart won't start anymore/ For you/ ‘Cause you're losing me.” The lyrics mirror the song’s production which sounds like a quietly pulsing heartbeat, driving the knife’s blade of the song in even deeper.
Perhaps L/n’s biggest skill on this song is being able to convey all the heartbreak and roiling emotion without actually providing any specifics into the breakup. 
“You’re Losing Me” is rife with frank, confessional lyrics, but still keeps many of the exact contours of the split obscure. There are no accusations or fingers pointed at who’s at fault. There are no mic drop moments or explosive gossip; The closest L/n gets to revealing any details is on the second verse, when she seems to suggest that the relationship hadn’t been OK for a while now.
“Every morning, I glared at you with storms in my eyes/ How can you say that you love someone you can't tell is dying?/ I sent you signals and bit my nails down to the quick/ My face was gray, but you wouldn't admit that we were sick,” she sings.
On the bridge, L/n reveals that she “wouldn’t marry me either,” perhaps offering the tiniest, sliver of hints into one of the other reasons why they ultimately fell apart: “And I wouldn't marry me either/ A pathological people pleaser/ Who only wanted you to see her/ And I'm fading, thinking/ Do something, babe, say something (say something)/ Lose something, babe, risk something (risk something)/ Choose something, babe, I got nothing (I got nothing)/ To believe, unless you’re choosing me.”
It’s the lack of details, the palpable restraint despite L/n’s clear heartbreak behind its lyrics, that makes “You’re Losing Me” perhaps the most devastating song in her catalog (yes, even more so than “All Too Well.”) Amid the grief and sadness of the song, there’s also a feeling of inevitability, of sorrow that nothing more could be done, of pointlessly waiting for action when you know nothing is coming.
 In some regards, it’s one of L/n’s most mature breakup songs in her catalog, regardless of whoever it’s about. And if this is just a “from the vault” track, it makes one wonder what an albums-worth of these songs would sound like.
SEE MORE RELATED POSTS:
• Lola Ransdell Cancelled over resurfaced racism tweets
• Lola Ransdell loses brand deals over Y/n L/n drama
• Charles Leclerc finally breaks his silence over Y/n L/n Breakup
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ally’s radio 📻:a filler chapter im sorry😞 but anyways, the related stories r a sneak peak of the next chapter🤫 if u asked me to tag u and i didn’t, pls send me a message or inbox me bc it might’ve gotten lost 😭 i try to stay up-to-date but sometimes i miss people so pls lmk!!!
taglist 🦢🪩: @incoherenciass@dakotali@405rry@topaz125@sassyheroneckgiant@hevburn@itsmytimetoodream@ivegotparticulartaste@crowdedimagines @asterianax @haydee5010@scenesofobx@christinabae@magical-spit@dessxoxsworld@myareadsbooks@honethatty12@hopefulinlove@diasnohibng@gentlemonsterjennie1@hummusxx@eugene-emt-roe@taestrwbrry @perjarma @cxcewg@chimchimjiminie16@glow-ish@allywthsr @millyswife @mrsmaybank13 @black-swan-blog27 @stargaryenx @lilsiz @ohthemisssery @leclerclvr @slytherinjimin3nthusiast @shessthunderstoms @cool-ultra-nerd @ncentic @playboykenz @canvashearts @tinyhrry @xeliaaaa @ifionlywould @gaviypedrisbride @callsignwindow @dhhdhsiavdhaj @chasing-liberosis @laneyspaulding19 @a-daydreamers-day @saikikusouswife @motorsp0rt @lifesuckslife @shessthunderstoms @drewsandsebastianswife @sainzluvrr @ietss
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joeys-babe · 6 months
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Joey B Imagines: Birthday Boy
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Summary: December 10th, Joe’s 27th birthday spent with you and your twin boys.
Warnings: Fluff, *he's not injured!!*
Pairing: Joe Burrow x reader
Imagine universe: Into The Mystic
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December 10th, 2023
Joe had awoken in bed by himself this morning to his surprise. He had expected you, his wife, to be waking him with smooches all over his face but your side of the bed was empty.
He rolled over to grab his phone off his nightstand when the setup sitting on it made him smile. Every year since you and Joe got together in high school when you guys were 16 and 17, on Joe’s birthday you'd get him white roses. The number of them would be the age he was turning that day. There they were, 27 white roses in a vase.
Realizing there was a card and a gift bag propped up next to it, Joe leaned up in bed and picked up the card first.
Happy Birthday, Joey!
Gosh, how are you 27?! You're getting old babe. JKJK. I just wanted to tell you that I’m so happy to share another birthday with you, this is the 11th one that we've celebrated together and I hope I've made every year better than the last. 26 was such a year for you, and I'm proud to say I was by your side for all of it. Cheers to another year of getting to show you how much I love you. You're my husband, my rock, my happiness, my high school sweetheart, and most importantly my best friend. I love you more than words can explain, Joey Shiesty.
To my nerdy, quirky, antisocial, video game, Kid Cudi-obsessed boy, Happy 27th birthday.
Love, your y/n.
Joe didn't realize tears were streaming down his cheeks till he put the card down and saw a wet spot on the blanket on his lap. He quickly composed himself and grabbed the gift bag.
Pulling the contents out of the bag, he felt his eyes well up again when he realized it was a photo album.
It was white leather and on the front in gold font, it simply read “Us.”
Joe flipped to the first page and it had a song lyric quoted.
“When they wanna see how true love should be, they'll just look at us.”
Flipping the page again, it was a collage of pictures of you and him as high school lovebirds. A picture of him picking you up after a win while you were in your cheer uniform, one of you two sitting next to each other at lunch just smiling from ear to ear, you and him sitting in the back of one of his friend's truck while at a drive-in movie, a pic of you two at senior prom, and finally one of you guys graduating.
Joe flipped the page and wasn't at all surprised to see it was the Ohio State era of his life. Since Joe was a year older than you, you were stuck in Athens still when Joe was a freshman at OSU. Long distance sucked, but you guys made it work, and multiple pictures were showcasing that. You took screenshots of you and Joe's face timing that he had never seen before. There was a lovesick look in his eye that made Joe giggle knowing he's still just as infatuated with you. His favorite picture was the one of him lying on top of you in his dorm bed, you were running your fingers through his mullet as you cuddled him.
The LSU page made Joe’s heart warm, so many pictures of you standing to the side and smiling at him just so proud of everything he had accomplished during his time there. There was one slightly spicy photo that made Joe do a double take. That was the first photo you had ever sent him with the intention of turning him on. While Joe was out doing something with the team after winning the national championship you put nothing on but his letterman jacket and the “Big Dick Joe” that he had.
The next few pages only made Joe smile get bigger.
In order it was him getting drafted, the 2022 AFC Championship win + engagement, the wedding, finding out I was pregnant, the gender reveal, the boy's arrival, and everything in between.
When the last few pages were empty for more memories Joe shut the book and put it off to the side. He again had to compose himself and wipe his eyes after the emotional walk through memory lane, you guys had been through so much together and Joe couldn't a picture his life without you.
Joe was about to text you but as soon as he went to grab his phone you were walking into the bedroom. Truthfully you had been downstairs listening to him secretly through the baby monitor you had put up in the bedroom. You had heard him wrestle around in the sheets before sniffles were heard. After it went quiet for a bit you went upstairs and watched him through the cracked bedroom door as he wiped his eyes.
You walked towards the bed with a stack of pumpkin-flavored pancakes topped with candles singing Happy Birthday as Joe wore a huge grin.
After you were finished singing, Joe blew out the candles and you placed the plate on his lap.
“G’morning, Joey. Happy Birthday, my love. - you
He pulled you into a hug and squeezed you so tight.
“I love you so much, y/n.” - Joe
You rubbed his back and kissed him after you pulled away, his arms still around your waist.
“What did you wish for when you blew out your candles?” - you
“Can't tell you, you know it wouldn't come true if I did.” - Joe
“You're no fun.” - you
“I'm just kidding, baby. I actually didn't make a wish.” - joe
“What why? Did I not give you enough time to? I'm sor-” - you
“No. You gave me plenty of time. I just don't have anything to wish for. I have everything I could ever want or need so there's no need for me to wish for something. I have a beautiful amazing wife, perfect twin boys, a good career…” - Joe
You stared at him dumbfounded, wondering how you were ever able to bag this sweet man.
“You’re gonna make me cry.” - you sniffled
“C’mere.” - Joe opened his arms to you
Immediately in his embrace, Joe held the back of your head and kissed your temple.
“I've already cried twice.” - Joe giggled
“Awe Joey. Okay enough sappy stuff, you eat your birthday breakfast while I go clean the kitchen up.” - you pulled away from him and headed for the door when he stopped you
“Wait don't go! I'll help you clean later, can you stay with me right now?” - Joe
You smiled sweetly at him before waking back over to the bed and getting under the covers with him.
Joe turned on Spongebob and ate his pancakes, a few minutes in you heard little feet in the hallway before knocks on the door could be heard.
“Mommy? Daddy?” - Tyson
“You can come in, Ty!” - Joe
The twins happily opened the door and toddled over to the bed. You lifted them onto the bed and they sat with their backs against the footboard.
Tyson giggled as he jokingly got his hand under the covers and tickled Joe’s foot. Joe played along with it for a little bit, loving the sound of his son’s laugh before he started fighting back.
“Do you boys remember what today is?” - you
“Uhm… no momma.” - Miles
“It's someone's birthday!” - you
Tyson and Miles looked at each other for a second before they gasped at the same time and yelled out the answer in unison.
“Daddy’s!” - The twins yelled
“Mhm! Remember what you guys made yesterday?” - you
The boys nodded and you instructed them to go retrieve what they made from their room.
Joe gave you a skeptical raised eyebrow look, but you just leaned in and kissed him while you still had the chance.
It wasn't long till you could hear those little feet again and Tyson and Miles were running back into the bedroom. They handed Joe a few pieces of paper after he put his empty plate on his nightstand.
