Seventeen has come a long way from their Seventeen TV days. The 13-member boy group have established themselves as one of the biggest groups in K-pop since their debut in 2015, and to celebrate, they just dropped a compilation album titled 17 is Right Here.
The album consists of two discs: one featuring a handful of new songs and versions of the group’s Japanese singles re-recorded in Korean, while the other disc is made up of nearly all of Seventeen’s Korean singles. 17 is Right Here is a hefty album as a result, and takes a little over an hour to listen to in full.
I like Seventeen and I like a challenge, so I took it upon myself to rank every song on the two discs. Seventeen has released some fantastic music during their career and re-listening to nearly all of their singles for this list was a delight.
That being said, I found I have a preference for their earlier work and this list will definitely reflect that. If you disagree with this list (honestly, I probably will too in an hour or two), that’s totally fair. Musical taste is subjective and there is no “right” way to appreciate it. I hope you’ll still enjoy reading this and listening to Seventeen’s new compilation album!
32. “Power of Love (Korean Ver.)”
Seventeen released this perfectly fine ballad just in time for the holidays. It’s lovely but not something I return to often.
31. “Dream (Korean Ver.)”
“Dream” is another relaxing song originally released near the holidays. This one is more my style but I don’t find it as exciting as some of the group’s other work.
30. “Lalali”
Songs by Seventeen’s hip-hop team are always great.
29. “F*ck My Life”
I love when Seventeen releases a “healing” song and “F*ck My Life” is a good addition.
28. “Spell”
This is another great track from Seventeen’s performance team but my favorite is still “Lilili Yabbay.”
27. “Happy Ending (Korean Ver.)”
Seventeen’s Japanese singles are often underrated in my opinion, and “Happy Ending” is no exception. The chorus is catchy but it borders on too repetitive for me.
26. “_World”
I really like “_World” and think it’s a great retro-inspired track in the same vein as HYBE labelmates BTS’ “Dynamite.” That’s also my problem with the song; it would sound similarly great if another group recorded it instead.
25. “Fallin’ Flower”
The music video for “Fallin’ Flower” is one of my favorites and the song is beautiful as well.
24. “Cheers to Youth”
It’s still too soon to tell, but this might be my new favorite Vocal Team song.
23. “Hot”
“Hot” has one of my favorite pre-choruses in K-pop but it also doesn’t really feel like a Seventeen song to me. I appreciate how versatile the group is and that they can pull off concepts like this even if they’re not my favorite from them.
22. “24H (Korean Ver.)”
Seventeen takes a stab at a very trendy sound and pulls it off just as well as you’d expect.
21. Not Alone (Korean Ver.)”
I really love Seventeen’s “healing” and motivational songs. They really pull off this concept!
20. “Super”
“Super” is a performance song through and through. This is made for the stage and is pure spectacle in the best way.
19. “Maestro”
It’s hard to tell exactly how I’ll feel about “Maestro” as a single given how new it is, but for now this feels like a good spot. Love the beat switch-ups in this one.
18. “Home”
You know Seventeen has a great discography when I rank a song like “Home” at 18. I still love the song’s fake-out antidrop just as much now as I did in 2019 when it was released.
17. “Ima -Even if the world ends tomorrow (Korean Ver.)”
I love a good song that sounds like an anime opening.
16. “Boom Boom”
Surprisingly, I didn’t like “Boom Boom” all that much when it first came out. Now though, I recognize it as the classic Seventeen song it is and I can’t help but bop along whenever I hear it.
15. “Thanks”
Despite being one of those fans, I am typically not a fan of songs where K-pop groups express gratitude to their fans; however, “Thanks” is the best take on this trope I’ve heard. The boys are emoting with this one and I love it.
14. “Fear”
“Fear” differs from many of the songs in Seventeen’s wheelhouse but it works for me. I especially enjoy how the instrumental drops out when Jeonghan opens the second verse. It’s a cool way to keep the song interesting and play with listeners‘ expectations.
13. “Ready to Love”
“Ready to Love” is another great song I didn’t like at first. I know; I really need to reassess my fave’s discographies more so I don’t miss out on great music!
12. “Rock With You”
“Rock With You” sounds like the song that a band would play at the end of a feel-good early 2000s movie and I mean that in the best way.
11. “Home;Run”
Like many Carats, I fell in love with Seventeen’s theatrical sound and I love when they call back to it. It’s their signature for a reason; no other group is doing it like this. I’d love to see more of this sound in K-pop.
10. “Call Call Call! (Korean Ver.)”
Can you believe I didn’t like this song either at first? It took me a while but now I’m all aboard the “Call Call Call!” train.
9. “Oh My!”
“Oh My!” is a chill summer track I always return to. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it does exactly what it set out to do and does it well.
8. “Pretty U”
To me, “Pretty U” is a quintessential Seventeen song. It might not be their best but it’s one of their most memorable and a fun one to see live.
7. “Don’t Wanna Cry”
Seventeen’s 2017 take on a trendy sound was a great career choice for them. This was their biggest song at the time and I still hear its influence in K-Pop even now. A classic.
6. “God of Music”
Many K-Pop groups turn away from earlier brighter concepts as their careers progress and Seventeen has definitely explored more intense sounds as of late. The funky “God of Music” proves they can still thrive in a brighter soundscape.
5. “Clap”
“Clap” takes Seventeen’s motivational, theatrical sound and adds a little rock edge to it. The result is a fun and energetic song that doesn’t get nearly as much appreciation as it should.
4. “Left & Right”
Their first song after Pledis was acquired by HYBE, “Left & Right” is a catchy addition to their discography. Try not to get the hook stuck in your head.
3. “Adore U”
“Adore U” is Seventeen’s debut song and a prediction of great things to come. It still holds up as well today as it did in 2015.
2. “Mansae”
Seventeen’s second single “Mansae” (which means “Hurray”) is also one of their best. The song playfully but expertly combines pop melodies with hip-hop elements all while keeping things funky.
1. “Very Nice”
“Very Nice” is not only Seventeen’s magnum opus (so far) it’s basically a perfect K-Pop song. If we lived in a perfect world, this would have topped the charts for months but I’m glad it’s gained more appreciation over the years.
Published: May 7, 2024 04:41 am