Tyson drew a picture of him, his daddy, and his uncles passing football at the practice fields.
Miles drew a picture of him and Joe playing with Hot Wheels tracks.
The drawings had Joe feeling a different form of bliss, his heart warmed to an insane level as he looked at the little details in his boys’ drawings.
“I love them, boys. Thank you.” - Joe croaked
“You welcome!” - Tyson beamed
“Dada? You sad?” - Miles
“No, Daddy’s really happy.” - Joe
“But you cryin'…” - Miles
“He’s crying happy tears buddy, really happy tears.” - Joe
“Oh… okay!” - Miles
“You guys should go play. Mommy and Daddy are gonna clean up before Gramps and Grammy come.” - you
When the boys left the room you turned to Joe who was still crying. You softly kissed his cheek and wiped his tears off of his cheeks.
“You okay, baby?” - you
“Never been better. This is the best feeling.” - Joe
“Good. They worked hard on those. Come follow me downstairs. I have something cool to show you.” - you
“You gonna give me my 27 birthday spankings? Or is that later?” - joe
You laughed as you pulled him out of bed and shoved him into the closet, asking without words for him to put clothes on since he was only in boxers.
He returned in sweatpants and a T-shirt and followed you downstairs.
“Is the cool thing you have to show me a sink full of dishes? Or do I have to unload the dishwasher?” - Joe
“You’re exempt from those chores today since you are the birthday boy. But no, I’m giving you one of your gifts now.” - you
Joe smiled and I told him to close his eyes as we started walking into the kitchen. He did as you said and you took his hands in yours to guide him to where the setup on the counter was. You smiled at the secret camera you had recording and dropped Joe’s hands.
Telling him to open his eyes, Joe looked around rather confused but when he looked down at the counter his eyes went as wide as saucers.
There was a positive Clearblue test next to the same onesie you showed Joe when you found out you were pregnant with the twins.
You watched Joe’s eyes start to water as his chin started quivering, causing your own eyes to get misty as you smiled at him.
“You’re pregnant?” - Joe grinned
“Mhm.” - you smiled as tears dripped down your face
Immediately his arms were around you, lifting you and spinning you around as he cried into your neck.
“We’re having another baby!” - Joe cried
When he put you down, Joe picked up the pregnancy test with shaky hands and fell against the counter with his head buried in his arms. He was so overcome with emotion.
“Are you happy?” - you rubbed his back
Joe stood up abruptly and nodded vigorously.
“I've never been so happy. What if we have a girl, y/n? I could be a girl dad.” - Joe cried again
“Oh baby.” - you pulled him into your arms
Joe hugged you so tight but was now trying not to put pressure on your stomach now that he was aware his baby was in there.
“I love you so much, y/n. You and our family are the best things to have ever happened to me. I can't believe we're having another baby.” - Joe
“I love you and our babies so much. I can't believe it either, I'm so excited.” - you
“How long have you known? Well about the baby?” - Joe
“Not too long, found out a couple of days ago and thought I'd wait till today.” - you
Joe nodded and leaned down to be level with your stomach. It hasn't gotten bigger yet but Joe didn't care, his baby was still in there.
“Hey, baby. It's your daddy. Me and your momma already love you so much. We can't wait to meet you.” - Joe
“I have an ultrasound next week. Think you can go?” - you
“For sure. I'll make it happen.” - Joe
The rest of the day Joe couldn't keep his hands off of you, always making sure you weren't farther than arm's length away from him.
Robin asked what was up later at dinner when you rejected your usual favorite wine that she and Jimmy had brought.
You and Joe were ecstatic to tell his parents about Baby Burrow #3 coming next fall and they were just as happy finding out about their next grandkid.
That night after dinner, dessert (pumpkin pie of course), and putting the boys to sleep, Joe and I were lying in bed talking about everything baby.
“y/n, you know, I've only been 27 for a day but I feel like it's going to be the best year yet.” - Joe
“You think so?” - you
“I know so because I’m gonna spend it with you, our boys, and baby Burrow.” - Joe
You had a strange feeling that Joe was right, but also an overwhelming feeling of love washed over you. How'd you get so lucky with Joe?
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Authors note: happy bday Joey B!
there was a birthday imagine request in my messages so here you go!
hope you enjoyed! 💕
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jikookuntold · 5 months
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The Untold Truth of "Letter"
Back in 2021, 2022, or even early 2023, if someone had told me about the possibility of JK having vocal credits in Jimin's solo album, I would have called it wishful thinking at best. But it happened, and we got the song "Letter" (AKA Dear Army) as a hidden track in Jimin's first solo album, FACE, with back vocals by JK, and his name written invisibly in the album book.
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The perfectly matching vocals of Jikook, with the heartfelt lyrics and soft instruments, undoubtedly made one of the most beautiful songs of the year, which could break many records for Jimin and his album if it was released in the streaming and buying services. The release of Letter as a hidden track in Jimin's solo album raised many questions and debates among Jikookers, and as someone who barely scrolls in the Tumblr app, I know I'm a bit late for the party, but I may or may not have some notes to add to the already made discussions. FYI, these are my analytic views and speculations, I am fully aware that this song has been named "Dear Army", and Jimin called it a "Fan song" on different occasions. So, I do not intend to ignore that and diminish Jimin's expression of love for his fans.
What's a Hidden Track?
Before getting into "Letter", we need to understand what a hidden track is. Well, the definition is pretty clear; When a song is not listed in the official track-list of a music album, but it exists in (some versions of) the physical printed CD, cassette, or LP, it's called a "hidden track". 
Hidden Tracks of BTS
There are several techniques and reasons to "hide" a track in an album, but in the case of BTS discography, the hidden tracks exist for a specific reason, and I'm going to explain it with the only examples we have. The debut album (2013) and Love Yourself: Her (2017), are the only BTS albums including hidden tracks, and if we ignore the skits in each album, "Path" and "Sea" are the only hidden songs BTS ever released. So, these two songs must have something(s) in common and different from the other BTS tracks that caused them to end up as a hidden track. To find that common factor, we need to check their lyrics first:
Path
[Intro: RM] Yeah, wassup? You know, time flows like stars (Check it, check, check, check, check it out) [Verse 1: RM] I started from imitating Eminem, Garion, Epik High To writing my own raps Now I see that I’m already at Hongdae My lyrics back then were all (****) Bossy But we dunno, we dunno When I dreamed without anyone to stop me Reality tied me down and trapped me inside Oh, my youth trapped me My hot heart lost to my cold mind (Damn) As I blindly told myself my decision was right I don’t know whether it’s an angel or a devil, but it says to me "Do you really have any plans to rap properly?" (Yes or no?) I didn’t have more time to hesitate and didn’t want to be stupid So I came here and three years passed by Some say art is long, life is short But for now, art is life Life is sports, just do it, uh [Chorus] If I had chosen a different path, would have I been any different? If I stopped and looked back (Oh hey ya, hey ya) What will I see at the end of this road? Where you should’ve been standing? (Oh hey ya, hey ya) [Verse 2: Suga, Suga & Jungkook] A long time passed and by 2013, I was a trainee for three years I was a high school student who grew overnight (I became a child) White hair grew from my desires and one by one my many friends (Parted ways with me) I spent my time in Seoul alone without a family (That was my third spring) I thought my worries would disappear with my debut ahead of me I closed my eyes to the present that had nothing to change But the reality was different, even as my family and friends tried to stop me I walked into the tunnels that shed no light on my own I thought I would be alone (Why?) As it turns out, there weren’t seven bare feet but we were wearing the shoe named Bangtan We’ll have to go forward, take one more step, become newer And that’s how I spent my fourth spring in Seoul (Whoa) [Chorus] If I had chosen a different path, would have I been any different? (Hey) If I stopped and looked back (Hey) Oh hey ya, hey ya What will I see at the end of this road? Where you should’ve been standing? (Oh hey ya, hey ya) [Verse 3: J-Hope] 2010, the year I walked towards Seoul! I just loved to dance, and now I’m standing on top of the stage Until then, I overcame many pains and scars to prepare myself I survived with my belief to bend, not break, and ran for three years Let the stars inside my heart shine! Now shine on me differently Write “Bangtan” on the paper world I walk my future with more lights on Give a smile to that far future (Ha, ha)
As you can see, the lyrics are simple and self-explanatory, so I guess we don't need any lyrics analysis, and the description section of the Genius translation I used here, says it all:
“길 (Road/Path) follows the member’s decisions to become idols in the Korean music industry. They recall their different upbringings from listening to hip hop in school to the hard years of being trainees under BigHit Entertainment. BTS pose the questions of how their lives would be different if they made a different decision, and they ask themselves what the future entails. A very introspective track about their career for a debut album, BTS display their thought processes as they enter the music scene.”
Sea
[Intro: Jungkook] Oh, ah, yeah [Verse 1: Rap Monster] I just started walking and ended up at the sea I'm looking at the coast from here There's endless sand and the rough wind I'm still looking at a desert I wanted to have the sea so I swallowed you up But I'm even thirstier than before Is what I know really the ocean? Or a blue desert? [Refrain: J-Hope] I don't know, I don't know If I'm feeling the waves right now, yeah I don't know, I don't know If I'm being chased by the sand wind, yeah I don't know, I don't know Is this the sea or the desert? Is this hope or despair? Is this real or fake? Shit [Pre-Chorus: J-Hope] I know, I know, my hardship right now I know, I know, I'll overcome I know, I know, open me up It's the place I can rely on Think positive, I'm swallowing my dry spit Even if I'm nervous, even if I'm in a desert I'm in the beautiful Namib Desert [Chorus: Jimin, Jin] Where there is hope, there is always trial (4) [Hook: V, Jungkook] Where there is hope You know, you know You know, yeah yeah (2) [Verse 2: Suga] I thought this was the ocean but it's a desert A medium-sized, ordinary idol was my second name Countless people get cut from broadcast But someone's empty spot is our dream They say some of these kids can't make it cuz their agency is too small I know, I know, I know too Times when the seven of us had to sleep in one room With foolish hope that tomorrow will be different before we fell asleep We saw the mirage in the desert but we couldn't grasp it Praying that we'll remain in this desert till the end Praying that this isn't truly our reality [Verse 3: Suga] In the end, we reached the mirage and it became our reality The scary desert became the ocean with our blood, sweat and tears But why is there this fear in between the happiness? Because we know too well that this place is really a desert [Refrain 2: Suga] I don't wanna cry I don't wanna rest No, who cares if we rest a little? No no no I don't wanna lose It's always a desert I told you everything Then I'll just be more depressed [Chorus: Jungkook, V] Where there is hope, there is always trial (2) [Hook: Jimin, Jin] Where there is hope You know, you know You know, yeah yeah (2) [Bridge: Rap Monster] Ocean, desert, the world Everything, the same thing Different name I see ocean, l see desert I see the world Everything's, the same thing With a different name It's life again [Hook: V, Jungkook] Where there is hope You know you know you know yeah (2) [Chorus] Where there is hope, there is always trial
Compared to “Path”, we have more innuendos and metaphors in “Sea” because of Namjoon’s lyricism (it was supposed to be in his mixtape at first), but as the description says:
"It discusses the hardships BTS has experienced since debut, particularly struggling to compete with groups from other, larger agencies. In this song, BTS reflects on these hardships, fearing that their global fame and success could leave as suddenly as it arrived."
Common Denominator
These two lyrics have one big thing in common, and it's the topic they are discussing. They talk about the members' struggles, fears, hopes, and dreams career-wise. I was thinking maybe these issues are something they can only share with their longtime fans, not the general public, therefore, they decided to release them as hidden tracks in the physical album for their real fans who buy them, something like the difference between Weverse and Instagram, I guess? Then I realized that’s something Namjoon has mentioned himself to Billboard Magazine, in LYS: Her interview:
And if fans are so lucky to own the physical album, they’ll hear two hidden tracks at the very. Why keep them secretive?
"I think they’re hidden because you have to be a real fan of BTS to understand them. Otherwise, you won’t. Otherwise, you’d like to be, “Why are they feeling so confused about things? They’re good?!? They’re No. 1 somewhere, they have so much stuff, why are they worried?” People always talk about that. But if you are a true fan of BTS and you buy the album and you listen to the hidden track — if you are an Army and we spent time together from 2013, 2014 — they could understand. It’s kind of more special, more closer, to our true hearts"
What about "Letter"?
In conclusion, hidden tracks for BTS, are something between them and their real fans who know about the path they have wended, therefore they can open up to them through lyrics and talk about their fears and struggles and ambitions without being judged or misunderstood. Also, we have to debunk some of the misconceptions going around (especially after the release of FACE) about hidden tracks. For example, some claimed that Letter is made for fans because hidden tracks are always supposed to be “gifts” for fans. This claim obviously can’t be true when you are able to listen to a hidden track legally, only by purchasing the physical album. Gifts are supposed to be free of charge, like Promise, Still with You, Christmas Love, My You, and so on. 
Then what about “Letter”? Why this song is a hidden track in Jimin’s first solo album? Did Jimin want to say something by hiding this track in FACE? To answer this questions, we need to pay attention to the lyrics and how the song was made:
 [Verse 1] What should I say? And how should I convey it? I'm really not getting my words right I know it sounds so clichéd So that it's not taken lightly Let me say it to you properly [Chorus] I say oh-oh, I hope you can be happier You, who stretched your hand out to me whenever I fell I say oh-oh, I'll hold it now (I'll hold it) So when you feel like crying, you won’t fall [Verse 2] After all this time has passed Will we still be the same? Just like we were when we first met, hmm-mmm If we are together, even the desert could turn to a sеa Just like how we were then, oh-hoo-ooh [Chorus] I say oh-oh, I really hope that it’ll last forever You, who felt like a warm spring to me in a cold winter I say oh-oh, I'll always cherish it All those moments between you and I [Refrain] Baby, don't leave Just stay by my side, yeah To you, who see me bigger than what my little self is (to you) So that I can give as much as I’ve received (oh-oh) So that I can keep my word (oh-oh) Don't worry, just stay by my side, yeah (Yeah) We don’t know what the future holds (holds, yeah) And that’s scary and makes us afraid (oh-oh) But don’t forget that we’re always together (don't forget) [Outro] I know it sounds so clichéd So that it's not taken lightly Let me say it to you properly
The Feelings
If you compare these lyrics to "Path" and "Sea" you can clearly see the differences, and except a mention of "sea and desert" there's nothing in common between them. Letter is not a monologue about career issues, it's a romantic song. These lyrics are expressing the feelings and addresses them to an audience and appreciates them. But how was this song made?
According to Jimin, at first, SMF Pt2 was supposed to be the last track of his solo album, but in their YTC promotion and recording era when they announced that they have planned to put their group activities on rest, Jimin decided to express his feelings of the moment through a letter, and turned that letter to song lyrics. Producers liked the song so much and decided to add it in his album and that’s how “Letter” was born. Although Jimin didn’t explain much about those “feelings” and left the conclusion to us like a true artist, we all know that this song is totally different from the other tracks in his album.
All the tracks of FACE are dark and sad. Jimin’s first album is all about himself, and he talks about the painful emotions he had as an artist and a person in the past few year, but with “Letter” there is a different story. Recording Academy admitted this and wrote:
“Though the EP is technically only six songs, the physical version has an additional “hidden” track called “Letter”. The song provides an intimacy that stands out from the other FACE tracks, capturing Jimin in his best form. The lyrics are poignant and vulnerable as Jimin pleads for someone to stay (“Baby, don't leave Just stay by my side, yeah”) The biggest surprise though? Fellow BTS member Jungkook contributes vocals to harmonize with Jimin.”  
A Fan Song?
“Letter” being a “Fan Song” is a stated fact by Park Jimin himself, and there can’t be any arguments about it, but that fact doesn’t mean Jimin made this song with the thought of fans in his head and all about them. In one of my old posts, I said that a faceless crowd can’t be the muse for a romantic song, especially when that song has a "standing-out intimacy".
Another reason for calling "Letter" a fan song, is the fact that it starts at 6:13 of the album, the numbers that remind us of the debut date of BTS. We can't call this a coincidence because we know how thoughtful and punctual Jimin is. But don’t forget that 6.13 is more of BTS time than ARMY time. So, as much as you call this track a song for fans, it can be called a song for his fellow BTS members.
Why JK?
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. Why JK was a part of this song? Did it mean something for Jimin, or did he have no other options? Jimin said that FACE is an album about himself, and he didn’t feel right about featuring other artists in it, that’s why he decided to record SMF Pt2 all alone and do all the rap parts by himself instead of featuring Yoongi in it. He collaborated with several producers and songwriters (including Namjoon), but there was no featured artist in the whole album.
About the background vocals of the album, he did most parts by himself, and for the other parts, he worked with artists who already had credits in his album, such as BLVSH, Sumin, and James Keys. But JK didn’t have anything to do with Jimin’s album. Jimin was fully capable of doing the background vocals of Letter by himself, as he did for the first parts of the song. Jimin never really explained why he decided to have JK in the song, other than saying their voices match. This known fact doesn’t give us much information, but we can have our speculations. 
Closer Than This?
Another thing that questions the idea of “Letter" being inspired by fans, is the existence of “Closer Than This”. The newest release of Jimin is the exact definition of a fan song, the lyrics are straightforward and directly address the fans and leave no place for speculation. If CTT is the result of Jimin getting inspired by his fans, then “Letter” must be inspired by something different because these two songs are not comparable. 
The difference becomes more obvious when we look at the initial version of the Letter lyrics in Jimin’s drafts. I wonder what the Grammy journalist who called the final lyrics of “Letter” intimate would have said if they read this: 
You hugged me tightly Only you who protected me Hold my hand, hold my hand tightly You who reached out my hand You held out your hand to me
We don’t know what was going on in Jimin’s mind when he wrote these, but we can see that the initial lyrics have been moderated, and the intimate parts, which clearly refer to a person, didn’t end up in the final lyrics. FYI, I’m doing a lyric analysis here, and this is not a complaint or conspiracy theory because Jimin said that he liked the way the final version came out, and it's all that matters.
For Fans, Not About Fans
So far we made it clear that "hidden tracks" are not about fans, they are for fans like any other BTS song, but the hidden tracks are a secret between the artist and the fan, something that only the true and dedicated fan can understand, and this applies to Jimin's "Letter".
Jimin gave up on many records for streaming and buying by releasing this song as a hidden track in his album. So, there must be an important message in this song that he wanted to convey to the true fans. He did his share of being thankful to fans by CTT, and I don't think he needed to do it twice in a year.
Maybe you prefer to think Jimin just made this song for ARMY and hid it in the album as a surprise or because it didn’t match with the whole concept of FACE, and you might not be wrong about any of that. But, don’t forget that he didn’t explain anything about this, and we both are just making assumtions.
Yes, maybe Jimin didn't acknowledge JK being a part of Letter in his promotion era, but JK did everything he could for his share. A few hours before the release of FACE, he started a live and played a part of it with his guitar, and months later, he watched Jimin's live performance for Festa while harmonizing with it and reminding us that he knows the lyrics very well. In Jimin's documentary he was very supportive and even teased for a live performance with him in future.
Why Just Jikook?
Jimin and Jungkook are not the only members of BTS. But I don't know why everytime Jimin or JK do something with romantic undertones, the fans (OT7 ARMYs, to be more specific) immediately try to label it as "About ARMY". I usually don't see this energy with the other five members. I'm perfectly sure they are also very grateful for ARMY, they have released several songs about them, and they would have loved to collaborate in a fan song with Jimin, too.
Then why Jimin only included JK in Letter? Why he wanted to sing for "ARMY" with him? Unless we assume Jimin's gratitude towards ARMY has connections with JK, and I don’t even want to bring up 2019 "I am army" jokes. But "Letter" is the song the most optimistic Jikookers didn't expect to exist. You may try to ignore and normalize it, but you can't deny the fact that Letter proved Jikook's unbreakable connection as two harmonic colleages, long time friends, and inseparable souls.
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27goldensun · 1 year
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Is it worth it? An analysis on Louis’ stunts
Lately there has been a shift in how Louis’ stunts are being presented to the fandom, with babygate mentions growing and seemingly being pushed by Louis himself.
I have taken some time to go over some (very arbitrary) success indicators that could possibly justify this push in stunts as a marketing ploy, however I have only confirmed my suspicions that the fanbase IS NOT HAPPY and that has been translating in Louis’ numbers.
(May I add that I focused more on louis’ relationship with his fanbase and I know that’s not everyone’s definition of success so I also added streaming numbers)
I took my numbers from this website and I looked through late 2021 and 2022 mostly
Starting off, lets look at Louis’ twitter following and activity:
Number of followers
Throughout August, September, October and November 2021, louis gained between 20k and 40k followers each month, those numbers were much higher during the earlier months of 2021, so what could have sparked that change?
The first picture of louis with F in years dropped in August, which happens to coincide with the sudden drop in Louis’ following
In December, the First Christmas BS happened, and that generated a drop in his following (he didn’t actually start losing followers until 2022, but he only gained 4K in December 2021) that would be weird on its on, but paired with the start of his tour (in which his numbers should be increasing much more) it was very obviously correlated.
Now onto 2022, which was quite an eventful year
2022 marked the start of LTWT which was not only an incredible time for preexisting fans could have been a great opportunity to increase his fanbase by giving him more visibility, especially paired up with a new album. We’ll see that this wasn’t the case
The beginning of the year presented Louis with a slow, especially if compared to 2021, but steady raise in following. This drastically changed in July.
The infamous dm leak happened on July 30th 2022 and it greatly impacted the fandom, which was translated into Louis social media following. Looking at it comparatively, in June 2022 he gained 129k followers, in July that number dropped to 26k, showing the impact of those final 2 days. In August, his numbers only continued to drop.
With the album announcement, one could’ve expect a raise in following and activity, but the opposite happened, and I can’t help but link it with the marketing strategy that was chosen, with further mentions of his “personal” life, especially bbg
The promotional interviews began July 2022 still during LTWT and, at first, they were stunt free (with the exception of one Interview on July 21 2022, in which he stumbled when saying F’s name, something he seemed much more comfortable with later on).
September 6, 2022: It is during an interview with Radio Deejay Itália that the mentions truly begin. Louis brings up Freddie unprompted and says he travels to LA often to visit him, from this point forward, the kid is often brought up.
November 2022 we get all those articles saying “louis finds parenting to be challenging”, over 100 copy and paste articles of this nature were posted.
December 2022 the Christmas Bs 2.0 took place, with the kid being flown to the UK and spending around a week there, between Christmas and New Years. The only footage of louis and F interacting was posted on Louis’ birthday, in a short video of the two in a dinner with the rest of the Tomlinsons.
How did this translate in his twitter following? When FITF promo started, Louis only lost followers
August 2022 he lost 7k
September 2022 he lost 33k
October 2022 he lost 24k
November 2022 he lost 29k followers (not good right after an album announcement)
December 2022 he lost 28k followers
January 2023 he lost 43.9k (the most so far)
But did all this only happen to his twitter following? Surely that’s not the only indicator of his success and relationship with his fanbase?
I agree, although louis does seem to use twitter the most when connecting with fans, lets look through his instagram
When FITF promo started, Louis only lost followers
August 2022 he lost 24k
September 2022 he lost 18k
October 2022 he lost 30k
November 2022 he lost 49k followers (not good right after an album announcement)
December 2022 he lost 33k followers
January 2023 he lost 62.8k (the most so far)
Looking at his streaming statistics
(I’m using walls as a comparison for timeline purposes, although im well aware walls promo was far from stunt free, it seems most fans have, understandably, a harder time dealing with bbg than Eleanor)
*Walls debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 with 39,000 album-equivalent units
*Faith in the Future debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 selling 43,000 album-equivalent units
So there was obviously an improvement on FITF debut, but has it been consistent since the album release?
The “this is Louis tomlinson playlist” on Spotify
May 2021 The "This Is Louis Tomlinson" playlist reached 250k likes
February 2023 The "This Is Louis Tomlinson" playlist reached 320k likes
Album stream milestones
Walls
Over 100 million streams on Spotify: February 6th, 1 week after its release
FITF
Over 100 million streams on Spotify: December 10th, 1 month after its release
So, overall, the situation does not seem to be improving…
I will later go through his tour sales, but given the different venue sizes this could be a bit tricky
My interpretation of those numbers i presented is that no, it is not worth it. Regardless on your opinion about bbg, from a marketing standpoint this image doesn’t seem to be doing Louis any favors…
(Please feel free to add your thoughts, I’d love to deepen this discussion)
Also, I don’t think any stunt that furthers a queer person’s closeting could ever be “worth it”, this was just my attempt to try to see what could be their motivations for this (although if its commercial success, it’s definitely not working)
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httpsuniverse · 1 year
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DRESS | JD14
wherein singer!y/n shocks her fans when she reveals her relationship with a person her fans obviously didn’t expect, f2 driver, jack doohan.
↳ TYPE: ig au
↳ PAIRING: jack doohan x singer!reader (face claim: aespa’s karina)
↳ DETAILS AND WARNINGS: fluff/romance
↳ AUTHOR’S NOTE: some drafts i’ve written/made, just needed to clean up the drafts. there’s more but i’ll edit them first before i post em! enjoy ❤️
this work is purely fictional. names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. © newuniverse, 2023. do not steal, repost in other platforms, translate and/or claim this work as your own.
yourusername
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liked by yourbffsig and 1,874,737 others
yourusername last moments with my black hair 🥹 any guesses which color i’m choosing? (it’s my first time dyeing my hair i’m nervous 😓)
view all 397,826 comments
yourbffsig i think you’ll look good without hair :D
yourusername i’m blocking you!! 🫵
yourbffsig KIDDING!! love youu 😌
yourusername love u 🙄
user omg queen!! what if you go blonde 🥺
user i can’t see her going blonde though, it’s a bad idea 😩 purple would look good!
user the day y/n dyes her hair is the day i go insane.
user no because she literally has one of the healthiest hair i’ve ever seen and now she’s planning on dyeing it 😭 what if the hairdresser sabotages her hair and she ends up bald
user GIRL WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HER GOING BALD IM CRYINGF
user maam what if you bleach your hair 😌
user STFU FONT GIVE HER IDEAS IM GONNA BAWL
57 weeks ago
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jackdoohan
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liked by danielricciardo, antoniogiovinazzi and others
jackdoohan happy to come away from the #spanishgp with a p2 and most importantly solid championship points, let’s keep it rolling into monaco next weekend! #f2
view all 103 comments
user still can’t believe you cut off your hair 😭 i’m still mourning over it, jack.
user congrats mate! 👏🏻
user 🔥🔥
56 weeks ago
yn.updates
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194,836 likes
yn.updates y/n seen today in barcelona with a bleached hair 🎀 sources said she came with her best friend to watch both f1 and f2 races!
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user sometimes i forget her best friend is literally a nepo baby, a fia nepo baby to be exact
user huh what
user yeah lol her dad’s one of the board of directors of fia! she was often seen in the paddock when she was young and i think she’s close with mick as there’re some pictures of them both in and out of the paddock!
user WHATTTTT
user WHERE TF IS THAT GIRL WHO SAID Y/N GOING BLONDE IS NOT A GOOD IDEA
user i apologize 😔
user ok but like whats the reason behind her bleaching her hair 🤨
56 weeks ago
yourusername
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liked by yourbffsig, jackdoohan and 3,826,829 others
yourusername 22 coming your way 😉
view all 282,727 comments
user WHAT.
user OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG Y/N ALBUM!!!!!!
user OOOOO SHE LOOKIN GOOD 👀
user WHAT THE FUCK IS JACK DOOHAN DOING IN HER LIKES !!!!
user it’s so random pls
user 😭 icb it’s a canon event lmfao
user i think it’s because they met(?) each other in barcelona! i think her bff introduced them to each other 😄
user why haven’t i heard that y/n went to the gp 😧 i was literally there
user she went there for a music video filming i think, she just went to the race during her break she said it during one of her ig lives hahaha
51 weeks ago
[ T I M E S K I P ; A YEAR LATER ]
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yourusername
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liked by yourbffsig, jackdoohan, mickschumacher and 1,839,938 others
yourusername it’s been a little over a year since 22 was released! as you all know, i’ve written my first full album last 2022 and it has a special place in my heart, as the title song tells the story about being young and carefree ❤️ thank you all so much for all the love you’ve given 22 ✨ as a thank you, i’ve released a new song titled DRESS, which is now available to all streaming platforms!
i’d like to express my deepest gratitude to my label, my manager, my friends, my family and last but not least, my muse–the reason behind this piece, jackdoohan 🤍 this is for you, my jacko!! happy anniversary to us, my racer <3
enjoy the surprise song, everyone! sending you all love, xo.
view all 241,829 comments
user y/n??? jack??? what???
user WHY NOW WHEN I’M ALREADY COMFY IN BED!!!
user y/n, when was this???
user im so confused rn
user I AM IN CONFUSION, EXPLAIN, Y/N, EXPLAIN!!!!!
user can jack fight tho 🤨
user NOT ME LOSING Y/N TO JACK DOOHAN 💔💔
user this wasnt on my bingo card this year
yourbffsig congratulations lovie!! happy for you and jack 🥰 thank me yall hahaha happy anniversary and stay in love!! 🤍✨
— ❤️ by yourusername
mickschumacher loved the song, y/n!! happy for both of you 🤍
— ❤️ by yourusername
jackdoohan happy anniversary, angel 🤍 i love you and all the songs and poems you’ve written for me 😍
yourusername love you soooo much, jacko 💞
user SONGS?!?!?! THERE’S MORE?!?!?
yourusername will be released soon 🤫
user WHAT THE HECK!!!
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jackdoohan
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liked by yourusername, mickschumacher, danielricciardo and others
jackdoohan so amazed to see you on stage tonight, beautiful. you looked absolutely stunning and happy doing what you love. congratulations on your first concert, i love you ❤️
view all 2,783 comments
yourusername crying!! you really surprised me when i saw you in the crowd 🥺 i almost didn’t finish the song and was thinking of running straight to you!!
yourusername the flowers are pretty btw!! 😍
jackdoohan just like you ;)
yourusername OH??
mickschumacher there are children on this app.
yourbffsig tell them to go away, let these two be in love!!
user oh idk which one i wanna be...do i wanna be jack or do i wanna be y/n
user he came right after his race yall, and on her concert’s first night. if he wants to, he would.
user damn it, when will i be in love... GOD I SEE WHAT YOU DO TO OTHERS ?! WHEN WILL IT BE MY TURN !!
user the hand placement yall :( hand fucking placement!!!!
user jack is SOOOO in love 🥺
user “you looked absolutely stunning and happy doing what you love” haha guess who will sleep on the highway tonight haha
user you 🤝 me
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slavghoul · 1 year
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Hello, I prepared some statistics to give you a short overview of Ghost's amazingly successful 2022. It is based on data I collected between 22/12/2021 and 22/12/2022.
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The big Ghost event of 2022 was of course the release of the band's fifth album, IMPERA.
Since March 11, it has sold nearly 500,000 copies, won the American Music Award for Favorite Rock Album and received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance ('Call Me Little Sunshine').
Within the first week of its release, the album reached #2 on the Billboard 200 (ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States) and ranked in the top 20 best-selling albums in 19 countries across the world:
#1 in Sweden, Austria, Germany, Finland, Spain
#2 in US, UK, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands
#3 in Australia, Canada
#5 in Switzerland, Ireland, France
#7 in Poland
#8 in Hungary
#12 in Denmark, Portugal
#20 in Italy
IMPERA is Ghost’s best charting album to date.
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On YouTube, the band amassed a staggering 260 million views. 840,000 people subscribed to the channel this year, which makes up 42% of all current subscribers.
5 most watched videos on YouTube in 2022:
Mary On A Cross (Official Audio) – 32 million views
Call Me Little Sunshine (Official Music Video) – 15 million views
Square Hammer (Official Music Video) – 11 million views
Mary On A Cross (Live in Tampa 2022) – 8.2 million views
Spillways (Official Music Video) – 6.8 million views
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On Spotify, the band amassed 1,285,625 new followers. That’s around 61% of all followers since the band appeared on the platform.
5 most streamed songs on Spotify in 2022:
Mary On A Cross -  193,709,473 streams
Call Me Little Sunshine – 41,108,589 streams
Square Hammer – 29,720,042 streams
Dance Macabre – 26,494,053 streams
Spillways – 24,910,870 streams
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It goes without saying that the viral success of Mary On A Cross on TikTok brought in a lot of new fans this year, but the magnitude of it becomes even more astonishing if you look at numbers.
On this graph, I marked a few events that resulted in a noticeable spike in the number of monthly listeners on Spotify, including the approximate time when MOAC began to gain traction on TikTok. As you can see, nothing, not even the release of a new album, gave the band as much attention as the 3-year old song suddenly raising in popularity on one single platform.
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Between end of July and beginning of October, the number of monthly listeners on Spotify skyrocketed from 2.5 million to 12 million. This is a 380% increase.
Although the numbers have been in decline since then, it appears that for the past month they have stayed at a steady 9 million. As of today (Dec 22, 2022) the exact number is 9,110,996. Exactly a year ago (Dec 22, 2021) the number was 1,999,951. A hefty 355% increase in only a year.
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Some other milestones and fun facts:
On June 7, Cirice, Dance Macabre, and Square Hammer were all certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 units in the USA. Following the viral success, Mary On A Cross was also certified Gold on November 20.
The band's most liked post on Instagram this year was a video of Papa throwing the first pitch at the White Sox game (273,241 likes).
The episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live where Ghost performed Call Me Little Sunshine was watched by around 1.3 million people.
In September, Ghost reached over 12 million monthly listeners on Spotify and was the 450th most streamed artist globally - that's 450 out of over 11 million!
As of today with over 1.6 billion accumulated streams Ghost is one of the 1,000 most successful artists on the platform of all time (currently #808).
On September 11, Mary On A Cross peaked at #1 in the Viral Hits chart on Spotify in 54 countries across the world.
It was also the highest charting Swedish song on the platform in 2022, peaking globally at #31.
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At this point I think it’s safe to declare that Ghost’s global success reached unprecedent heights this year and even allowed them to officially join the ranks of mainstream artists. With all of the above, 70 completed shows this year and many more to come in 2023, and with media of the likes of The Wall Street Journal proclaiming Ghost “the next generation of arena stars,” it looks like that the band is well on the way to become one of the biggest rock acts of this century. Not bad for a side project started by one Swede in his bedroom somewhere in Linköping. 
Let us hope 2023 will be as devilishly good!
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louisupdates · 1 month
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Louis Tomlinson to Livestream FOR EVERY QUESTION WHY Mexico City Concert
Louis will be the first male solo artist to headline the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez venue, which is the home of the Mexican F1 Grand Prix.
By: Josh Sharpe | May. 20, 2024
In a landmark event for fans around the world, British singer/songwriter Louis Tomlinson is set to perform one night only at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez - Curva 4 in Mexico City on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Louis will be the first male solo artist to headline the venue, which is the home of the Mexican F1 Grand Prix.
As part of his 'Faith In The Future World Tour’, the show is the culmination and the final stadium show of two back-to-back world tours that have sold over 1.5M tickets and taken Louis to 47 countries across 5 continents. Louis Tomlinson - For Every Question Why: Live and Direct from Mexico City will air LIVE on Veeps, offering fans around the world exclusive access to the first concert Louis has ever streamed in front of an in-person crowd.
The livestream will be directed by Grammy-nominated and Emmy award-winning director Sam Wrench, who has earned wide acclaim for his work on Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour film as well as Billie Eilish: Live at the O2. Individual tickets are on sale for $16.99 HERE. To cater to the timezones of a truly global fanbase, there will be two opportunities for fans to gather on the streams — a livestream direct from the show at approximately 8pm PDT / 9pm CST (Mexico)* on Saturday, June 1 and an encore broadcast on Sunday, June 2 at 6pm BST / 7pm CET.* The encore broadcast will include exclusive backstage and bonus footage not included in the first livestream.
Louis will be partnering with War Child UK for the livestream and donating a portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold. War Child UK is committed to ensuring a safe future for every child affected by war. With 30 years of experience, they work with local communities and governments to protect, educate, and support children in war zones, aiming to reach them quickly and stay long after the crisis has passed. War Child creates safe spaces for children to play, learn, and heal, advocating for their rights and amplifying their voices.
Veeps and Louis have partnered a number of times since Veeps’ inception, each time crafting unique and heartfelt experiences for fans tuning in — from his 2020 Live From London lockdown performance that brought together 160,000 fans for the biggest livestream concert ever held by a solo male artist, to an airing of his feature-length documentary All of Those Voices coupled with a live red carpet cross and intimate Q&A. (In a show of the closeness of Louis’s fans, the stream generated an enormous 30,000 chat messages amongst those that tuned in.)
Louis’s journey from global superstardom with One Direction to solo success has been marked by a series of bold, creative choices, kicking off with his debut album, Walls, which has sold over 1.5 million copies. Its 2022 follow up, Faith in the Future, went to No.1 in the UK, Spain and Belgium, and Top 5 in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and across Europe. In 2021, Louis was listed in the Guinness Book Of World Records for breaking the record for the most live streamed concert by a solo male artist, hosting one of the biggest live stream concert events ever held, selling over 160,000 tickets to fans in over 110 countries and raising funds for several important charities.
This month, Louis unveiled a surprise live album, LIVE, with the digital version comprising a collection of 15 songs, all released live for the very first time. Each song was recorded in a different city, at a different show, spanning the past 3 years across Louis's two global world tours which have seen him perform over 170 shows to date. LIVE will also be released on CD and LP on August 23 with 3 additional tracks exclusive to the physical formats only. Both are available now to pre-order. The CD includes exclusive live versions of “High In California” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” while the LP includes exclusive live versions of “High In California,” “Only The Brave” and “Kill My Mind.”
As Louis wraps up his tour, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez - Curva 4 will provide a dynamic backdrop for a livestream performance. As one of the biggest artists for new fans on Veeps, this concert is not just a show; it's a global event, bringing together fans from all corners of the world to celebrate the music of one of the most influential artists of our time.
Tickets to Louis Tomlinson - For Every Question Why: Live and Direct from Mexico City will be available for $16.99 at https://veeps.events/louis-tomlinson-live-from-mexico. The show will air live on June 1, 2024 at 8pm PDT / 9pm CST (Mexico), with the special encore broadcast airing at 6pm BST / 7pm CET on June 2.* The stream will be available exclusively on Veeps for 12 months after the original airdate, with a 7-day rewatch window for individual ticket purchasers.
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heejinkwan · 4 months
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[ STELLARS — a guide to astella’s fandom . ]
WHAT ARE STELLARS ? ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ stellars is the name given to the fanbase of kpop idol astella , the name was given to fans on january 10th , 2022 – three months after her debut . the fanbase is known for being fairly nice to get along with , only getting rowdy when it’s time to ‘ defend heejin ‘ . they’re very loyal , quite literally known for getting astella out of ‘ nugudom ‘ , convinced her company to have her perform at coachella , although she didn’t headline , it was still an amazing achievement for her . they even have their own community on twitter (x) , called stellars!
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THE OFFICIAL STELLARS COLOURS ! ... the official colours for stellar are the swan ( #FCD417 ) , the sun ( #FF709C ) &&. the cyclop ( #FE8650 ) . each color is meant to represent astella’s growth ; her time in promise being the swan , first year as a soloist being the sun , and the cyclop being her revenge (reputation) era , the one she’s currently in .
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THE OFFICIAL STELLAR LIGHTSTICK ( insp. venusvity ) ! ... THE FIRST lightstick , also known as the stellabong , was the very first light stick that dropped 2 months after astella’s initial debut in 2021 and came free with the physical album copy . stellars absolutely loved the design of the lightstick , it’s chargeable and can change into three different colors when you press the button , it is still available on astella’s website to this day .
THE ORIGINAL lightstick was released a month after the stellabong , it’s the only lightstick that stellars have where there is a handle. it’s known to be the least favorite light stick out of the the generations , although it is still used when astella performs on inkigayo or music bank , this really played into the mermaid feel a little bit , her international fans aren’t very fond of it , but her korean fans like it . the current retail price is $34 USD ( ₩45,307 ) , although as of 2024 it isn’t bought as much . however , at concerts astella still uses it whenever she can!
THE LATEST stellabong was release early june 2022 , just in time for astella’s performance at lollapalooza paris , replacing the previous one after a year run to mark the start of the ‘ revenge era ’ . simply being a modified version of the first gen stellabong , fans enjoyed improved shaping and quality , they definitely think this one is the best lightstick out of all three , it looks pretty , and just like the first one can change colors! the current retail price is 65$ USD ( ₩86,617 ) , astella likes to keep the prices of the lightstick’s in range so that most of her fans are able to afford it . but , there are still resellers in the fandom who either sell the lightstick for more or a cheaper price .
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WHAT IS STELLARS FAVORITE ERA? ... NOBODY KNOWS is the most popular era out of all of astella’s comebacks so far , she gained tons of fans during this era and going viral almost every day thanks to her beauty . in a fan vote , 50.5% of stellars said they liked this era the best . ever since this era started , stellars started to get the ‘ stellars are so toxic ‘ treatment , they don’t care , they obviously act the way they do because of all the things heejin has been through . she also is active a lot on bubble and instagram threads , where she talks abiht things behind the scenes .
SUGARCOAT comes second in terms of popularity , having been voted by 45.1% of fans . most of this popularity stems from the fact that she just got out of her contract with her old company , almost getting blacklisted , and her name being infamous for the amount of months she was gone , a lot of the streams from this song , which garnered over 70 million views , came from people hate watching , wanting to see what’s all the hype about , but they ended up loving the song . before nobody knows became the best era in stellars eyes , sugarcoat was their roman empire .
QUEENDOM , is in third place , with a whopping 5.05% , queendom was the era of heejin being in promise , stellars don’t even want to talk about astella being the group . a lot of them like to pretend she was never in the group and was always a soloist after finding out in the lawsuit she made against her old company of the way she was treated , stellars don’t hold anything against the girls! a lot of them are still fans of them , they just won’t hesistate to hate on the company , a lot of ‘ toxic stellars ‘ would berate the members , saying they should’ve said something about her mistreatment but seeing how they really had no power stellars understand why the girls didn’t say anything . but it is thought to be known that the members still support her and astella does the same .
very much inspired by @mvneaten btw! it’s this post!
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I made one of those iceberg memes for AJR
It includes both songs and also just like fanbase stuff
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Thanks to the website I made this on for putting their massive fucking watermark over the bottom
Full explanation:
Bang!: Bang! has been, in some ways the most popular AJR song. YouTube says WSV has more streams than Bang! does but I think that has more to do with the online popularity of it than anything else, as I've honestly heard more people say they've heard bang than WSV so I put it at the top.
WSV (World's Smallest Violin): WSV from Ok Orchestra has been one of songs I go to when I'm trying to see if maybe someone's heard an AJR song before and just hasn't realized it. It went pretty viral in 2022.
Weak: Weak was also a pretty massive song. It was released on the Click and according to YouTube Music has 238 million plays.
Burn The House Down: This song was released on the Deluxe version of The Click (it's not on the main one, which is surprising as it's the most popular song from the whole album). It's also one of AJR's biggest songs.
The Good Part: This was the first AJR song I'd ever heard! A lot of it's popularity was from TikTok trends that we're using the "can we skip to the good part" as a transition audio.
AJR is a band: I feel like this should go without saying and should be higher on the list, but the number of people I see referring to AJR collectively as "he" is infuriating. There are 3 of them holy shit dude look at any album cover of theirs and use some of those counting skills we should've learned in preschool. However, I do see people not involved in AJR stuff who understand how to count and say "their" when referring to them collectively so I put it above the water level on the iceberg.
Way Less Sad: This song also did pretty well. It was released on Ok Orchestra. However it's not one I think most non-AJR fans would've heard so I put it as the first "under water level" spot on the iceberg.
AJR stands for Adam Jack and Ryan: A lot of people don't know this but I think it's one of the first things you'd google if you were starting to join the fanbase. Adam Jack and Ryan are the first names of the bassist, lead singer, and keyboardist respectively.
Jack's Hat: Pretty much since I want to say 2015 (?) Jack has worn this hat during pretty much anything relating to the band.
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It was his mother's hat and appears as early as Living Room overture
pssst Women's Ultrawarm Bomber Hat | Accessories at L.L.Bean (llbean.com)
They're brothers: Adam Jack and Ryan are brothers. Not much more to elaborate on here except that a lot of people didn't seem to know this.
Karma: One of the greatest songs ever made and definitely one any fan knows. It was on Neotheater
Overtures: For the albums the click, living room, and ok orchestra the album has started with a song called "Overture" (or "Ok Overture" in Ok Orchestra's case). These songs are just like a mash up of the other songs on the album.
Both Living Room and The Click's overtures display this definition at the beginning of the song as "Overture" isn't in most peoples vocabularies
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I guess by Ok Overture we were expected to understand what was going on as there was no definition at the beginning of that one.
T__ M____ M__: So whether or not you know what this is will depend on how active you were in the community at the time TMM (what we now know is The Maybe Man) was being teased. Essentially we were told of the initials "TMM" and that the first word had 3 letters, the second 5, and the 3rd 3 and nothing else. There was someone selling shirts that said "AJRdle" at one point (I can't find them now), and that refers the wordle we were essentially playing with the album name.
Joe: This song was written about a guy who went to Ryan's high school that he looked up to. It's not a hugely popular song but it's one most fans would know. It appears on Ok Orchestra.
Adventure is Out There: Another less popular Ok Orchestra song. This one's great too.
I'm Ready: This song was their "first" (more on that later) song and was also their first hit. Sia shouted them out and that pretty much made the song a hit.
It was in the trailer for Trainwreck in 2015
Trainwreck (2015) - IMDb
Pitchfork Kids: Beloved by fans and considered by some as the best song on Living Room. It originally came out in the Infinity EP.
Normal: So a lot of people miss this song's existence as it was on the deluxe edition on the click but not the official one. It's kinda overlooked. Citation needed, but I believe it's the least popular song that's post living room.
Weak has an acoustic version: This title is pretty self-explanatory, but a lot of people missed the acoustic version of weak that came out in the "Weak Remixes" EP (I guess its an EP?)
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City Savers: My beloved city savers. Sadly this and other AJR webisodes were taken down from the official page but there is a reupload.
AJR WEBISODE: CITY SAVERS (youtube.com)
Essentially it was just a skit they did. I'm not sure when it came out but if I had to guess it looks like it might've been around 2013.
A Day In The Life: City Savers' slightly overlooked twin. Another webisode from around this time.
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Dear Winter 2.0: AJR released an alternate version of Dear Winter. All the lyrics are the same but the production is different. A lot of people don't seem to talk about this.
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3 AM: Not to be confused with 3 O'clock things, 3 AM was released on the infinity EP in 2014. It's the least played AJR song that's still officially available.
AJR Covers Channel: There exists a second official AJR youtube channel thats @/AJRBrothers instead of just @/AJR
AJRBrothers - YouTube
They posted covers of songs. It hasn't been active for 11 years.
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I also love how hilariously outdated their About section is.
6Foot1: This was just an alternate title for the I'm Ready EP.
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Woody Allen, AfterHours, and Buy You A Rose still have their 6Foot1 versions up on AJR's youtube channel.
Jack was in The Pink Panther 2: Yeahhh
So when Jack was 11 he was in a movie called the Pink Panther 2. He played a character named Antoine. I watched the movie and he was only in like 5 minutes of it total. I wasn't paying a ton of attention to the movie but I think he was supposed to be the nephew of the main character.
If you've ever seen this:
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Its from the promotion for this movie.
He was also in one called Billy Bates according to IMDB but I've never seen that one.
Anyways if for whatever reason you want to watch the Pink Panther 2 (it's terrible and absolutely earned its 12% rotten tomatoes rating) you can watch it here for free on Tubi:
Watch The Pink Panther 2 (2009) - Free Movies | Tubi (tubitv.com)
Married On A Hill: Mostly just mentioning this song cause I discovered it and became obsessed with it a couple of weeks ago but essentially it's a song of theirs from like 2014 or 2013 that was played live a couple of times and never officially released (but was released accidentally in 2020 Married On A Hill | AJR Wiki | Fandom) but there are still concert recordings of it on YouTube.
Here's one:
AJR - Married On A Hill 11/4/14 (youtube.com)
Born and Bred: Born and Bred was the first album they ever released, but it's been taken down. According to genius.com, it came out on March 8th 2010, but take this with a grain of salt because genius.com sucks balls. But, I digress.
It still exists on YouTube but I didn't tell you that.
Adam was in a The Onion video: This also has a pretty self explanatory title.
Adam appears in the Onion's "High School Tonys Nation's Drama Club Nerds" at 0:55
High School Tonys Honor Nation's Drama Club Nerds (youtube.com)
Go On Take A Chance: This was AJR's first song. It exists on YouTube and has a music video. It appears as the first track on Born and Bred and was released as a single according to genius.com on January 13th 2010. Again, take this with a grain of salt because genius.com sucks balls.
But I digress put your hands up cause I won't
Venture: Venture was the second album released by AJR and has also been taken down. There is a lot less of this album available online so it's lost media in a way. Genius.com says venture came out September 12th (yikes) 2010, but have I mentioned that I fucking hate genius.com. This album has 10 songs.
AJR - EP: And we reach the end. This EP was released after Venture and Born and Bred and had 4 songs, one of which was The World Is A Marble heart, which I'm pretty sure makes it the oldest still publicly available AJR song. I think it's the same on the AJR EP as it is on Living Room but I haven't heard the original version to confirm that. If genius.com is to be trusted (it generally is not) it came out July 17th 2012. I think most of the EP is available on YouTube.
I only put this one at the bottom because in my experience the community seems to talk about it less than Born and Bred and Venture.
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Coldplay - Hymn for the Weekend 2016
"Hymn for the Weekend" is a single by the British rockband Coldplay from their seventh studio album A Head Full of Dreams, featuring uncredited vocals from American singer Beyoncé. It was written by the band's members, while the production was handled by Rik Simpson, Avicii, Digital Divide, and Stargate.
"Hymn for the Weekend" reached number six on the UK Singles Chart and also reached the top twenty in countries such as Switzerland, Ireland, France, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Italy and Spain. In the US, with the Seeb remix, the song reached number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The music video was shot at various Indian cities including Worli Village, Mumbai, and Kolkata. The fort showcased at the start and in between is Fort Vasai in Vasai, Mumbai. Scenes were also shot at the Maratha Mandir theatre, which is known for showcasing a single film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, for over 22 consecutive years. The video is themed on the Indian festival of Holi and was filmed by Ben Mor. It features Beyoncé and Indian actress Sonam Kapoor. With 2 billion views on Youtube as of January 2024, "Hymn for the Weekend" is Coldplay's most-viewed video. Luminate Data reported the song "had the most total combined audio and video streams globally in 2022", with 35.9 million views coming from Canada, and 434.5 million from the US.
"Hymn for the Weekend" received a total of 57,6% yes votes!
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plasticflwrs · 5 months
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★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ DISCOGRAPHY — Under the cut, you will find an IN DEPTH look into the career of South Korea's favorite idol band, Plastic Flowers. Beginning in 2016, they would rebrand after failing to make a profit in 2017 and find true success with TEETH in 2020, just a few months before their 16 month hiatus would begin. In 2022, they came back stronger than ever with I'M ALIVE and have consistently topped the music charts since. They are known for their promotional style which revolves around a spring and fall release each other, amounting to about 16 releases across singles, minis, their three full studio albums. Despite their constant stream of releases, the quality never suffers despite being completely self-produced since all five members are now involved in the writing process.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ TRIGGER WARNINGS — Death of a parent, descriptive mention of eating disorders + treatment ( 2021 section ). If this piece is too triggering, please DM and I can give you a summary of what happens!
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2016 !
Compared to their underground counterparts, idol bands have been relatively successful in the past as seen with FNC's trio of FT Island, CNBLUE, and N.Flying along with JYP's newest venture, Day6. However, Plastic Flowers would fall under the radar due to the influx of third generation groups debuting between 2014 and 2016 with all three of the major companies debuting at least one new group during that time. Plastic Flowers would debut as four members with SALEM, DAL, JIHUN, and GWYN on May 15, 2016 with the lead single SCARED from their single album LET ME GO. While the two songs were praised by music critics, it failed to reach the general public. Along with their other single album, it would sell 46 copies total within the year and has never been reprinted. Original copies of the album are priced very high on second-hand selling websites and no "real fans" currently own a copy. LET ME GO and MENTALISM were even taken off of all major streaming platforms until fans demanded for it's return in 2022.
MV VIEWS: 1.2 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
In their debut, Plastic Flowers explores themes of fear and insecurity through the song SCARED. The lyrics suggest hesitant to approach someone and an inability to express oneself freely, with most fans interpreting this to relate to Salem's original group THE BIG GLOOM, which she left the year prior. The phrase why are you scared? repeats throughout the song and highlights a sense of frustration with the fear and reluctance in their relationship, despite attempts to change. The narrator yearns for reassurance and validation, seeking comfort in the hope that their fears and uncertainties will fade away.
This line-up would release their second and final single album MENTALISM in November of 2016 with the title track MOUSE. This would be a continuation of their previous release, in terms of themes and inability to perform well on music charts. Though Mouse is beloved by fans now, it made no noise in 2016 and remains their worst performing single of all time, selling even worse than their debut single. Mentalism marked their first attempts at performing at small venues like bars and other restaurants, however, due to Oliver's age, they were often denied by the promotional teams. They would return to busking and posting covers in hopes of gaining more fans. At the end of 2016, it was announced by Superbloom Media would be placed on INDEFINITE HIATUS as they evaluated where to go forward. DAL and JIHUN would leave not long after, moving to larger companies and debuting in traditional idol groups instead.
MV VIEWS: 3.9 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0.
In 2024, MOUSE is often compared to their later b-side BRAND NEW CITY from their 2023 album OHIO IMPROMPTU. Both discuss the sense of dread from being in one's prime and dreading what comes later. Mouse is described as what happens after the narrator of Brand New City moves and realizes that they need to find a way to survive, that simply moving was not enough to change their feelings and create happiness. The narrator vows to "find love / and find a way to survive here", giving them a new sense of hope for the remaining time that they have and will move on from the silence.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2017 !
In September 2017, Plastic Flowers would return with an almost completely new lineup composed of SALEM, JUNYEONG, MINGHUI, SERIN, and OLIVER. Oliver would drop his initial stage name, Gwyn, during this rebrand for an unknown reason, though he still uses it to produce for other groups. They would release ROCKSTAR from the album SOCIAL REJECTS to limited success. They would sell 99 copies of their third single album, doubling the previous records set by LET ME GO and MENTALISM. Superbloom Media would also shift their promotional style in favor of the more traditional idol route, getting them performances on Music Bank and The Show for three weeks.
MV VIEWS: 3.4 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0.
ROCKSTAR moves away from their traditional melancholic sound for more critiques of the social landscape. Rockstar explores themes of frustration and defiance in the face of judgement and control from others. They are seen as a suspect, watched closely, and labeled as a hopeless murder by those around them. Similar to their other tracks, this is believed to have been written after the conflict with The Big Gloom and is Salem's take on it. Those around the narrator continuously reject and oppose them, leading to a growing sense of resentment with the world around them. The chorus emphasizes the narrator's resolve to stay true to themselves because they believe they are doing nothing wrong. This song would be revisited in 2024 and a re-recording with new pianist Oh Deurim would be included in their third studio album RUTHLESS ROCKSTARS as a b-side.
With a small but mighty fanbase under their belt, Plastic Flowers would return in December 2017 with their first mini-album NORTH STAR, which had five songs including the title track FREEDOM. This release would double their catalogue and allow for slow growth across the next few years. THE BIG GLOOM, composed of the four original members, would also release their newest album over Soundcloud that same day, leading to tensions amongst new and old fans as the debate of what Salem should have done returned. Rather than alienating the old fans, they went back to their old sound to prove that nothing has changed and Plastic Flowers will only be a better version of her previous band. NORTH STAR was promoted similarly to their previous single album with performances on all major South Korean music shows and even an appearance on The After School Club to connect with international fans.
MV VIEWS: 6.7 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
FREEDOM returns to their original sound with the themes of liberation and desire to break from societal constraints from ROCKSTAR still following them. Freedom opens with lyrics expressing uncertainty about what to sing about, overwhelmed by the abundance of refrain in the world and emphasizes their understanding of the path that they have chosen. The narrator proclaims that they have finally found their own way and the metaphor of cutting the moon and devouring the night suggests a rebellious mindset, choosing to defy expectations and live freely. Freedom encourages fans to let go of the norm and find their own path, breaking from societal expectations for their own happiness.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2018 !
2018 would cement Superbloom's promotional style for Plastic Flowers as they release an album in the spring and fall, the seasons in which they have found the band to be most popular in. The first release of 2018 was HIGHER & HIGHER, their second mini-album with the lead single LET'S GET LOST. This release continued their momentum forward and there was nothing out of the ordinary during this era. They were slowly being included in more variety shows, as seen by their joint appearance with Day6 on Weekly Idol and their first invitations to a major award show with the Golden Disc Awards and Seoul Music Awards. They were not nominated or even performed, but their photos from the red carpet got people talking about the unknown group.
MV VIEWS: 5.7 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
By now, Plastic Flowers had also shown what their lyrical concept would be as they created another song about escaping hardships of life and embarking on a journey of self-discovery. The narrator has a desire to let go of the past and leave behind anything that feels uncertain in LET'S GET LOST. The verses encourages themselves and their companions to leave behind their negative experiences as they "open the curtains" and lock the door behind them. Later lines capture the excitement of encountering new experiences and embracing the unknown, showing their growth away from the past that seemed to follow them and rising above.
LOVE ME? would be the last Plastic Flowers album fully written and produced solely by SALEM and Superbloom's in-house production team. All of the members were growing interested in producing their own music, especially the two youngest members—Serin and Oliver. They had submitted drafts to Superbloom for Love Me?, however they were not chosen. Interviews this era were a bit tense because of this and Salem wanting to keep her creative control over the group. Superbloom would also give Plastic Flowers their first reality show, FLOWER SHOWERS, which followed them around and tried to show fans the "real" members.
MV VIEWS: 6.3 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
TWENTY-ONE revolves around the themes of heartbreak, disappointment, and the realization that a once-special relationship has come to an end. The lyrics depict the emotions of someone who believed their relationship was unique and meaningful, only to discover that their partner does not feel the same. This is famously thought to be about former bandmate YING SHUHANG, more commonly known by his stage name IRUM. Throughout high school and much of their career together, they dated and broke up around the same time Salem left to join Superbloom Media. Through this song, she is coming to terms with the relationship being over after asking "why don't you adore me?" over and over again. She uses the concept of sleep and going to be bed to bury the past and move on from the relationship, showing that she would be ready to move on once she wakes up.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2019 !
Plastic Flowers would release HYPOCREEP in March 2019, right before OLIVER was set to appear on the new survival talent competition show SUPERBAND, produced by JTBC. Despite the sound change, Hypocreep was met with positive reaction from fans and is their first mini-album to sell over 1,000 copies in the first month. It is often seen as a turning point for the band as their releases following would follow a similar sound and is the first song to credit another band member besides Salem, that being OLIVER. This would be the first of a long partnership between the two that would eventually fizzle out during their 2022 hiatus. Hypocreep is also one of the most popular songs for other idols and bands to cover given the technical requirements of each instrument.
MV VIEWS: 7.4 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 0.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
HYPOCREEP expresses frustration towards people who are hypocritical and fake, particularly those who are thirsty for drama and attention on the internet. The singer identifies as a "hypocreep," which is a term they use to describe themselves as a different breed of person who is hyper and freaky. The singer acknowledges that they may be seen as strange or abnormal to others, but they do not care because those same people secretly wish they could be like the singer.
While Hypocreep opened the door for other members writing, THE CHAIN would be the first time another member would sing on a Plastic Flowers track. The Chain is a duet between Salem and Oliver and would mark the beginning for a lead singer change. It was under the direction of Kim Yuchan, a first generation soloist, and he advised the change since Oliver was well liked by the general public after Superband. THE CHAIN still remains a fan favorite song and would give the band their first award show nomination on Show! Music Core, much to the band's surprise. Most of the members recall this era as the first time they actually felt loved by the audience and could see people singing along.
MV VIEWS: 10.2 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 1.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
The main message of THE CHAIN is that relationships can be enduring, even if they have difficulties. The first verse describes the struggles of having a relationship and feeling powerless to their partner's actions. They discuss the idea that a love can endure even in these moments of darkness, as the lover is trying to tell the other that they would never break the chain that binds them together. There is a strong guitar and bass solo--played by SALEM and OLIVER--that represents the strong connection between them that won't be broken so easily. The end is a plea to stay together, to keep the chain together, and not run into the shadows away from each other.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2020 !
Fans of Plastic Flowers fall into two camps for their 2020 releases: either loving it or hating everything it stands for. Due to it's "inappropriate lyrics" FOR YOUR LOVE was banned by all the major South Korean music shows and would be promoted in a series of live concerts instead. They would instead promote READY TO FLY as their title track for this era, saving the performances of For Your Love for their smaller performances. Not long after the conclusion of For Your Love's promotions, Superbloom Media would confirm SALEM and OLIVER's relationhip, which had begun at the end of the year prior. This would be another reason why people did not like the song as it showed their relationship was taking away from making songs about important topics, not just each other.
MV VIEWS: 29.2 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. Banned.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. Banned.
FOR YOUR LOVE talks about the desire to please and satisfy someone in a romantic relationship. The lyrics in the verses describe the singer's intent to be the first thing on the person's mind and engage in sexual activity with them. The chorus reinforces the theme of doing anything for the person they love. The bridge highlights the singer's willingness to give everything they have to their partner and the importance of communication in the relationship. The outro repeats the sentiment that the singer is willing to do anything for their partner's love. 
TEETH, and it's accompanying album LOVESICKNESS, continues with the themes from FOR YOUR LOVE. Unlike the previous song, it was actually allowed on music shows and was loved by their fanbase for the aesthetics that came with it. Due to the show going semi-viral on TWITTER thanks to a tweet by a poppy asking "what business Plastic Flowers had releasing" the song, LOVESICKNESS sold over 10,000 copies by the end of the year. This would also be the final time they were promote prior to their 16 month hiatus, making it special to their fans. Teeth would later become a sleeper hit by going viral once again and entering the top 10 on the Circle Chart after being used on an OST.
MV VIEWS: 229.6 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 3.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
The major themes of TEETH relate to toxic and tumultuous relationships, with the lyrics depicting the ups and downs of being someone that can be both loving and hurtful. Written completely by OLIVER, many fans have begun to debate the real meaning of the song as it relates to his former relationship with Salem. In TEETH, the protagonist realizes that the person they are with is full of contradictions as they compare their lover to a pair of teeth. The lover's heart is described as having teeth, meaning that while they may talk sweetly, they can also hurt and bite. The relationship is very complicated, in which both parties are hurting each other but can't let go with the narrator realizing that they are losing themself by the end of the song and maybe even the relationship.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2021 !
The GOODNIGHT era was spent dreading what would come next for Plastic Flowers. It was obvious that the members were losing steam as shown by their smaller performances and the constant cancellation of their performances at their bar, Cheeky's. The release of 403 only made that worse as they went back to the melancholic sound and promotions outside of music shows were cut short. In fear of losing the band, Poppies made sure that it sold well, achieving a record-breaking 14,000 copies in the first month alone and securing them more music show nominations. However, it seemed that nothing they were doing was enough as Plastic Flowers slowly slipped away from the public eye.
MV VIEWS: 122.9 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 3.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 0
403 focuses on liberation and moving forward from a difficult past. In the verses, detachment and release from pain and regret is encouraged alongside the image of taking off one's shoes and lying on the floor as an escape. The narrator wants the listener to forget about the past and focus on the possibilities of the future, becoming an active participant in their life rather than remaining passive. There is a reoccurring theme of breaking free as shown through the lyrics "get up in the morning" and "get out of deception", indicating the need to rise above negative situations and leave them behind. It suggests that nothing valuable can be obtained by staying where they are currently and encourages them to let go and move on.
Despite GOODNIGHT selling well, Plastic Flowers were put on an unofficial hiatus two months after it's initial release. Superbloom would be intentionally vague about the details behind the scenes to keep everything under wraps, however, sasaengs exposed the truth. Not only were they on hiatus to "fight burnout", but Oliver had returned to his hometown of Boston after the death of his father and Jiyeon had been checked into an eating disorder treatment by their manager, Cheon Garam. During this time, Salem and Oliver would also BREAK UP, creating a new tension within the band. The band's social media—both company owned and personal—would go completely dormant from March 2021 to April 2022, leaving many to believe that the group would never return and would be lost just before they achieved stardom.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2022 !
Just when most fans began to lose hope for Plastic Flowers to comeback, Superbloom did the unthinkable: dropping a new set of teasers for a full album called INTERNET BLUES. During this time, it was also revealed that MINGHUI had left the band and was replaced by Timefighter contestant OH DEURIM, who had failed to make it into the debut line-up by one place. According to Minghui, he left on good terms with the members but could no longer handle the idol life anymore. Despite how protective poppies are, they surprisingly welcomed Deurim with open arms and wanted to see what she could bring to the table. INTERNET BLUES would be released on May 5, 2022 with the title track I'M ALIVE, which secured them their FIRST WIN and first NOMINATION at a major award show after selling 100,000 copies.
MV VIEWS: 392.9 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 8.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 2.
I'M ALIVE is an uplifting song that talks about the feeling of overcoming challenges and persevering through tough times. They promise that even in the midst of uncertainty and darkness, the singer declares that they will keep themselves alive. The chorus serves as a mantra of sorts as the singer repeatedly affirms that they are alive and won't give up. The idea of "highlight" suggests that even in the bleakest moments of life, one can find something beautiful to hold onto. The bridge encourages listeners to keep searching, keep breathing, and keep alive. It's a call to action to hold onto life and never give up. 
Plastic Flowers would return to their original promotional schedule with the release of PSYCHO, the title track for their first studio album, CALL ME CRAZY that November. The studio album was celebrated by all fans as it finally meant that Plastic Flowers were confirming that they were here to stay despite their earlier issues. The members looked so much more alive this era and they even held their first FAN SIGN, which went as well as expected. The members had fun with their fans, but hated the constant requests for cuteness or prying into their personal relationships. They would hold their own formal CONCERT, with over three thousand people in attendance.
MV VIEWS: 323.4 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 9.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 3.
PSYCHO explores themes of obsession and dependency in a relationship. The lyrics depict a protagonist who is deeply infatuated with someone to the point of being obsessed, as represented by the repeated phrase "I can't stop thinking about you." The protagonist seeks answers and validation from a doctor, indicating a desperation for a solution to their intense emotions. They recognize their own exaggerated behavior, acknowledging that they may appear crazy or "psycho" to others. The chorus reinforces the protagonist's obsession, stating that they cannot live a day without thinking about this person. It conveys a sense of dependency and the idea that the protagonist's life revolves entirely around the object of their affection.
★ ⠀⠀ ! ⠀⠀ THE YEAR IS ... 2023 !
Coming into 2023, Poppies were promised many exciting things from the band. In March, Oliver's solo BURNOUT SYNDROME with the lead single STARTING LINE would be released to overwhelming success, cementing his popularity with the general public and showing everyone that he was here to stay. Though fans were happy for him, the same could not be said for his bandmates as SALEM and JUNYEONG began a smear campaign that lasted throughout the entire promotional period. Oliver would ignore any questions about the situation and chose to move on from it instead, celebrating his own achievements rather than focusing on those around him. In June, the band would come back as five to release LOVE AND WAR with the lead single of the same name, which became their best selling record at that point at just under 1 million copies.
MV VIEWS: 748.3 million.
MUSIC SHOW NOMINATIONS. 10.
MUSIC SHOW WINS. 7.
WAR tells the story of a broken relationship, in which the narrator realizes there isn't much to save if they cannot stop fighting. They are beginning to realize there isn't much to save and they have lost their love for each other, leading towards a state of emptiness or insignificance. The song's title WAR comes from the lyric "war of attrition without benefit", highlight that this war between the lovers is doing nothing to help with their current problems. The narrator wants to call a ceasefire, but it seems that their relationship's end if inevitable. Written by Oliver, many fans believe that this song was written about the end of his relationship with Salem, which has never been confirmed or denied by Oliver or Superbloom Media.
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